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How Safe is MSG?

Monosodium Glutamate, commonly abbreviated MSG, is one of the most controversial food-additives around today. Most people know MSG as the chemical that has historically been added to Chinese Restaurants to improve flavor, but it is also found in a variety of other foods. One of the ironies regarding MSG is that its use in Chinese food has declined significantly as a result of bad press, but other restaurants, especially fast food restaurants, have frequently begun to make use of the additive.

What is MSG?

Monodium Glutamate is a food-additive which is popularly used in high-volume meal production in order to boost the flavor profile of many foods. MSG activates the parts of the tongue associated with Umami, which makes foods taste meatier and more savory. Some foods contain some MSG naturally, including cheese and tomatoes. Natural MSG is what gives meats and stews a lot of their mouth feel and flavor. MSG was first isolated in 1908 by a Japanese researcher, and was first used in Eastern cuisine, which is why there is such a strong association between MSG and Chinese food.

Specifically, Monosodium Glutamate is a combination of L-glutamate, an amino acid, and a salt molecule. MSG acts as a preservative as well as a flavor-enhancer, because it stabilizes the Glutamate molecule, preserving its effect on the flavor of the food. MSG can extend the “freshness” of a soup or other food product by a year or more, which makes it very popular in packaged foods.

Unfortunately, as with any additive, MSG is often abused, as it classically has in Chinese Restaurants and other places where food is sold to the public. There is some concern that high levels of Monosodium Glutamate can have unfortunate side-effects.

Of course, much of the concern regarding MSG is anecdotal, and there is a lot of research that needs to be done in order to entirely assess the health impact of Monosodium Glutamate. There have been enough reports to the Food and Drug Administration regarding MSG that the organization recognizes a condition known as MSG Symptom Complex. The following are the symptoms of the condition:

• Weakness

• Nausea

• Chest Pain

• Heart Palpitations

• Tingling and numbness

• Facial Tightness or Pressure

• Sweating

• Flushing

• Headache

It's important to note that, although MSG Symptom Complex is recognized, there has been no definitive connection made between the condition and the consumption of MSG itself. To date, the FDA considers Monosodium Glutamate as Generally Recognized as Safe, though many health specialists believe that there is sufficient evidence regarding the downside of MSG to warrant patients to minimize their consumption of foods known to contain MSG.

What Potentially Makes MSG Harmful?

Nutrition scientists hypothesize that if MSG does cause health issues, it could be because it leads to an increase in Glutamate in the blood stream. Glutamate, like other Amino Acids, has the ability to pass through the blood-brain barrier and influence neurological activity. It is thought that excess consumption of MSG causes Glutamate levels to increase in the brain. When levels of a particular neurotransmitter elevate to a high level, those normally productive neurotransmitters become Excitotoxins.

Neurotransmitter levels can get so high that they overstimulate neurons designed to interact with the excitotoxin, which can damage or even kill the cells. There is evidence that when Glutamate levels are too high in the brain this impacts the normal function of neurons in such a way that it can lead to the death of neurons. Of course, the main question with regard to MSG's impact on Glutamate Levels and neurological function is: How much MSG is too much? It is possible that most people never consume enough MSG for it to have a major negative impact. It's also possible that certain individuals are more sensitive to the potential negative effects of MSG.

These are factors that we simply don't have enough information to understand, but for patients concerned for their health, it would be a wise choice to limit sources of MSG in the diet. Even if MSG turns out to be relatively benign, MSG tends to be in foods that we should eat sparingly or rarely in the first place.

How to Avoid MSG

Avoiding fast food restaurants will reduce your exposure to MSG. Many casual, family, and fine dining restaurants also have foods that contain MSG. Almost all chain and franchise restaurants have online menus which can show you MSG Levels in their food. Use this data to your advantage. The two types of restaurant that commonly abuse MSG are Fast Food Restaurants and All You Can Eat Buffets.

You can also limit your intake of MSG through conscientious shopping and by avoiding certain processed foods such as canned soup without checking the label first. Other foods that commonly contain Monosodium Glutamate as an ingredient are salad dressings, pasta sauce, barbecue sauce, crunchy snacks, commercial stock, and canned foods.

