[net.veg] Answer to what's so bad about MSG

wex@milano.UUCP (02/14/86)

In answer to Mike Liang's question about MSG:  I don't know of any scientific
studies that have been done, but I have seen and experienced several reactions
in people who have eaten MSG:

 - in myself, MSG produces nausea, hot flashes, and a burning sensation at the
   back of the neck.  If taken with other things I'm allergic to, it causes a
   feeling of constriction in my throat.

 - my wife reports that MSG makes her dizzy and gives her headaches and
   a ringing in her ears.

 - one friend had a reaction similar to that of too much alcohol (eg lowered
   inhibitions, loss of muscle coordination, slurred speech, etc).

 - also, MSG can have an additive effect on caffeine, causing muscle shakes,
   nervousness, hyperactivity, etc.

I have found that (esp in Chinese restaurants) MSG is most heavily concentrated
in pork.  The "drunk" and hyperactive people were heavy pork-eaters.  There is
less in beef or chicken, and almost none in fish/seafood.  I'm not sure if
this has to do with the meat or with the sauces.

-- 
Alan Wexelblat
ARPA: WEX@MCC.ARPA
UUCP: {ihnp4, seismo, harvard, gatech, pyramid}!ut-sally!im4u!milano!wex
"Once in a while, you get shown the light.
 In the strangest of places, if you look at it right."

ofut@gitpyr.UUCP (02/15/86)

MSG is very useful for covering up the taste of rotting meat.  Another
good reason for not consuming the stuff.

I don't remember the article or issue, but I remember that Prevention
magazine had an article on MSG in the past couple of years.  The gist
of it (as I interpreted it) was that MSG causes extensive brain damage
in laboratory animals in relatively low quantities (not like the
sacharrin).  When the FDA tried to ban it, the food companies had a
shit-fit.  It seems that not only does MSG cover up the taste of bad
meat, it also covers up the taste of the metal bits that the food
processors leave in our processed food.

I won't stand too firmly behind these statements, but I'm pretty 
sure that's a reasonable summary of the article.
-- 
Jeff Offutt
School of ICS, Georgia Tech, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!ofut

smh@mhuxl.UUCP (henning) (02/17/86)

****                                                                 ****
>From the keys of Steve Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA mhuxl!smh

Many people get "Chinese restaurant syndrome" from MSG(Accent).  The
reaction varies from headaches and tightness in the chest to deep
depression.  It can be life threatening to some people.  Obviously
it is not something to be taken lightly.