Why do Chinese food have MSG's in it?!
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MSG is a white powder that enhances the flavors in the dish. For some it causes health affects but for others it doesn't.
Not all Chinese use it as some consider it a prop for bad cooks with no skill.
If you think that a restaurant uses it ask them if they do and if they say yes ask for it to be omitted, they wont mind
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that is "generally recognized as safe," the use of MSG remains controversial.
MSG has been used as a food additive for decades. Over the years, the FDA has received many anecdotal reports of adverse reactions to foods containing MSG. But subsequent research found no definitive evidence of a link between MSG and the symptoms that some people described after eating food containing MSG. As a result, MSG is still added to some foods.
A comprehensive review of all available scientific data on glutamate safety sponsored by the FDA in 1995 reaffirmed the safety of MSG when consumed at levels typically used in cooking and food manufacturing. The report found no evidence to suggest that MSG contributes to any long-term health problems, such as Alzheimer's disease. But it did acknowledge that some people may have short-term reactions to MSG. These reactions — known as MSG symptom complex — may include:
* Headache, sometimes called MSG headache
* Flushing
* Sweating
* Sense of facial pressure or tightness
* Numbness, tingling or burning in or around the mouth
* Rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations)
* Chest pain
* Shortness of breath
Symptoms are usually mild and don't require treatment. However, some people report more severe reactions. The only way to prevent a reaction is to avoid foods containing MSG. When MSG is added to food, the FDA requires that "monosodium glutamate" be listed on the label — or on the menu, in restaurants.
Read more: What's MSG? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/454188#ixzz11tINjgns
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/monosodium-glutamate/AN01251
So people come back for more food. It makes things "taste good."
Besides, almost any of the food you find in the USA that "Chinese" isn't really Chinese food, it's like Chinese-American hybrid food. Like, Chinese food gone salty and yeah...
Its cheap whereas food with natural glutamate in it is more expensive - anchovies, soy sauce, mushrooms, good quality tomatoes, Parmesan cheese etc
to decrease your libido?!
Yes, I agree.. to make it taste good..