MSG is often used to create a sensation that the food that you are eating is more filling and more satisfying, in order to mask the fact the food is of lesser quality. These foods are also frequently loaded with high levels of sodium or sugar as well. It's a good idea in general to opt for fresh food over processed food whenever possible, although there are healthy packaged food options increasingly available in grocery stores and supermarkets across the country.

Other Names for MSG

Most restaurants that post their nutrition information online will list MSG honestly as a primary ingredient. Unfortunately, MSG goes by other names that can be misleading, especially in the grocery store. Naturally sourced MSG is often found under the names Sodium Caseinate, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, or Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein.

Should I Avoid MSG?

The current medical literature shows little evidence that MSG is particularly harmful, but it is frequently an ingredient in foods you should limit your consumption of in the first place, due to high sodium, high sugar levels, or food that is highly processed. The rule of thumb is, if you feel that MSG is impacting your health and wellness, you should limit your exposure, and set up an appointment with a doctor to discuss your symptoms, in order to get to the root of your problem, and to preserve your well-being.

The Positive Impact of Physical Activity on Well-Being

Everyone understands the importance of exercise with regard to physical health, but modern research continues to show how psychological health is intrinsically related to physical wellbeing. By engaging in regular exercise, it is possible to significantly boost mental wellness.

Because of this change in how we perceive exercise as it relates to wellness, it becomes even more important to remain active, not only to keep the body healthy, but our emotional responses positive and stable.

When it comes to being active, you have a lot of different options. You don't have to get a gym membership or run a mile every day, you just have to take conscientious steps to boost your activity levels in ways that you enjoy or are passionate about!

What is Physical Activity?

Physical activity refers to any action that you take that burns calories and activates your skeletal muscles. The options at your disposal are practically limitless, whether you like to jog, run, play basketball, bike, or lift weights!

How Much Should I Exercise?

As of today, wellness researchers suggest that adults should engage in between 1 and 2 hours of physical activity per week. This pertains to both modest exercise and high intensity exercise. Good examples of exercise that are low impact but good for your health are bike-riding, hiking, and walking. If you're looking for something that will get you in even better shape, consider jump rope, aerobics, swimming laps, or running. If your pulse and breathing speed up at least modestly, you can count the activity toward your weekly goal.

What is Mental Wellness?

Maintaining psychological and emotional well-being are just as important as supporting physical health. Mental wellness is a complicated subject, including, but not limited to the following:

Maintaining a sense of value and purpose

Feeling free to make our own decisions and make our own choices

Having a sense of belonging

Being able to roll with the punches and appreciate the positive experiences in one's life

Caring about oneself and being able to enjoy relationships with others

It's important to realize that you don't have to be perfectly content all of the time to have good mental wellbeing. Happiness and sorrow, pain and pleasure are experiences that all people have. It's about maintaining general positivity and keeping yourself on a path which facilitates happiness.

How Does Exercise Improve Wellbeing?

As we hinted at earlier, the human mind does not exist in a vacuum separate from the body. Maintaining physical health facilitates an improved mindset and better psychological health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that even brief periods of physical activity can bolster our mood. A quick-paced ten minute walk has been scientifically shown to improve mood, increase energy, and boost cognitive awareness.

Other studies have shown that engaging in regular exercise can both mitigate anxiety and stress and boost self-esteem, both in the short-term and in the long-term. For people that suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, and other psychological conditions, exercise has also been shown to soften the symptoms of these disorders while significantly improving mental wellbeing.

The Effects of Exercise on Mood

In addition to the effects on long-term psychological wellbeing, exercise also has immediate effects upon mood and mood stability. In one particular study, participants were asked to self-report their mood after different levels of activity. Participants that engage in sedentary activity were found to be in worse moods than those that engaged in light activity such as cleaning or taking a walk.

There is also a strong correlation between physical activity and a variety of particular feelings associated with psychological wellbeing, such as remaining calm and maintaining wakefulness and focus. One thing that is interesting about exercise is that it tends to have the strongest effects on people when they are struggling the most. People that rated themselves lower with regard to mood experienced more significant improvements than their peers that were initially in better moods.

What Level of Activity is Most Effective at Improving Mood?

Research has shown that even a little bit of exercise puts us in a better mood, but those benefits are amplified when we engage in regular physical activity. The most effective form of mood-enhancing exercise is low-impact cardiovascular exercise. A 2 1/2-3 month exercise regimen of thirty minutes of activity three to five times per week significantly improved a variety of different factors associated with positive emotional well-being.

