Umami: A History of Monosodium Glutamate

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  • Опубликовано: 23 дек 2024
  • In 1907 a professor of chemistry at Tokyo Imperial University named Kikunea Ikeda was eating dinner when he noticed that his broth was particularly delicious. A year later, on July 25, 1908 he determined why. Professor Ikeda had identified a chemical compound that today represents a nearly seven billion dollar industry, and one of the world’s most common, and controversial food additives. The complex history of the sodium salt of gluconic acid called "monosodium glutamate" deserves to be remembered.
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Комментарии •

  • @skaldlouiscyphre2453
    @skaldlouiscyphre2453 Год назад +184

    The king of flavour.
    I put MSG on your video and it became the director's cut.

  • @davidellis4031
    @davidellis4031 Год назад +92

    Far too late for anyone to see this, but I just wanted to say thank you for both producing such a detailed and informing video, while still being humble enough to gladly state where your circle of expertise ends. Not nearly enough people do this!

    • @AlexDenton0451
      @AlexDenton0451 Год назад +2

      Dont worry you are the second comment on the video for me lol, RUclips has started pushing new comments up higher.

    • @colmcillegardner2144
      @colmcillegardner2144 Год назад

      🎶The shadows sway and seem to say
      "Tonight we pray for water, cool water"
      And way up there He'll hear our prayer
      And show us where there's water
      Cool, clear water.🎶

    • @TheEathenFaust
      @TheEathenFaust Год назад +1

      History is always late.........😉

  • @ronbeard7526
    @ronbeard7526 Год назад +437

    While working in a country club kitchen during college, I was introduced to Aji na moto (MSG) by an elderly, Philipino dishwasher. Her fried lumpia rolls were superior in taste to anything we were serving our members and when i asked her for the recipe, BOOM! My culinary education was expanded! My chef refused to include the ingredient in his recipes based on the false info about it but I started including it in our "family meal" prepared for the staff. My reputation as a "great chef" was increased and when my boss found out (after tasting a soup I made that was his recipe WITH MSG), he turned the corner on MSG as well! I don't cook professionally anymore but i have a package of it in my cupboard and my reputation as a great cook remains.

    • @robert48044
      @robert48044 Год назад +6

      I was just talking about lumpia this morning

    • @s2sailingfree
      @s2sailingfree Год назад +20

      @@mcfahk I had an Aunt who thought much like you when she made her Fresh Cherry Pies, leave one pit in on purpose and don’t tell anyone. Several cracked teeth later when we discovered it was intentional nobody wants anything she makes. It’s all about respect for others.

    • @HemlockRidge
      @HemlockRidge Год назад +8

      @@s2sailingfree Did you commit her? And if not, why?

    • @kymberlyn420
      @kymberlyn420 Год назад

      Amen.

    • @Mrshoujo
      @Mrshoujo Год назад +4

      Aji no moto

  • @neverlearnitall
    @neverlearnitall 7 месяцев назад +7

    This was excellent! Thank you for all your careful research! I was a child when it first came out that MSG was "bad!" It's so nice to hear facts, not accusations! 👏👏👏

  • @Wiggiwan
    @Wiggiwan Год назад +61

    Even though I was aware of MSG as I got older, I never understood the controversy. I lived in Japan for a couple of years and Ajinomoto was in every Japanese kitchen. Anyway, I never knew the real story so it was very interesting to hear it from you. Thanks so much.

    • @aonehouseboy4945
      @aonehouseboy4945 Год назад +10

      The situation is that if MSG had such a negative affect then, unless the japanese are genetically coded otherwise, it would be happening for as long as the appropriate seaweed has been eaten. That is a no brainer. All I know is that certain "junk" foods I have absolutely no interest in because of the taste so I guess whatever it does for certain foods I do not care for but I have been eating asian foods for far too long to blame MSG as a culprit for adverse reactions.

    • @stevethea5250
      @stevethea5250 Год назад +11

      Cos Asians don't play with Western propaganda

    • @Wheelman2004
      @Wheelman2004 Год назад

      @@stevethea5250 Exactly. There's absolutely nothing wrong with MSG, and everything wrong with the media and people who believed the media fueled anti-MSG hype decades ago. The vast majority of people who claim to be "allergic" to MSG aren't, which makes the few who inevitably *are* allergic to it look stupid. It's kind of like people claiming to be allergic to gluten because they read an article ten years ago saying that gluten was bad for you... while people with celiac literally *can't* have gluten.

    • @eatcarpet
      @eatcarpet Год назад +2

      There are even some MSG and ajinomoto conspiracy theories in Japan.

    • @Ragitsu
      @Ragitsu 9 месяцев назад

      @@stevethea5250Awesome Asians.

  • @d.e.b.b5788
    @d.e.b.b5788 Год назад +93

    to decrease the amount of sodium in my diet, I had to go to find a recipe to recreate Lowry's seasoned salt, by making it with sodium glutamate instead of sodium chloride. Worked perfectly, and my blood pressure is normal and no adverse affects from the sodium glutamate at all. Brand name of sodium glutamate is Accent in America.

    • @pfrman4629
      @pfrman4629 Год назад +16

      The way Chinese resteraunts use more than double the salt to compensate for not using MSG, kinda makes you wonder which is actually healthier.

    • @abundantharmony
      @abundantharmony Год назад +5

      But you are still using sodium, so it's not the salt that is helping you.

    • @MrJcTTK
      @MrJcTTK Год назад +1

      look up green salt. It's made from a plant, has the same taste as table salt but you only need to use 1/5th the amount to get the same taste.

    • @StephenJohnson-jb7xe
      @StephenJohnson-jb7xe Год назад +5

      When I went on a low salt diet I discovered that adding smoked paprika was a great thing. It doesn't replace the salt flavour but it tastes so good that you don't miss the salt.

    • @DMLand
      @DMLand Год назад +5

      @@MrJcTTK Further reading suggests that your proportions are incorrect: it has about half as much sodium as table salt, so it imparts *less* salt flavor, leading to overuse. It does have an umami flavor profile that might, for some people, compensate for its lack of saltiness.
      It's a possible substitute for table salt, but not an exact replacement, and it's definitely NOT 5 times as salty-tasting as salt.

  • @californiumblog
    @californiumblog Год назад +24

    I'm an umami supertaster and crave it all the time! I keep MSG next to my stove along with other umami seasonings like fish sauce for cooking. It's SO GOOD!

  • @romlyn99
    @romlyn99 Год назад +34

    4:29 旨味 - Umami - means "delicious taste" - for it to translate to "Pleasant Savory Taste" you would need 3 Kanji - but there are only 2 Kanji. The first character means clever or delicious or appetizing. The second character in Japanese can mean flavor, taste, feeling, sensation, experience, taste, or charm. In Chinese it can also mean tasting or savoring. So I think people have mistaken savoring with savory. So I think the website "the spruce eats" is slightly mistaken about the meaning, if translated from Japanese into English. The correct translation from Japanese to English is "delicious taste".

  • @minispud
    @minispud Год назад +44

    This is actually REALLY interesting, thank you! Your videos are normally very interesting but this one was something else. You also make uncle Roger happy

  • @billplunk8532
    @billplunk8532 24 дня назад +1

    You are the best. Everything I have thought so far has been answered, including chemistry, which leads to astrophysics. Your informative, no-nonsense condensed history of everything I could ever imagine this 66-year-old wants to thank you for this life quest of history and all the hard work involved and the justice done in your work

  • @JN-vt7mz
    @JN-vt7mz Год назад +28

    Thank you so much for this. Seems like theres a lot of people online that think this is a new concept found in the last couple years.

  • @ronaldslater4703
    @ronaldslater4703 Год назад +122

    My mother used Accent to make some of the best tasting food ever. Didn't know it was naturally occurring...Thanks, History Guy!

