“MSG is harmful to your health”

The widespread belief that monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is harmful to health largely stems from a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1968. In this letter, a doctor speculated that symptoms like numbness and palpitations he experienced after eating at Chinese restaurants could be linked to various ingredients, including MSG. This anecdotal account quickly led to the coining of the term "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome," which was widely popularized by the media. Unfortunately, this narrative was fueled by and intertwined with existing anti-Asian sentiment in the United States, casting a suspicious light on Chinese cuisine and, by extension, MSG itself.

Despite the initial public panic, decades of rigorous scientific research have consistently found no credible evidence that MSG causes adverse health effects at normal dietary levels. Esteemed regulatory bodies worldwide, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United Nations' Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), have classified MSG as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). Studies have shown that the human body metabolizes glutamate, the key component of MSG, in the exact same way whether it comes from added MSG or naturally occurring sources like tomatoes, cheese, and mushrooms. Early studies that suggested harm often involved injecting massive, unrealistic doses of MSG into animals or used flawed methodologies that do not reflect typical human consumption.

The myth's enduring power can be attributed to several factors. The initial media sensationalism created a strong, negative association in the public imagination, which was difficult to reverse. Furthermore, the symptoms often attributed to "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" are vague and can be caused by many factors, including consuming large meals or other ingredients, making it easy to mistakenly attribute them to MSG. The additive's presence in many processed foods, which some people perceive as unhealthy, may also contribute to the misconception, despite MSG having less sodium than table salt and being a tool to reduce overall sodium intake.