Is MSG Really Bad for You?
Chinese food has a bad reputation among many people because it is supposedly full of MSG, also known as monosodium glutamate. It is said to cause headaches, bloating and many more terrible side effects. At least, that’s what people used to shout from the rooftops. Yet many chefs, including our great hero David Chang, are fans and will go to the barricades for it. Because: MSG really isn’t that bad.
What is MSG?
Okay, what is it exactly? Monosodium glutamate is quite a mouthful, which is why it is abbreviated to MSG, ve-tsin or E-number 621. It is an amino acid that occurs naturally in Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and dry aged beef. That’s why you like all those things so much. The fifth taste, umami, which according to every food show is the ultimate achievement? All MSG. You can buy it in concentrated powder form and add it to dishes for an extra savory flavor. Alongside salt, it is the ultimate flavor enhancer.
Why is it considered bad?
Once upon a time, way back in the 1960s, a certain Dr. Ho Man Kwok wrote a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, in which he described how some of his friends sometimes experienced symptoms after visiting a Chinese restaurant. He blamed MSG. The fact that this doctor had no background in the subject and had conducted no research made little difference. Before long, the media were full of the message that MSG was the devil and that we should avoid it at all costs. Bye bye, babi pangang.
So it’s not bad after all?
Fortunately, the counterargument has grown increasingly louder in recent years, because there is absolutely no solid evidence that the white powder is harmful. Some people even advocate using it because it adds extra flavor to your food, meaning you need less salt. Guillaume de Beer of Paindemie and Bar Gui has E621 tattooed on his arm. If it’s good enough for him and for David Chang, it’s good enough for me.
Many people still say they experience symptoms after eating Chinese food. But do you also get them after eating Pringles, Doritos, popcorn or pasta with tomato sauce and a generous pile of Parmesan? Those foods also contain a high dose of umami, and therefore MSG. Those people probably just feel unwell because you typically eat far too much at Chinese restaurants.
Cooking
Almost any savory food becomes even tastier with a pinch of MSG. You can get it at the Asian grocery store. Asian dishes are therefore particularly well suited to having it sprinkled over them. Stir it into noodles, your dumpling filling, foo young hai or any stir-fry dish. A little is all you need.
Still not convinced?
Then watch the fried rice episode of Ugly Delicious. You might as well binge the entire season—it’s fun. And eat a big bowl of fried rice with it. With MSG.
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