    • @13_13k
      @13_13k Год назад +8

      For many years I never used Accent when I first started cooking in my teens. My parents never used it, not because it was MSG but they didn't use many "man made" seasonings. Maybe some seasoned salt but normally just regular spices.
      So I just did the same and both my parents are excellent cooks.
      I've been cooking for 40 years or more and about 10 years ago when I found out that Accent was MSG I started using it in my dishes and I use it not always but it is a staple when I'm cooking. Everything in moderation. I do find that it does enhance flavors but, so does salt. I'm not a big salt user, I use it in my ingredients but rarely use it on my food directly on my plate.
      Accent is a good season to use on just about anything.

    • @richardfabacher3705
      @richardfabacher3705 Год назад +11

      "Naturally in kelp!" How many "health nuts choose to eat seaweed because it's so healthy? Nuff said.

    • @13_13k
      @13_13k Год назад

      @@richardfabacher3705 exactly. It's so funny or stupid how people contradict themselves constantly. Example - no more oil, yet every article of clothing they are wearing is oil based as well as their cell phones and the electric car they drive is mostly plastics made from oil. But we have to stop oil usage. Climate - its global warming because it's hot in the summer, and it is raining and snowing too much in the winter, that's from global warming. How about it's called the seasons and seasons change and always has and always will.
      Ridiculous

    • @13_13k
      @13_13k Год назад

      @@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket --- I can see "ignorant and gullible", but racist?
      Why do people throw that word around so wantonly these days? You forgot fascist, and ?- Phobic. Hahahaha
      Are there people that hate and discriminate against Asian people because of MSG or just don't eat Asian food or use MSG because they think it's bad for their health?
      Not only is it a product that is derived from seaweed or Kelp, but it is found in breast milk, so there isn't much chance of people having any kind of health issues, or allergies, headaches, etc... unless the people who claim to have problems with MSG were not breast fed as newborns and their first year or so of being alive.
      I think the people who say they get headaches, etc...from MSG, don't take responsibility for their bad decisions, and aren't mature enough to hold themselves accountable for their choices and always blame other people, are hypochondriacs and Karens. Hahahahaha

    • @corneliusthecrowtamer1937
      @corneliusthecrowtamer1937 Год назад

      @@jhvmhgkgkgvkgvlhb4187 you're not even a real person

  • @LiveFreeOrDieDH
    @LiveFreeOrDieDH Год назад +33

    As many others have pointed out, glutamate is an amino acid that our bodies produce and found in many natural foods. So it's highly unlikely that glutamate is the source of reported symptoms. For those who do experience some kind of adverse reaction, the most likely explanation is excess sodium consumption. Not only does MSG itself contain sodium (duh) but foods containing MSG are typically very high in salt as well. The umami sensation then stimulates additional consumption.

    • @dplj4428
      @dplj4428 Год назад +5

      Angry bodies help make angry minds. -- Those Campbell and Progresso soups were 2.5 servings. The per-serving sodium ranged from 800 to 1200. Some products now include whole package and per-serving.
      I knew nothing of MSG at the time I started limiting my sodium intake. All I knew is I got headaches after eating a WHOLE can of soup. I used to assume per serving was the whole story.
      Too much of anything varies from person to person.
      For me, a tolerable amount: salt at 300 or less per serving, and sugar at 20ish or less. After a while, I could smell the salt. Maybe it was that i had learned to taste and smell the food's own smell and flavor.
      I recall people saying how bland food is without adding salt and sugar. As my body adjusted, I discovered what the food flavors, spices, combinations, and different ways to cook.
      At first, I did avoid MSG because I didn't understand. Later, I only monitored salt per serving.
      Any advisory is just a guideline. But our body knows better.

  • @ramonarose2685
    @ramonarose2685 Год назад +1

    Thanks!

  • @bieourself
    @bieourself Год назад +30

    Thank you for this important video! MSG has had quite a notorious anecdotal reputation too in where I live, Indonesia. It was passed on generations after generations by parents, teachers, aunts and uncles. I myself banned it for years, but after learning the story behind it, I have started embracing it (in moderation, I must say) in my cooking. Ajinomoto is a well known brand here. Despite MSG’s reputation, the brand is still going strong for decades, along with several other MSG brands.

    • @JoRoBoYo
      @JoRoBoYo Год назад +2

      salt contribute to highblood pressure, people have no problem eating it. human are so weird

    • @AndyGarcia-ch1ci
      @AndyGarcia-ch1ci Год назад +6

      ​@@JoRoBoYothat has actually been debunked and generally accepted throughout the medical field as false now

    • @typower9
      @typower9 Год назад +1

      @@JoRoBoYo Pure salt is safe but salt mixed with 'anti-caking' agent, as in 'table salt' should be avoided. Take your own pure salt with you when you are out and about.

    • @rap3208
      @rap3208 Год назад +1

      @@AndyGarcia-ch1ci Was it you that debunked salt is not a cause for high blood pressure and other things? Why don't you leave it to the experts. You could look for thei findings if you search for "what does too much salt intake do to your body?".
      Salt used in excess is bad for you, everything if used excessively is bad for you. Even drinking water too much can kill you. Moderation is key.

    • @Flipperhome
      @Flipperhome Год назад +1

      ​@@AndyGarcia-ch1ci yet that must be why my doctor placed me on a restricted sodium diet; because it's been 'debunked'.

  • @gondolacrescent5
    @gondolacrescent5 Год назад +51

    They used to market MSG in North American grocery stores as “Accent”.

    • @skaldlouiscyphre2453
      @skaldlouiscyphre2453 Год назад +33

      They still do.

    • @goodun2974
      @goodun2974 Год назад +5

      Accent! I remember that stuff! As a heart surgery patient, I can't eat food with MSG because it gives me heart arrhythmia.

    • @RadDadisRad
      @RadDadisRad Год назад +7

      They still do. I just bought a bottle yesterday because I ran out. It’s a necessity with soups and stews. Also if you cover meat with it and then dry age it you will see that the meat doesn’t form a dark pellicle. The surface stays pink and dries out.

    • @hoodagooboy5981
      @hoodagooboy5981 Год назад +4

      @@goodun2974 Your comment should be at the top of this page.

    • @adriennefloreen
      @adriennefloreen Год назад +1

      It is finely powdered MSG and you can put MSG from an Asian grocery store into a coffee grinder to make something like that.

  • @rhpsoregon
    @rhpsoregon Год назад +306

    As someone who went to college for Food Science and Fermentation. I know quite a bit about MSG, It seems that studies dealing with MSG sensitivity are all over the board statistically speaking. some subjects will have a reaction to eating a dish with NO MSG, and yet not have a reaction when fed copious amounts, proving that at least for some people, MSG reactions are purely psychosomatic. BTW, I'm surprised that you didn't mention how MSG is made these day, It's "grown" in large fermentation vats using genetically modified yeasts and bacteria that spit out the MSG as a waste product.

    • @Objective-Observer
      @Objective-Observer Год назад

      Sudden onset Tachycardia [245 bpm] is NOT psychosomatic. That is my primary response to MSG. ALL RESEARCH DONE ON MSG WAS DONE BY THE COMPANY WHO MANUFACTURES AND SELLS MSG. Up until the last few years, there were NO studies to determine what this Neuro Toxin does to the human body.
      In the last few years, numerous studies are indicating Brain Damage and deterioration in the brains of children who eat MSG every day.
      The FDA has wrangled with MSG for decades, and IT IS NOW ON THE LIST OF INGREDIENTS THAT SHOULD NOT BE USED. So manufacturers hide it in other forms and chemicals.

    • @ayeshaPH
      @ayeshaPH Год назад +26

      This is true but i use organic garden spices that I grow from cow shit. Amazing how we never thought that organic food can taste so good. NO MSG!

    • @Objective-Observer
      @Objective-Observer Год назад +1

      @@ayeshaPH If you need MSG to make your food taste good, you are a lousy cook. No other ethnic cuisine relies on MSG to make their food taste good.

    • @zoothief
      @zoothief Год назад +78

      @@ayeshaPHyou did not understand what the video was saying. Organic is mostly marketing.

    • @travispluid3603
      @travispluid3603 Год назад +37

      @@ayeshaPH Did you watch the video at all?

