The Silent Sick-o Killer Haunting Your Cupboards: MSG

Let’s talk about the scariest abbreviation ever: MSG.

So WTF does MSG stand for?

Welp, MSG is “a flavor enhancer that’s known widely as an addition to Chinese food, but that’s actually added to thousands of the foods you and your family regularly eat, especially if you are like most Americans and eat the majority of your food as processed foods or in restaurants.”

Reactions to foods containing MSG — known as ‘MSG symptom complex’ — include:Headache

• Headache
• Flushing
• Sweating
• Facial pressure or tightness
• Numbness, tingling or burning in the face, neck & other areas
• Rapid, fluttering heartbeats
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Weakness

After freaking out, I decided to ask my friend, Fredie ( who’s a certified nutritionist ); he provided this chart that clearly shows the sickie, hidden names for MSG. So I made my own visual, but pretty ( ya know, Skinny Confidential style- in cute colors, naturally ), to hang on the fridge.

The first graph ( in pink ) are substances that always contain factory created free glutamate, which is the harmful form found in MSG.

The second graph ( in teal ) are stubstances that often contain some factory created free glutamate in varying amounts. Note: some food labels list several of these items, which can add up to a considerable and dangerous amount in one product:

The next graph ( in grey ) shows ingreds suspected of containing enough processed glutamate to cause reactions in sensitive individuals:

If you want to read more about MSG, click here.

I know it’s kinda confusing, but if you use these charts to inspect your foods at home…you’ll be absolutely F-ing shocked. After going through my cupboards/fridge, I was disgusted at how many products contained MSG ( or MSG’s hidden names ).

Ignorance is NOT bliss!! Educate yourself on nasty-ass MSG!!

Mmkay! MSG 101 is over! Now go have a fab, insane, extra relaxing weekend ; ). xx.L

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