How to Eat Monosodium Glutamate Healthily?

　　Monosodium glutamate (MSG) whether it is beneficial to health has long been a topic of debate among people. In fact, MSG is safe when consumed in moderation and can be beneficial to health in terms of nutrition and wellness; the key lies in how it is scientifically and reasonably consumed.

MSG contains sodium. Overconsumption can lead to high blood pressure. Elderly people are particularly sensitive to sodium intake, so elderly individuals and those with hypertension, kidney disease, edema, etc., should reduce their consumption of MSG. When consuming too much MSG exceeds the body's metabolic capacity, it may even cause an increase in blood glutamic acid levels, limiting the body’s absorption of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and copper.

Especially, glutamic acid can combine with zinc in the blood to form non-utilizable zinc glutamate that is excreted from the body, leading to zinc deficiency. Zinc is a crucial nutrient for the physical and mental development of infants and young children; therefore, infants and breastfeeding mothers should avoid or limit MSG consumption. The World Health Organization (WHO) stipulates that no MSG should be used in foods for 1-year-old children, while China forbids the addition of MSG in foods for children under 12 years old. Therefore, parents should let their children consume more natural and fresh flavor foods. Additionally, recent studies suggest that long-term overconsumption of MSG may lead to thinning of the retina, vision decline, and even blindness. By the way, in recent years, products labeled as

Chicken essence are not derived from chickens but are produced by adding flavor-enhancing nucleotides to MSG. Since these nucleotides impart chicken-like freshness, they are called chicken essence. From a hygiene perspective, chicken essence is also harmless to the human body.When using MSG scientifically in cooking, you should follow several points: 1. For dishes cooked withstock

or broth, there is no need to add MSG as it already has its own fresh, fragrant, and clear taste.

Because adding MSG will mask the original flavor of the dish, making the taste inconsistent.2. Acidic dishes such as sweet vinegarand vinegar-stir-fried dishes should not use MSG.

This is because MSG does not dissolve well in acidic environments and its effectiveness diminishes when the acidity is high.3. When using ingredients with a high alkalinity, it is inappropriate to add MSG as it reacts with alkali to form ammonia and produce an unpleasant odor. 4. The amount of MSG used should be controlled; overuse can result in a bitter or strange taste. Each dish should not exceed 0.5 milligrams.5. Add MSG just before finishing cooking.

This is because at high temperatures, MSG decomposes into pyroglutamic acid sodium and may produce toxins harmful to the body.

Proper amount of monosodium glutamate should be used when seasoning dishes, as excessive amounts can produce a bitter and odd taste, counteracting the intended effect; no more than 0.5 milligrams per dish.

Monosodium glutamate should be added just before removing the dish from heat. At high temperatures, monosodium glutamate decomposes into pyroglutamic acid sodium, losing its umami flavor and potentially producing toxins harmful to human health.