  • @maxenielsen
    @maxenielsen Год назад +12

    Best explanation I’ve ever been exposed to. Going to get some MSG and enjoy it. Thanks!

  • @babboon5764
    @babboon5764 Год назад +4

    Lance, you have done me a great service.
    I used to use MSG in small amounts as it worked well to 'bring out flavour'.
    The adverse PR about 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' & 'unnatural' additives induced me to quit.
    I shall now once more use it in moderation.

  • @eggfooyoung24
    @eggfooyoung24 Год назад +8

    In the UK MSG has been demonised and removed from quite a few foods. Some foods boast that they are MSG free too. I always have a bag of MSG in the cupboard to add a pinch back in to where it belongs. Ramen noodles in particular are so much better with a sprinkle. It makes cheaper foods taste so much better. Not generally sold in big name supermarkets but available in world food / Asian stores.

    • @achimwasp
      @achimwasp Год назад +2

      Same. Here in Germany we have "Aromat" or "Fondor" which are mostly MSG. My granny already used it extensively, and I'm 60 years old now. I don't go to or order from Chinese restaurants that say they stopped using MSG.

  • @danielbeck9191
    @danielbeck9191 Год назад +183

    As a physician, my impression is that most humans may consume glutamates without penalty, whether from Accent! or from aged cheese/anchovies/W-sauce or the like. IF you observe adverse symptoms, try a careful re-challenge. Prompt recurrence of symptoms may indicate that you are more sensitive than the average person.
    Just as with some allergic responses (such as poison ivy), responses may vary widely from person to person.
    THANK YOU for this fascinating video!

    • @STEVEARABIA1
      @STEVEARABIA1 Год назад +8

      Exactly. Most people seem unaffected by it. It took me a few years to narrow down the culprit as it has a few names when listed in ingredients. It’s also one of the reasons that got me interested in chemistry as a career. It’s mind blowing how extensively it’s used. Most foods that naturally contain glutamate, contain it in a bound form with another amino acid and it’s rarely “free” which explains why people can eat tomatoes or mushrooms for example with no issues yet some flavoured potatoe chips cause a migraine.

    • @helenhebert7127
      @helenhebert7127 Год назад +6

      MSG gives me hives. Not a big fan of tomatoes or mushrooms either.

    • @markc2643
      @markc2643 Год назад +9

      I've experienced head to toe hives throughout my life that no doctor could find the cause. It always got diagnosed as contact dermatitis. I found out what it was when I was in my 40's and haven't had hives once in the last 2 decades since. I am allergic to Cashews. If I eat them, hives start 8 hours or more after. When I told my doctor, he told me it couldn't be Cashews because it took too long to occur after eating them. I did exactly what you said and did a re-challenge. I woke up the next day with hives. I have no problem with any other tree nut or peanuts. I am allergic to poison ivy and latex also, which may be linked someway. As you know poison ivy has a delayed reaction. Latex however, is a pretty quick reaction. A pair of latex gloves caused my hands to swell up, turn red, and get itchy within 10 minutes. Through all that, I learned that doctors can know things that are not true in all cases but can cause them to miss the outliers.

    • @terminaldeity
      @terminaldeity Год назад +33

      @@jhvmhgkgkgvkgvlhb4187 There's more MSG in a bag of Doritos than a meal from a Chinese resaurant, I guarantee it. Weird that you immediately demonize Chinese restaurants.

    • @corneliusthecrowtamer1937
      @corneliusthecrowtamer1937 Год назад +6

      @@terminaldeity it's a bot

  • @boblenk
    @boblenk Год назад +247

    Glutamate is the most abundant neurotransmitter in our brains. Never understood how reputable scientists could get caught up in this spiral of disinformation. We couldn’t live without it, which is why we make it ourselves. Enjoyed the history of it, and thank you for providing a balanced viewpoint.

    • @OllamhDrab
      @OllamhDrab Год назад +31

      Well, just cause our bodies depend on it doesn't mean too much might not throw someone out of whack. I mean, it's *possible* to have too much *water.*

    • @fillhixx
      @fillhixx Год назад

      I don’t think many actual scientists got on the anti-glutamate bandwagon. MSG was the victim of sensationalist headlines and gossip. Well, not so much any more. I can buy it at the grocery store.

    • @susangarland6869
      @susangarland6869 Год назад

      "Never understood how reputable scientists could get caught up in this spiral of disinformation." Because "reputable" scientists are as vulnerable to the pressure of mob mentality as the rest of humanity. If the past three years have shown us anything, it's that very few actual scientists -- those who seek truth above all else -- have the courage to oppose the politicized narrative of manipulated data.

    • @joedellinger9437
      @joedellinger9437 Год назад +18

      MSG migraines start with a very distinct feeling for me, like my nerves are firing too much. The first symptom is generally weird tingling sensations running up and down my body, and a powerful urge to violently shake my hands. Feels a bit like getting tickled all over. Too much stimulation.
      Takes a lot of MSG to do it fortunately but I get caught about once every two years or so. Generally it is foods that have a lot of sauce.

    • @frankcooke1692
      @frankcooke1692 Год назад +9

      Who knew KFC was brain food?

  • @VespasianJudea
    @VespasianJudea Год назад +46

    Wow, I really appreciate this. What a random topic. God bless you sir. You’re one hell of a guy. I never would even think to think of looking for these answers. Perfect 👍🏻

    • @marilynapple6156
      @marilynapple6156 Год назад +1

      Never stop learning! In 2003 I realized that the degree I received in 1968 was surely obsolete. Everything they teach today was discovered after I graduated. I’ve been educating myself online at reliable sources since my retirement in 2003. Thank you Lance Geiger. You are my all time favorite History Teacher.

    • @VespasianJudea
      @VespasianJudea Год назад

      @@marilynapple6156
      Mine too. And good on you dear! I’m glad you have pursued further knowledge.

    • @ancientromewithamy
      @ancientromewithamy Год назад +1

      I remember about 20 years ago there was a backlash against MSG (there have been many, but suddenly the Chinese place had a "no MSG" sign and so did many frozen veg packs in grocery stores) so I looked it up then, also. I was away at college but my dad had thrown away the Accent brand MSG powder in the kitchen! He eventually came around though, haha.

    • @VespasianJudea
      @VespasianJudea Год назад +1

      @@ancientromewithamy hell yeah man

    • @VespasianJudea
      @VespasianJudea Год назад +1

      @@ancientromewithamy
      Or lady 😂 whoops

  • @the_str4ng3r
    @the_str4ng3r Год назад +1

    What's the "Lor" in the "O" for @ 12:40?

  • @BigBlueMotors
    @BigBlueMotors Год назад +10

    I've embraced MSG after a lifetime of being told it's not good. People have all sorts of food sensitivities. I for one have had a sensitivity to sulfates, especially from wine. I've overcome the sensitivity by drinking organic wines and sparkling wines labeled Cava from Spain that use or contain less sulfites. Wines have naturally occurring sulfites, but many wineries add more as a preservative.

    • @paulmaxwell8851
      @paulmaxwell8851 Год назад

      Sulfites are found naturally occurring in wines but are also added in the process. I know because my wife and I used to make our own wines. Unfortunately, I had to give it up because the reaction I got after even half a glass (flushed face, hot ears, headache) took the fun out of drinking wine.

    • @zoricazorica5752
      @zoricazorica5752 10 месяцев назад

      Why would you want to "overcome" "sensitivity" to this toxic additive?

  • @gregbowen617
    @gregbowen617 Год назад +63

    Great presentation- msg is often criticised as causing a whole range of effects but it occurs naturally in many foods that are highly ‘savoury’ in taste such as soy sauce. Great video!

    • @leaonardland9001
      @leaonardland9001 Год назад +18

      A lot of things occur naturally but if isolated and used in excess they become poisonous.

    • @typower9
      @typower9 Год назад +9

      Rhpsoregon above explains how MSG is made nowadays. Definitely not a 'natural' product! Also, because of the controversy around it, it is often listed as 'flavouring'.

