How can just one ingredient have an impact on all ages from children to adults, ADHD, Autism, and Anxiety, to Alzheimer’s? It’s known as a flavor enhancer to chef’s and a neurotoxin to scientists; MSG. This ingredient was so hidden that it caused me several trips to the ER and having antihistamines on hand until I finally discovered the hidden culprit that left me broken out in hives and unable to breath.
Many of us don’t have the severe allergic reactions I have experienced; however, there are more subtle symptoms the average person wouldn’t know to link to this, that can make all the difference in how we think, feel, and focus each day!
Yes, our food ingredients CAN affect our brain health; just another reason to skip the prepared frozen and packaged foods. MSG or monosodium glutamate is used as a flavor enhancer in everything from Chinese food, fast food restaurants, soy sauce, canned soups, frozen foods, sauces, cheese flavoring (think cheesy chips & mac n’cheese), cold cuts, salad dressings, and even some supplements! Fast food restaurants use it for everything from flavoring in the French fries to spices to coat their chicken and other foods prior to cooking. It’s no wonder so many people are affected.
With this being Autism awareness month, it is a good time to bring awareness to this and other food ingredients that can have a big impact on our children’s brain health, not to mention the impact on us all.
MSG is considered a neurotoxin which can create neurological inflammation, and an excitotoxin that can over stimulate the brain cells. The way most of us understand it, is that this little ingredient can cause issues with behavior, anxiety, ability to focus, headaches, migraines, gastrointestinal issues (IBS), and can intensify symptoms of people with ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, and Alzheimer’s. In fact, there are cases of children with ADHD like symptoms that when chemical food additives, (food coloring, preservatives, MSG) were removed from their diet the symptoms disappeared.
We are all affected differently, but sometimes the subtle effects are the ones we don’t see and over time, can have the biggest impact. It can make all the difference in academic performance, homework time, and the ability to focus for many children and adults. Just some of the hidden names are glutamic acid, yeast extract, hydrolyzed proteins such as soy and corn, “natural flavors”, and more.
So how do we avoid this and other food additives? Reading labels is a great way to know what is in your food, while you transition to whole food choices. My other favorite; adding wonderful fresh herbs and spices to your food to naturally enhance the flavor! Discovering the difference in how you and your family feel is a tell tale sign of how foods are affecting us, once they are eliminated, plus the wonderful, fresh flavor of naturally flavored whole foods!
Newer studies are showing the increasing negative effects that many food additives can have on our everyday well-being. For a complete list of all the names and forms of MSG, you can download the PDF from The Truth in Labeling. It’s a great tool to have when shopping and label reading. www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources_printable.pdf
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278584606002697
http://www.today.com/health/what-causes-anxiety-surprising-list-anxiety-triggers-I527479
