Why is there a bad rep for MSG?
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In the 60s “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” was investigated, poorly, and MSG was considered a culprit.
There’s some reasonably good evidence people who get headaches, migraines, tension headaches, etc. are more sensitive to it, but it may be more the combination of high sodium and high MSG meals that cause the problem.
There’s not really any good reason to investigate it since MSG is a staple of many cuisines, doesn’t cause any life-threatening effects to people who may be susceptible to it, and is essentially less of a problem for less people than common IBS/IBD/Crohn’s disease flare-up foods.
A couple billion people eat it regularly without major issues.
Those that have other underlying health issues (headaches/migraines) usually have multiple triggers, of which MSG is only one.
The “cure” for most MSG issues is generally the same as ingesting too much sodium — hydrate, and consume less.
I get migraines, MSG can sometimes be a trigger. I cook and eat traditional asian foods every week. I suspect my migraine trigger is when I have low quality food high in Sodium and MSG, not the MSG on its’ own.
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