    • @gucky4717
      @gucky4717 Год назад

      @@leaonardland9001 And that is the misconception. The lethal dose for MSG is 5 times LOWER then salt and even lower then sugar and we have FAR more sugar added in foods then MSG.

    • @jmitterii2
      @jmitterii2 Год назад +5

      It's the adding it that becomes the issue... like dumping cups of sugar on your whatever and gritting away. And hello diabetes. Or just becoming a big blob of fat waddling around if you're lucky.

    • @Joe-jn5li
      @Joe-jn5li Год назад +2

      Occurring naturally is not the problem, duh!

  • @mkshffr4936
    @mkshffr4936 Год назад +223

    Interesting that a natural compound which is composed of two essential components created such a stir but we are seemingly just fine with myriads of fully synthetic chemicals, pestacides, antibiotics, and even genetic manipulation of our foods.

    • @cbroz7492
      @cbroz7492 Год назад +16

      ...AND that two separately deadly chemicals.sodium and chlorine, together give us common sslt...about the ONLY th8ng I remember from my freshyesr in college almost 60 years ago is this 'ionic compound'...

    • @SilverScarletSpider
      @SilverScarletSpider Год назад +1

      Racist uneducated American hypocrisy

    • @FuncleChuck
      @FuncleChuck Год назад +30

      It’s because, like most noisy outrages, the facts don’t matter. Look at which people are spreading a panic, and why, to learn where the issue comes from.

    • @fukpoeslaw3613
      @fukpoeslaw3613 Год назад +22

      What's wrong with genetic manipulation? Or fully synthetic chemicals for that matter?

    • @mkshffr4936
      @mkshffr4936 Год назад +11

      @@fukpoeslaw3613 So mucking with the firmware of life seems like a good idea to you?

  • @fbksfrank4
    @fbksfrank4 Год назад +9

    I remember Sizzler buy cases of it and the only thing we used it for was rust prevention on our salad lettuce. Number ten can came with a scoop, one scoop for a large tub of lettuce, soaking for whatever, draining and putting in the cooler. Then they stopped and started using lemon juice.

    • @c.r.parish5908
      @c.r.parish5908 Год назад +1

      At Sirloin Stockade we used potato whitener on the lettuce.

    • @JeepGirl941
      @JeepGirl941 Год назад +2

      Yep! I remember! I did same when I worked for them back in the day. No way I can ingest it now. Can't afford the crippling migraines I get from it. Never used to get a reaction from it but eventually ended up in ER twice from it. Extensive food diaries helped identify it as the cause of mine.

    • @urbanurchin5930
      @urbanurchin5930 Год назад

      @@c.r.parish5908 When I was in high school, I worked at I.H.O.P. - - part of my duties were to cut up heads of lettuce for salads and we used "potato whitener" in
      the rinse water. Later I found that this product that they were calling potato whitener was simply MSG. It served to keep the salad greens crispy
      longer - thus improving the restaurant's bottom line. Later in life, I used several different additives - Accent! - Adolf's Meat Tenderizer - and some
      others that I don't remember. My friends always raved about my cooking - and I never revealed that I had been using MSG !

  • @denvan3143
    @denvan3143 Год назад +2

    I used Accent brand MSG in the 1970s, then stop using it amid the concerns about it. I began using it again in 2020; the first month I used it and everything, the next month I went without it and alternated for about a year. I noticed no symptoms from using it and it’s now a staple item among my spices and seasonings. I made a seasoning of cheese powder and 25% MSG; it has a real flavor blast to vegetables.

  • @garlickebagg
    @garlickebagg Год назад +3

    This goes on your BEST OF list !!!💜👍.

  • @BrilliantDesignOnline
    @BrilliantDesignOnline Год назад +63

    Dang-myth dispelled; As a Montanan, we have a local version called Alpine Touch, and growing up, I became aware of MSG and leaned toward understanding it as mysteriously bad for you, probably via media. Based on what THG indicates, I now have a more complete understanding of what MSG is and have my fears quelled, and will be using MSG again without guilt. A HUGE 'attaboy' to THG and his crew for every story.

    • @JTA1961
      @JTA1961 Год назад +3

      Amen to that...& well said

    • @bryanhumphreys940
      @bryanhumphreys940 Год назад +2

      I forgot about alpine touch. We didn't use it much as a family but it was always in the cupboard. MSG is like salt, use in moderation and to make food delicious!

    • @roddangerson2046
      @roddangerson2046 Год назад

      This guy is a clown, you can literally see what it does to your body in real time

  • @uraswami8077
    @uraswami8077 Год назад +290

    I had Chinese food with MSG at an alternative fuels and energy conference. Thirty minutes later, I was hungry for power.

    • @DavidHBurkart
      @DavidHBurkart Год назад +5

      😂😂

    • @tylerrettig835
      @tylerrettig835 Год назад +1

      😂

    • @GooglePlusPages
      @GooglePlusPages Год назад

      I had an Asian girlfriend in college. She was wonderful! The only problem was that 30 minutes after having sex, I was horny again.

    • @Dogsrcute823
      @Dogsrcute823 Год назад +1

      Citation needed

    • @annunacky4463
      @annunacky4463 Год назад +2

      Old joke but new twist!

  • @warhawke223
    @warhawke223 Год назад +70

    'MSG' The King of Flavor, Make Stuff Good

    • @saedabumokh9577
      @saedabumokh9577 Год назад +6

      And shut down your brain for a few hours

    • @CaptainPupu
      @CaptainPupu Год назад

      You do realize it is very unhealthy and dangerous to health? You must be american with your nonchalant attitude towards your and others health. Shame.

    • @donbrashsux
      @donbrashsux Год назад

      Arginomoto

    • @RobotHottdog
      @RobotHottdog Год назад +3

      Hi-ya

    • @SFUndertaker
      @SFUndertaker Год назад +4

      Uncle Roger

  • @thaddeuszukowski4633
    @thaddeuszukowski4633 Год назад +1

    Once again you present information with out spin; thank you.

  • @JamesSchmidt-g3k
    @JamesSchmidt-g3k Год назад

    Another presentation worth viewing! Thanks History Guy!. Another presentation worth viewing! Thanks History Guy!.

  • @alfrazz1799
    @alfrazz1799 Год назад +22

    Another presentation worth viewing! Thanks History Guy!

  • @TheSnackpaqkid
    @TheSnackpaqkid Год назад +8

    Love when you do a food history video! I was just watching the history of ice, great job!

  • @Richardo82983
    @Richardo82983 Год назад +12

    Fill your table salt shaker with MSG you'll use less sodium and so much better flavor.

    • @spconrad9612
      @spconrad9612 Год назад

      I like to not use salt at all because our diet already is loaded w it. Adding salt or sugar is not needed in most cases.
      I break the rule when eating corn on the cob in late summer.

  • @ahmedalishah2212
    @ahmedalishah2212 2 месяца назад

    The amount of detail and research in this video made me subscribe to the channel ❤

  • @tou-la
    @tou-la Год назад

    Best part of this video…last few minutes! Thank you for the video.

  • @thomashowe5291
    @thomashowe5291 Год назад +9

    I used MSG all the time and then stopped when all the hype hit about it being bad. But my vegetables didn't taste right to me so I started using again and never stopped.

  • @charlesdalton985
    @charlesdalton985 Год назад +166

    A similar issue has been going on with gluten. 99% of the population has no issue with it and those that do can be diagnosed/confirmed. Yet……

    • @ClipsNSnips
      @ClipsNSnips Год назад +68

      Isn't it strange that people these days seem to list off their "allergies" with an air of pride? 🤔

    • @TheDesertRat75
      @TheDesertRat75 Год назад +23

      Though thanks to the larger portion of people who are not allergic, seek out gluten free foods, it increases the number of foods those who are truly allergic to, to increase in variety. A bit of a win for those with the allergy.

    • @richardfabacher3705
      @richardfabacher3705 Год назад +16

      @@ClipsNSnips One "little old lady" patient always reminds my doctor's office: "Remember I am deathly allergic to oxygen!"

