Monosodium Glutamate more commonly known as MSG is used commonly as a flavor enhancer in many fast foods, processed foods, Chinese food, tinned foods and many other foods. Though commonly used the safety of this product has been controversial.
Though classified as a food ingredient that is “generally recognized as safe” by the Food and Drug Administration, there have been many complaints of adverse effects caused by the use of MSG including a rise or drop in blood pressure, headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, chest pains and many other symptoms.
MSG is derived from an amino acid called glutamic acid and was first discovered in the early twentieth century by a Japanese chemist who extracted the amino acid from seaweed and kombu. At present it is produced commercially mostly by fermenting molasses.
It is said that MSG increases the levels of insulin produced in the pancreas which makes you feel hungrier faster and as a result makes you eat more. It is injected to rats used for research to make them obese.
One of the main purposes of the extensive use of this is the addictive component. People tend to eat more of the things which include MSG over foods that don’t have it.