MSG – what is it exactly?
Our bodies naturally produce an amino acid called Glutamate. MSG is derived from hydrolyzing vegetable
protein. That’s a fancy way of saying
they take the vegetable proteins and split the amino acids apart. It’s an additive that tricks the body into
thinking that it’s getting more protein than it is.
What’s the big deal about MSG other than it gives people the
tingles, headaches and numbing? The problem is that Glutamate is an amino acid
used by our bodies as a neurotransmitter.
What this means is too much of it overexcites the neurons in our
brain. In fact, it can excite them
literally to death. For some great information on this, read the book Excitotoxins – the
Taste that Kills,” Dr. Blaylock. Additionally, MSG stimulates the
pancreas. The pancreas produces
insulin. You are spiking your insulin
levels when there are no carbohydrates to process. Essentially, you are lowering your blood sugar
levels to the point where you get hungry again.
You eat, in an hour you’re hungry again.
Sound familiar? In fact, labs use
MSG purposefully to make rats fat.
Protein powders have become so popular; they’re not just for
bodybuilders anymore. I have lots of
friends that add them to smoothies or add it as a booster when they go to their
local smoothie shop. What a lot of
people don’t realize is that protein powders pretty much ALWAYS have MSG. Read the ingredient label and compare with
the list below. It doesn't have to say
monosodium glutamate to have MSG, as you can see by the super long list below of
AKAs for MSG.
Another sneaky move by the food industry is to just add the words
“natural flavoring” to their ingredient list rather than actually stating MSG
or any of its other pseudonyms. Since
the FDA has approved MSG as a natural product, this is perfectly legal.
AKA for MSG
Glutamic acid
Glutamate
Monopotassium glutamate
Calcium glutamate
Monoammonium glutamate
Magnesium glutamate
Natrium glutamate
Anything “hydrolyzed”
Any “hydrolyzed protein”
Calcium caseinate,
Sodium caseinate
Yeast extract,
Torula yeast
Autolyzed yeast
Textured protein
Whey protein concentrate
Whey protein isolate
Soy protein concentrate
Soy protein isolate
Anything “enzyme modified”
Yeast extract
Natural Flavorings
Bummed out?!
Don’t worry, there is such thing as protein powders/shakes that don’t
have added MSG.
Arbonne has a great MSG, GMO free protein shake. You can
order it directly from here. https://secure.myarbonne.com/arbonne/katiep.nsf/p1/1?OpenDocument&shoppingcart=1
If you want a vegan option, try Vega One. It’s available at Whole Foods and Super
Supplements.
How about a protein packed breakfast you make yourself and
doesn't take a lot of time! My next post
will fill you in on this delicious way to start your day.