    • @Myopicvisions
      @Myopicvisions Год назад +19

      ​@@TheDesertRat75agreed. But I had celiac customers who felt it necessary to tell me "I'm not one of those people, I have celiac disease." Some expressed frustration and embarrassment because food service workers and managers treated them with derision, believing they were just another person claiming to be allergic, having no idea that they were eating foods containing gluten.

    • @jb-vb8un
      @jb-vb8un Год назад +5

      @charlie - how did ya arrive at "99% have no issue" ?

  • @exMuteKid
    @exMuteKid Год назад +30

    I love chemistry so whenever I hear that someone studied chemistry I immediately want to know them, it’s sad that not many people are into it :(

    • @BorisBirkenbaum
      @BorisBirkenbaum Год назад

      More than you think but yes i agree its not that many....

    • @dougrogan379
      @dougrogan379 Год назад

      I'm into it. I'm not great at it as in naturally talented or well studied but I enjoyed my highschool and university studies mostly I studied biochem but always am glad that I have the knowledge when I watch something that touches on it such as this video

    • @CiscoSZR
      @CiscoSZR Год назад +1

      Tons of meth cooks alive and thriving

    • @humanentity5890
      @humanentity5890 Год назад +1

      In the biblical sense?

  • @dakevs
    @dakevs Год назад +1

    Just randomly found your channel, and this is the first video I watched. Most excellent content! Thank you for this

  • @frankgulla2335
    @frankgulla2335 Год назад

    Thank you, THG, for helping to set the record straight.

  • @mattknight6691
    @mattknight6691 Год назад +53

    I am no surprised Lawry’s Season Salt didn’t get mentioned. It very much popularized MSG as a food additive in the 1960’s.

    • @davidlogansr8007
      @davidlogansr8007 Год назад +7

      Still use it!

    • @NateVanDeusen-c9j
      @NateVanDeusen-c9j Год назад +7

      Lawry’s doesn’t have MSG added in it

    • @teebob21
      @teebob21 Год назад +4

      @@davidlogansr8007 Well, conveniently, Lawry's doesn't contain MSG.

    • @seiyuokamihimura5082
      @seiyuokamihimura5082 Год назад

      ​@@davidlogansr8007try johnnys. It will ruin it for you. Did for our entire family, lawry is no longer edible

    • @hizzlemobizzle
      @hizzlemobizzle Год назад +6

      People have no idea how much MSG they eat and don't know it. I had a friend telling me they won't eat MSG while I was handing her a Dorito because it's her favorite chip.

  • @emperorofpluto
    @emperorofpluto Год назад +4

    Adding MSG to home-brewed beer etc before fermentation is a massive improvement in taste and effect - it gives it a euphoriant aspect, very different and a lot more pleasant than normal alcoholic beverages. This is (allegedly) because MSG can become GHB through fermentation. [GHB occurs naturally in some wines and other spirits].

  • @SimonTekConley
    @SimonTekConley Год назад +22

    A great example of why I don't trust articles that have an unknown fear without citing sources.

    • @cementer7665
      @cementer7665 Год назад

      I whole-heartedly concur! Most articles appearing in the mainstream media, regarding health, climate change, or ANY of the 'doom and gloom' predictions that the MEDIA loves to make, are nothing but sensationalist clap-trap, where the "experts' cited are either the recipients of government grants, OR, and far more likely, other members of the MEDIA, who actually believe that their bottom of the barrel 'education' in journalism has made them "EXPERTS ON ANYTHING".
      Take not of how many headlines feature the words "might', 'may', 'possibly', or 'could', ALL words that are NOT specific, but allow the 'reporter' an out, in case anyone should question the 'research' that went into his 'story'.

    • @dmcgee3
      @dmcgee3 Год назад +1

      It was a letter to the editor so didn’t need sources. He didn’t note that the doctor who started it apparently never existed and was likely a joke that snowballed out of control

    • @SimonTekConley
      @SimonTekConley Год назад

      @dmcgee3 this specific example doesn't matter. But the response would've had a source with it, or it should come with one.

    • @SimonTekConley
      @SimonTekConley Год назад +1

      @georgescurious2717 i usually read multiple sources when I can. I will say anytime the news is about some bill, I just read the bill myself

    • @charlesenfield2192
      @charlesenfield2192 Год назад +1

      I'm increasingly skeptical even when qualified sources are cited. I haven't lost my faith in science, but I've lost my faith in science journalism. There are far too many experimental results published as meaningful which cannot be replicated. Anybody who understands the nature of confidence intervals knows that erroneous conclusions are unavoidable. What we can avoid is shouting poorly-substantiated conclusions from the rooftops.

  • @nunyabidniz2868
    @nunyabidniz2868 Год назад +5

    About the only health impact of MSG I'm aware of is that many people prone to migraines swear that by eliminating it from their diet they've reduced the frequency of the affliction.

  • @13thravenpurple94
    @13thravenpurple94 5 месяцев назад +1

    Excellent video 👍 Thank you 💜

  • @carlswenson5403
    @carlswenson5403 Год назад +48

    msg is widely available at Asian grocery stores all over the country. 1/4 teaspoon is the usual serving and is insanely delicious on lots of western foods. I put it on popcorn

    • @glitterboy2098
      @glitterboy2098 Год назад +14

      my mother still thinks MSG is bad for you. but after i started adding umami boosters (like powdered mushroom extract, maggi seasoning liquid, dark soy sauce..) to stuff i've cooked for her, she's started using those herself when she cooks. i haven't had the heart to tell her that its all just MSG. :)

    • @corkycobon1481
      @corkycobon1481 Год назад +3

      I put it in almost all of my soups, clam chowder, beef stew and my cheesecakes. I make serious cash as a side hustle making to-order cheesecakes and a little MSG thrown in makes the flavors really pop.

    • @emperorofpluto
      @emperorofpluto Год назад +1

      Love that popcorn idea. I use MSG in lots of things but never thought of that.

    • @mjrleaguesweetie
      @mjrleaguesweetie Год назад +3

      @@emperorofplutoYMMV but I tried putting just MSG on popcorn once and it seemed kind of bland. It def. seems to accentuate other flavors moreso than contribute its own flavor to things. I added some salt to it and the combination of MSG and salt was fantastic.

    • @Nyx_2142
      @Nyx_2142 Год назад

      ​@@mjrleaguesweetieOf course it would be bland. It boosts MOST flavors, not all flavors. If something has no flavor, why would it boost anything?

  • @rustychristopher597
    @rustychristopher597 Год назад +6

    I think HISTORY GUY is just awesome for teaching me things that I wouldn't have learned about the 1st time around in school but now I'm thrilled to be learning it
    Wisdom comes later for me I guess

    • @trottiscliffe
      @trottiscliffe Год назад

      I think you would have been very lucky to have learnt this the first time round at school.

  • @davidwelsh829
    @davidwelsh829 Год назад +6

    Great topic, always wondered about MSG

  • @binaryguru
    @binaryguru Год назад +2

    1:44 Did you just say "Japan's Umami Information Center"!? Amazing.

  • @daddygoat
    @daddygoat Год назад +2

    Amazing history lesson. Thank you!

  • @raydunakin
    @raydunakin Год назад +59

    I'd say the real lesson from this is that people are panicky, irrational, and gullible; and that even scientists can be caught up in believing nonsense.

    • @JTA1961
      @JTA1961 Год назад +4

      Reading "old" car & truck magazines it's obvious how "slanted" articles were... like the samurai flip syndrome...

