THE NUCLEUS Issue 2 Spring 2024

MSG

MSG is put in food as a flavour enhancer, like salt, and has been used since the 20th Century. In the 1960s, Dr Robert Ho Man Kwok reported to the England Journal of Medicine that he had fallen ill because of MSG seasoning. Following this, an investigation into MSG was conducted by Dr Ho Man, finding that high doses can result in symptoms like headaches, nausea, heart palpitations and muscle pains, sowing the seeds of fear of the seasoning. Years later, the FDA (U.S Food and Drug Administration) found that unless you are intolerant or allergic to it, these symptoms will not occur. According to the FDA, it is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), which is the safety rating of salt and pepper. In addition, the FDA claims that consuming 3 grams of MSG without food can cause the symptoms found in Dr Ho Man’s investigation. The FDA states that you’ll eat approximately 0.5 grams of MSG in one serving of food, so it is inconceivable that you’ll consume 3 grams of MSG without food in one day. Studies such as Dr Ho Man’s investigation are a key reason why “chemicals”, such as MSG, are seen as poison. In fact, investigations such as these are what sow the seeds of fear of many products, i.e. vaccines. It is vital to get a well-rounded view on topics such as these and not trust the first random person on Facebook who squeals “poison!”, to avoid fearing things we don’t need to be afraid of. Ultimately, it is up to each of us to choose what we consume and what we feed our family members. Sometimes companies use synthetic chemicals as cheaper alternatives to their products. Sometimes they’re identical to what is created naturally. Sometimes they can have adverse affects. Not all synthetic chemicals cause harm. What matters is if you’re okay with ingesting these chemicals and whether you are okay with feeding them to others.

By Catherine Zotov