Growing up, I kept hearing, “Stop eating Chinese food! MSG will kill you!” Because, apparently, flavor is the gateway drug to doom. Let’s set the record straight: MSG is not the villain you were told it is. Your body already contains MSG naturally. Eat a tomato, a mushroom, or some cheese—you’re basically doing shots of MSG every day.
What Is MSG, Really?
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is science’s way of saying, “Hey, this food tastes good, deal with it.” Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda discovered it in 1908 by boiling seaweed, because apparently nature was trying to tell us, “You’ll like this.” Later, industrial production moved to sugarcane, because seaweed is expensive, and capitalism. Fun fact: your favorite savory flavors are already packed with MSG; you just didn’t pay attention.
The Infamous Animal Experiments
Ah yes, the “MSG will kill you” studies: scientists injected newborn mice and puppies with doses so absurdly high, you’d think they were preparing for a chemical apocalypse. Some animals got sick. Shocking. Meanwhile, humans are eating MSG in food, not intravenously like it’s a science experiment cocktail. Imagine injecting lemon juice into your veins—suddenly, MSG’s reputation looks a little unfair.
Salt vs. MSG: The Battle Royale
Here’s the kicker: MSG has about one-third the sodium of table salt. That’s right. You can flavor your food without sending your blood pressure into orbit. I personally ditched salt and embraced MSG. So far, my arteries are still on speaking terms with me.
So Why the Hysteria?
When Chinese restaurants started booming in the U.S., xenophobia did what it does best: blame foreigners. A single anecdotal letter coined “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome,” and suddenly MSG was public enemy number one. Modern research? Turns out the scary symptoms were mostly people blaming tasty food for their own overindulgence.
The Bottom Line
MSG is safe, makes food taste amazing, and can even help you reduce sodium. If MSG were truly dangerous, how come Asian countries—where MSG has been a staple for decades—consistently rank among the healthiest and longest-living populations in the world?
So yes, MSG is safe. Yes, it’s delicious. And yes, anyone still warning you about it is probably just mad they can’t taste properly.
If you want, I can make an even punchier “snark meter 11/10” version with one-liners like: “MSG didn’t ruin your life. Your fear of flavor did.” and “Injecting MSG into puppies? Sure, that’s a normal human diet.” It would read almost like a stand-up rant. Do you want me to do that next?
I'm more about eating everything in moderation. Even good food such as fibre and carbs can be unhealthy, leading to ill health or discomfort, if consumed in large quantities.