    • @joedellinger9437
      @joedellinger9437 Год назад +6

      MSG in sufficient concentration gives me a really awful migraine headache. Not sure why. Aspartame gives me a quite severe gut reaction. No headache. Even a small amount of Aspartame will do it.
      To get the migraine reaction from MSG it has to be pretty concentrated, fortunately. One bag of Doritos, no problem.
      I have done “accidental blind tests” a few times where I accidentally ate food loaded with MSG and only found out after the headache so I am 95% confident the reaction is not psychosomatic.
      I have no problem with artificial ingredients in general… I am annoyed that nice clean safe synthetic red dyes were replaced by ground up beetles. Yuck.
      Just, please, label it and if you put it in food don’t lie about it so we can avoid it if we react to it. Like Aspartame is always labeled.
      I have found one of the best treatments for a severe migraine is banging my head against the wall. Hard. I know that sounds ridiculous but somehow the pain of the head banging overrides the much worse headache pain. Getting a tooth numbing shot at the dentist reliably gives me a migraine. Bad enough that I generally have dental work done with no painkillers. The pain of the dentist’s drill is far less severe than the pain of the headache. So now maybe you understand why I want to be careful…
      It would be interesting to do a proper scientific experiment where I was getting an EEG scan after eating MSG or a placebo in a blind test in a proper controlled setting. I feel like my nerves are misfiring after I eat a big dose of MSG, like they are hyper stimulated.

    • @raydunakin
      @raydunakin Год назад +4

      @@joedellinger9437 My mother-in-law had migraines that were triggered by chocolate.

    • @johnlarson111
      @johnlarson111 Год назад

      all I know is that msg causes heartburn and I avoid it.

    • @toomanyuserids
      @toomanyuserids Год назад +5

      As in climate change

  • @Mandrake42
    @Mandrake42 Год назад +10

    I want MSG in my food. Its awesome. Its naturally occurring and is delicious.

  • @danstotland6386
    @danstotland6386 Год назад +6

    Great video. You have mentioned gluconic acid and glutamic acid. (glutamate). They are not the same chemical. The later has an amine group in it, and is the chemical that you are discussing.

  • @joeortiz3455
    @joeortiz3455 4 месяца назад

    Spot on. All u need to know. As always, educated, and at the end, wiser!

  • @BoogieBoogsForever
    @BoogieBoogsForever Год назад +1

    Good video, thanks History Guy!

  • @RiskOfBaer
    @RiskOfBaer Год назад +14

    Yep, that stuff is amazing. It's the reason thing like mushrooms seem to work perfectly with meat and enhance it's flavor, It's why kombu imparts amazing flavor to your broth. All of it thanks to the wonderful umami flavor and MSG that is naturally occurring in them.
    Even if you don't like things like mushrooms, just buy it in powdered form and add a little bit along with salt to your dishes. You'd be amazed how much of a difference it makes, it's a great shortcut if you're an amateur cook and looking to give your soup stock extra oomph, or make those meatballs taste that much more delicious. It does not modify the taste of the dish, it's hard to describe but it just makes it taste better, as if it was enchanting everything thaw was already good about it: it will make your beef taste beefier, your stock will taste richer, and so on. This is why MSG is used basically everywhere nowadays, you can bet most of the restaurants do it even if they tell you they do not, it's just that good. They add it to various salty snacks, it is a staple ingredient of a lot of universal spices and things like stock cubes.
    I don't understand why so many people still treat it like it's bad for you, it's no worse for you than normal salt. Probably better actually than a lot of stuff we use every single day, like sugar and canola oil. It's one of the old myths people keep clinging to. You eat MSG all the time without even realizing, just like with salt and sugar, if it was bad for you then you'd already be feeling it. Learn to use it in moderation, just like you do with salt, and it will quickly become a staple in your kitchen.

    • @shmataboro8634
      @shmataboro8634 Год назад

      @riskobear, projectile vomiting and a three day headache is why some of us avoid it and read food labels carefully. Personally I just stopped using packaged foods entirely and have felt much better since giving then up. It's insane the number of things not even required to be listed on the label of processed "food" in the US.

    • @lunascomments3024
      @lunascomments3024 Год назад

      ​@@shmataboro8634and eating food with chemical fertilizer. bravo.

  • @dr4d1s
    @dr4d1s Год назад +6

    You gotta love some good old yellow journalism. /s

  • @gregoryambres1897
    @gregoryambres1897 Год назад +4

    🏆 One learns so very much from this young man. Kudos. 🏆

  • @mattiemathis9549
    @mattiemathis9549 Год назад +1

    I’m not a health nut, but I seem to remember in the 80’s a big thing about MSG. I was young and trusted the media, so I’ve always thought MSG bad. But then realizing with the internet that Asian cuisine uses msg all the time, and that Asians (sorry for generalizing) have the longest life spans. I was wondering about it.
    Thank you!

  • @1998TDM
    @1998TDM Год назад +2

    I'm a chef, I knew the furore over MSG was settled in my mind, it's ok. Never thought of using it, though. I would just reduce or caramelise everything ...
    Then I got into BBQ and base rubs, the seasoning below the spice. Wow, socks officially out the building. Used correctly MSG is a game changer.

  • @seanmar1738
    @seanmar1738 Год назад +19

    I have a bag of MSG at home. I use it in my stir fry, and also in my spaghetti, which is a bit redundant, since tomato is a natural source of glutamate, but I found that if I over-salt, adding a little MSG can help to tame the apparent saltiness, and the flavor it adds is excellent.

    • @Joe-jn5li
      @Joe-jn5li Год назад

      U need cooking lessons.

  • @ancientromewithamy
    @ancientromewithamy Год назад +9

    I love MSG! I've read that, if people feel bad after eating at the Chinese buffet, they likely just overate and/or had too much sodium with all the soy sauce.
    I started cooking soups with kelp (remove before eating) years ago, and haven't gone back to kelp-free soup since. I also have a canister of the "accent" brand powdered MSG which is great on grilled veggies.
    I bought a black currant plant from a garden shop on Etsy after watching THG's currants/gooseberries video and I look forward to having berries maybe next year! I had those in Europe and miss that flavor so much!

    • @Rhaspun
      @Rhaspun Год назад +2

      Yes. Soy sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce have a lot of salt in them.

  • @GetIntoItDuhh
    @GetIntoItDuhh Год назад +236

    MSG is “the king of flavor” according to uncle Roger!

    • @mrbuttons1243
      @mrbuttons1243 Год назад +17

      That was my first thought. Lol

    • @Tsumami__
      @Tsumami__ Год назад +21

      Uncle Rog tells no lies lol

    • @randyherbrechtsmeier4796
      @randyherbrechtsmeier4796 Год назад +9

      Uncle Rogers Right!!!!! Steak, Bake Potato, Ceasar salad. Coated with MSG! I've gotta crappy Heart! Once in while is Fine. Dont take an I.V. of it a Day!!!

    • @SkipTerrio
      @SkipTerrio Год назад +11

      Hiyaaaaa! 😂

    • @goodun2974
      @goodun2974 Год назад +6

      ​@@randyherbrechtsmeier4796 , Having head several heart surgeries I am prone to minor heart rhythmias and MSG is most definitely a trigger for an episode of this. I avoid it at all costs.

  • @weston.weston
    @weston.weston Год назад +1

    I am enjoying this RUclips channel very much.

  • @HDSME
    @HDSME Год назад +1

    I love your vedios they are so unique! Thank you for you efforts

  • @mdlanor5414
    @mdlanor5414 Год назад +24

    MSG has always been safe to consume in moderate quantities. It is natural. Just like when eggs were declared not good for you. Humans have been eating eggs for hundreds of thousands of years. Of course eggs eaten in moderation are good for your health.

    • @gondolacrescent5
      @gondolacrescent5 Год назад +7

      “Everything in moderation” is generally good for just about everyone.

    • @MonkeyJedi99
      @MonkeyJedi99 Год назад +2

      Before the moderation mindset was adopted widely, some Chinese food places where I lived were adding MSG like water.
      And I would break out into a hot flush with sweats from that food.
      This led me to avoid those restaurants for a long time. Now that I am medically on a controlled sodium intake, I still kind of avoid it.
      For a salty flavor in foods I use potassium chloride salt. It is a slightly harsher taste than table salt, but I've acquired the taste for it.
      -
      edit: Having watched more of the video, I have no rigorous scientific assurance that it was the MSG. It may have been something else those restaurants cooked with, though I did not taste any unusual flavors.
      It could also have been some "inert" ingredient in the MSG or other spices those places used. I do have strange allergic reactions to skin irritants and common medications that most people have no issue with - to the point (as examples) that I have only found one or two shampoos that don't leave me with a rash, and I cannot tolerate Crestor, but I can take Lipitor and generic cholesterol control medications.

