What if MSG really is misunderstood? Take a tasteful journey through the history and science of monosodium glutamate and learn why MSG is not only safe, but the purest form of umami.
Wait. Back up. What’s umami?
Umami is considered the fifth basic taste; along with sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Chefs often describe umami as a savory quality or flavor. Quite frankly, it’s delicious! Glutamate is precisely what provides the umami taste in foods. Glutamate is an amino acid found in many foods, such as parmesan cheese, milk, mushrooms and tomatoes. Glutamate is made by a fermentation process, much the same way that yogurt, vinegar and beer are made. And MSG is simply glutamate plus a simple sodium salt. The body treats the glutamate in MSG exactly the same way it treats glutamate that’s naturally present in food. When foods with MSG are consumed, the body breaks the MSG down into glutamate and a tiny amount of sodium.
MSG is one of the most extensively researched ingredients in the food supply and has repeatedly been proven to be a safe and healthy food ingredient. Its safety has been affirmed by such diverse and respected groups as the National Academy of Sciences, the American Medical Association, and the European Community’s Scientific Committee for Food, among many others. But don’t just take our word for it… see for yourself!