    • @jackdernorsek5310
      @jackdernorsek5310 Год назад +1

      Oh how wrong you are. I am violently allergic to MSG in the smallest quantities. I have met many people who are also allergic and avoid it as poison, as I do. I do not believe it is safe to consume when to many people, their symptoms of rapid heart beat, sweats and headaches that last for a day or more are a mystery.

    • @MonkeyJedi99
      @MonkeyJedi99 Год назад +3

      @@jackdernorsek5310 MSG is as safe as many other foods and food additives.
      There will always be a percentage of humans who have some negative reaction to a given food or additive.
      I too get the sweats from more than a minor amount of MSG (particularly if it is freshly applied and not given time to break down), though I don't get the headaches.

    • @jeanjaz
      @jeanjaz Год назад

      ​@MonkeyJedi99 You might benefit from the DNA test that doctors give. My doctor really wanted me to get it done even though it is a little spendy - I think like $500. The results can predict what certain categories of meds I can or cannot take, and what supplements I need to be taking. (It showed I needed to be taking Folic acid, for instance.)
      I have a complex medical history, so it has been a real benefit to me and worth the expense.
      You might look into it.

  • @salernolake
    @salernolake Год назад +11

    "If MSG is so bad for you, why doesn't everybody in Asia have a headache?"
    "That sir, is the right question!" (from I, Robot)

  • @OrinSorinson
    @OrinSorinson Год назад +20

    I use MSG in pretty much all the food I prepare and I buy it by the kilos. I have to order it, it's not available in Romanian shops or supermarkets, or in many European ones.
    It has made a lot of foods much more flavorful and I'm constantly surprised by how much of an improvement it can make.
    Amazing discovery!

    • @faequeenapril6921
      @faequeenapril6921 Год назад

      MSG is a really good ingredient, I use it sparingly so if I need to use salt I'll use half the salt and then the rest is MSG. I dont use a lot of it like literally a pinch of it per dish.

    • @bogdan78pop
      @bogdan78pop Год назад +1

      Bravo Sorin..!!

    • @mihaifox465
      @mihaifox465 Год назад

      de unde comanzi?

    • @leaonardland9001
      @leaonardland9001 Год назад

      MSG powder is addictive. MSG powder is harmful. MSG powder should be outlawed, as it already has been in some places like Pakistan.

    • @OrinSorinson
      @OrinSorinson Год назад

      @@mihaifox465 asianfood punct ro. aji-no-moto.

  • @bradjbourgeois73
    @bradjbourgeois73 Год назад

    I have always loved MSG, never stopped using it. I used to buy Accent, but now just get Uncle Larry's, a local seasoning blend that includes it. I put it on everything!

  • @TR-rz1xt
    @TR-rz1xt Год назад +4

    MSG, like so many foodstuffs probably comes under that label of "a little of what you fancy" and "everything in moderation". Unless you have some proven allergy or intolerance as you might have for gluten or peanuts (etc) then it's no worse than any of those (imho of course!)

  • @coreyledin-bristol7068
    @coreyledin-bristol7068 Год назад +3

    I keep a shaker of Accent MSG right in my spice drawer and use it all the time. The only side effect is people raving about how good my cooking is

  • @stevefritz5182
    @stevefritz5182 Год назад +16

    I had an Indian co-worker send me a box of spices that are sometimes hard to find where I live. In the box was a bag she labeled "China Salt". I had not idea what it was and she couldn't explain it differently than "salt". It was MSG. Apparently just another ingredient in some homes.

    • @TasteOfButterflies
      @TasteOfButterflies Год назад +3

      How interesting. I've seen Russian stores sell MSG under the label "Korean salt".

    • @vast9467
      @vast9467 Год назад +2

      I mean that’s literally just what it is

  • @MikeBaxterABC
    @MikeBaxterABC Год назад +1

    I remember back in the 1960's in the "splice rack" my mom having MSG in a regular every day spice jar. :)
    I just ordered a pound of it from Amazon ! .. I love beef bullion in a cup .. now it'll have a shot of MSG! :)

  • @grant6173
    @grant6173 3 месяца назад +1

    I've never used MSG as an ingredient per se. But I've put worlds of hurt on steak, mushrooms and burgers. I've made oceans of stew and soup, and can confirm. It's "that flavour", the "je ne sais quoi", that puts it on the next level. A stew shouldn't taste like potatoe, or carrots, or Basil, or salt, or pepper. But when the choir's in full chorus, and those bass notes are hitting, it's like ACDC's Ride On. Umami.

  • @philbudne2095
    @philbudne2095 Год назад +4

    Surprised there was no mention yeast extract (a common processed food ingredient) as a "hidden" source of glutamate in processed food

    • @vinniekay0967
      @vinniekay0967 7 месяцев назад

      This is /Yours is the BEST among all the comments ("Yeast Extract" = Msg)

  • @tenshiangelina
    @tenshiangelina Год назад +23

    It was widespread here in Mexico as well (the rumor), which is quite absurd since tomatoes are endemic to Mexico. My mom used to listen to a "doctor" (as in PhD rather than MD) in the radio who spread many lies, one of them being that MSG causes cancer. My mom's soups were delicious for the msg she added in the form of Knorr chicken soup condiment, but now they're plane and average even if she adds lots of tomatoes (which have become more flavorless with time). I tried to tell her this was a racist rumor, but she got so used to not using it that I ended up refusing to eat soup.

    • @wilmadebeer7365
      @wilmadebeer7365 Год назад +3

      Why is it a "racist" rumor??? What a dumb thing to say. Please, not everything is racist.

    • @diablominero
      @diablominero Год назад +7

      @@wilmadebeer7365 The fear of MSG started because Americans at the time were biased against ethnically Chinese people. Not every thing is racist, but this particular thing is.

    • @kirkmessinger3464
      @kirkmessinger3464 Год назад +1

      @@diablominero I doubt that. Everything racist is stupid, but not everything stupid is racist.

    • @paulmaxwell8851
      @paulmaxwell8851 Год назад

      I'm afraid that's nonsense. I have many Chinese-Canadian and a few Japanese-Canadian friends, all of whom avoid MSG. Would you call them racist? @@diablominero

    • @diablominero
      @diablominero Год назад

      @@paulmaxwell8851 it's possible to spread a racist rumor without yourself being full of racial animus. For example, most of the black people on 4chan who accuse other black people of stealing without good reasons are joking rather than expressing sincere beliefs.

  • @zaldronthesage
    @zaldronthesage Год назад +6

    Eating raw bags of MSG made me into the man I am today. *starts shaking violently*

  • @Caderic
    @Caderic Год назад

    As someone that understands MSG the information in the video, I LOVE MSG! It is freaking AWESOME!!!!

    • @zoricazorica5752
      @zoricazorica5752 10 месяцев назад

      Awesome in making bad food taste good! Better still in giving one headaches and nausea! Great stuff

    • @Caderic
      @Caderic 10 месяцев назад

      @@zoricazorica5752 Did you watch the video? There is no direct link between headaches and nausea being caused by MSG. The science and evidence linking it, has been more than proven to be extremely bad science. It's the same type of science that links salt to hypertension, and fat to obesity. Those were all bad science that have developed false "common knowledge".
      Just like people thinking the world was flat when Columbus came to the "New Land", or even the fact that he discovered it. That is all false "common sense" perpetuated by ignorance and bad information.
      MSG is in so many more thing than people know. If it actually cause all the symptoms like people think (including headaches and nausea), the scale of headaches and nausea would be equaled to that of COVID, there is that much MSG in food.

  • @romlyn99
    @romlyn99 Год назад

    5:40 I heard Gharab - but according to Wikipedia - Garum is a fermented fish sauce that was used as a condiment in the cuisines of Phoenicia, ancient Greece, Rome, Carthage and later Byzantium.

  • @newbloomwon
    @newbloomwon Год назад +3

    It might be complicated by a situation where some people have an adverse reaction while most don’t. Even if our bodies make glutamate, the introduction of more of it through something we eat may cause a reaction in some. My wife got sick from MSG, and she didn’t know ahead of time what she was eating had it.

    • @terminaldeity
      @terminaldeity Год назад

      I call bullshit.

    • @shmataboro8634
      @shmataboro8634 Год назад +3

      @newbloomwon, your wife is not the only one. As a kid i would get a very upset stomach on Wednesday nights, and have a headache all the next day. As a twenty- something I'd get the same upset stomach and headache randomly. When a friend suggested food sensitivities I began keeping track of what I ate and figured out it was foods with MSG making me sick. Then one day visiting back home at Mom's I was helping clean out the kitchen cabinets and came across an old packet of chili mix....MSG was a major ingredient. When I was a kid Wednesday was Girl Scouts after school and mom was a leader. She would make a big pot of chili and have it on the back of the stove so we could have dinner right away when we got home from Scout meeting. Mystery solved.

    • @newbloomwon
      @newbloomwon Год назад

      @@shmataboro8634 there was a RUclips video that out of nowhere, presumably because there was no other explanation, the host says people are getting sick, or think they’re getting sick from MSG, because of racism against Asians. He probably never considered the possibility that most Asians might not have the same sensitivities.
      But a lot of Asians are lactose intolerant. Aha - racism!😉
      Also, my wife and I enjoy a lot of Asian food, as long as it has no added MSG. That’s a lot of Asians to interact with for people who supposedly hate them.

  • @fourutubez7294
    @fourutubez7294 Год назад +26

    As Uncle Roger always says "It Makes Shit Good"

    • @VespasianJudea
      @VespasianJudea Год назад +8

      Haaaiyaaaaaa!

    • @jz422
      @jz422 Год назад +8

      "The king of flavor" FYIYOH!

    • @alec_f1
      @alec_f1 Год назад +5

      No, Uncle Roger says, "it make sheet good!"

    • @raclark2730
      @raclark2730 Год назад +4

      Found the uncle Roger fans, Putting my leg back up.

    • @gmoney4980
      @gmoney4980 Год назад +3

      That white powder!

  • @tonylopez7649
    @tonylopez7649 Год назад +6

    Alcohol consumption often results in headaches the next day. Yet… used in moderation it enhances life. MSG 😊is the same. Thank you History Guy. You are my HERO!

    • @DanknDerpyGamer
      @DanknDerpyGamer Год назад

      IIRC isn't it also at least in part dehydration that leads to the feelings of a hangover? (Honestly I am not a good judge on that, the times I've even slightly overindulged, I've never gotten a hangover, even without drinking sufficient amounts of water. 0___o)

    • @skaldlouiscyphre2453
      @skaldlouiscyphre2453 Год назад

      @@DanknDerpyGamer My understanding is that it's a mix of dehydration and the metabolites left over from alcohol (primarily acetaldehyde iirc). Tannins are relevant too, alcohol with higher levels of them tends to cause worse hangovers.

  • @Orygunner67
    @Orygunner67 8 месяцев назад +1

    Awesome and informative job bro!

  • @adriankruger6004
    @adriankruger6004 Год назад

    I miss watching THG, but then I remembered why I stoped, I use it to drift off to sleep and the increasing loudness of the music at the end Jerks me back to reality.

  • @constipatedinsincity4424
    @constipatedinsincity4424 Год назад +4

    Back in the Saddle Again Naturally!

  • @Calenrandir
    @Calenrandir Год назад +4

    As a plant scientist, I see MSG as on par with GMOs in terms of public perception. It's easy to scare the public with our acronyms.

  • @MMitchellMarmel
    @MMitchellMarmel Год назад +5

    Old enough to remember the "Accent" commercials on TV...

  • @ramblinevilmushroom
    @ramblinevilmushroom Год назад +2

    MSG has sure caught on in MY kitchen!
    Everyone should have a shaker of it in your kitchen.

  • @tiennghe7143
    @tiennghe7143 Год назад

    Thanks for the information, I appreciate 😊😊😊

  • @objective_psychology
    @objective_psychology Год назад +33

    The explanation of high salt content seems far more likely to explain some of those initial anecdotes. In my experience wonton soup and noodles from Chinese restaurants (more in low-quality fast food ones, not actually good ones) have often been too salty. Knowing what we know now about the cardiovascular problems associated with high salt intake, it makes sense that some people could be particularly sensitive to certain types of cuisine even when it's all natural.

    • @Hup.
      @Hup. Год назад

      You think the common flavor link he noticed between kelp tomatoes asparagus and cheese was salt? Only issue with that theory is tomatoes and asparagus don't have any more naturally occuring NaCl salt than other plants.

    • @objective_psychology
      @objective_psychology Год назад +3

      @@Hup. I was talking about the health problems, not taste 🤦‍♂️

    • @Mp57navy
      @Mp57navy Год назад +2

      Ironically, adding MSG requires you to use less salt. The golden ratio is 1:10 MSG to salt. By weight you have to use about half than you would normally. So, no, it's not even the salt intake.

    • @objective_psychology
      @objective_psychology Год назад

      @@Mp57navy How do you know the restaurants the guy. was going to even used MSG? That part was just assumed

    • @LiveFreeOrDieDH
      @LiveFreeOrDieDH Год назад

      @@Mp57navy while that may be true, the way MSG is used commercially is typically in foods already very high in salt. With the MSG stimulating greater overall consumption, excess salt consumption is still the most likely culprit of reported symptoms.

  • @kraigson
    @kraigson Год назад +23

    One thing that I discovered about my gout is that when I eat foods that have lots of MSG in it, my joints swell up and feel like someone is jabbing an ice pick in them. Now I avoid it as much as I can.
    I linked this from changes in my lunch place and the gout flares that happened soon after. This really sucks because the food was really good.

    • @mred8002
      @mred8002 Год назад +10

      If it is an amino acid, it is protein, and likely triggers the uric acid crystal formation in the joints in high doses. Hadn’t occurred to me when cautioning gout patients on foods to avoid.

    • @djd1121
      @djd1121 Год назад +5

      Yes I have the same problem and discovered it the same way (restaurant lunch).....

    • @juslitor
      @juslitor Год назад +6

      out of curíosity, do you experience similar discomfort when eating very salty foods ?

    • @mred8002
      @mred8002 Год назад +7

      @@juslitor Not addressed to me, but I think I can answer: no. The MSG contains sodium, as does salt, but it also contains an amine group, too, that is a protein precursor, I think. It is the proteins that exacerbate gouty arthritis. Maybe a dietician or physician could answer better. Been a long time since I practiced, though, and my memory has gaps.

    • @djd1121
      @djd1121 Год назад +3

      ​@@juslitor I think heavily processed stuff has a lot of salt and I avoid as much of that as possible because other things in it can sometimes trigger a flare-up. But I also tend to under-salt stuff anyway when I cook so maybe my subconscious knows something I don't :D

  • @navret1707
    @navret1707 Год назад +13

    I thought “Chinese restaurant syndrome” was getting hungry after 30 minutes no matter how much you ate.

    • @samTollefson
      @samTollefson Год назад +1

      That's why you never get married in a Chinese Restaurant, after an hour you want to get married again!

  • @BdManus
    @BdManus Год назад

    Excellent, very interesting episode.

  • @AnotherTaco.YesPlease
    @AnotherTaco.YesPlease Год назад +1

    Very well researched and reported. My mum kept it in the spice rack under the beau monde spice name. I always know if I have ingested it as it gives me gas.

  • @orbyfan
    @orbyfan Год назад +10

    The main symptom I've always experienced about an hour or so after eating Chinese food is a return of the hunger I had before eating it.

    • @goodun2974
      @goodun2974 Год назад +3

      The starches in Chinese food have a tendency to spike your blood sugar really high, and then your pancreas kicks into overdrive and squashes the sugar levels, making you hungry again.