The Effects of Exercise and Activity on Stress

Above all else, stress has a more degrading effect on psychological health than anything else. Stress can be defined as any outside agitation that causes tension or emotional distress. Stress directly leads to an increase in cortisol levels and the activation of fight-or-flight response. Stress puts us on edge, and is very draining on the human body, both physically and psychologically. We act differently when we are stressed, and we have a tendency to feel emotions more powerfully, especially negative emotions.

Other hormones also play a role in stress, including noradrenaline and adrenaline. These hormones boost our pulse and increase our blood pressure, designed to help us get out of potentially harmful situations. Stress is a good thing in small doses. It motivates us and helps keep us safe. The problem is with chronic stress. When we are chronically stressed, it causes us to become depressed and frazzled. It makes us more likely to sleep poorly and it even makes us more likely to make poor dietary choices!

Like we mentioned earlier, physical and psychological well-being are intrinsically connected. The same goes for physical and psychological stress. Physical activity provides an outlet for psychological stress. Individuals that maintain high activity levels are clearly shown to have less stress than people that are more sedentary.

The Effect of Exercise on Self-Esteem

It appears that Self-Esteem is strongly correlated with activity level. People that are less active tend to have lower self-esteem and are more likely to get down on themselves. It's not all about looking better, the effects of regular exercise on self-esteem are apparent even in the absence of physical changes. Being active helps us cope, and it helps us maintain a stronger connection with our bodies and with the world around us.

Xylitol – Alternative Low-Calorie Sweetener

As we learn more about how bad that simple sugars and simple carbohydrates are for are health, it's important to look into alternative sweeteners in our quest to improve health and safeguard longevity. One particular alternative to sugar that occurs naturally in the environment is known as Xylitol.

What is Xylitol?

Xylitol is an alternative sweetener that is present in many of the foods that we eat, like vegetables and fruits. Xylitol can also be extracted from particular hardwoods, and is used to fortify foods that we eat. In addition to absorbing Xylitol from diet, the human body has the capacity to make a small amount of the sugar alcohol using internal physiological processes.

How Long Has Xylitol Been Used for Food?

Xylitol has been used in foods since that late 19th century. The nutrient was first described in 1891 by a German researcher. Though it was used in a limited manner in the early 20th century, World War II led to a rapid increase in production and distribution of Xylitol, beginning in Finland, as a result of sugar scarcity during wartime. At the time, the Finnish named Xylitol Koivusokeri, which literally means Birch Sugar in English. Though Xylitol can be extracted from a variety of foods and organic products, it was first collected from birch fibers.

After World War II and into the sixties, Xylitol's use as a sweetener expanded quickly into Japan, the Soviet Union, and Europe. Eventually, Xylitol made its way onto American soil, and is widely used today. Xylitol has high marks from the American Dental Association for its impact on dental health, and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a safe food product.

Where does American Xylitol Come From?

For commercial use, Xylitol generally comes from a few distinct sources, the most common of which are cornhusk, seed husks, cane pulp, and cellulose from trees.

How Do Simple Sugars Compare to Xylitol?

Table sugar and Xylitol are both potent sweeteners, but there are some major differences between the two. For example, Xylitol does not actually belong to the class of compounds known as sugar. In fact, Xylitol is a sugar alcohol. Other sugar alcohols include Erythritol, Maltitol, Mannitol, and Sorbitol. Most of the common sugars have 6-carbon chains, such as Dextrose, Fructose, and Sucrose. Xylitol, on the other hand, is a 5-carbon compound.

Xylitol has some powerful benefits as compared to common table sugar. As you've probably heard in recent months and years, it is becoming increasingly clear that excess sugar consumption has a hugely negative effect upon health, and sugar-alternatives such as Xylitol can replace sugar as a sweetener. Our bodies are designed to absorb simple sugars and carbohydrates rapidly, which leads to a spike in blood sugar and can hinder proper insulin production. In fact, the body can partially absorb Xylitol without Insulin, which further suppresses the need for insulin.

How Do Xylitol and Sugar Compare with Regard to Caloric Intake?

Because of these specific differences in how the body uses and metabolizes Xylitol, an equivalent amount of Xylitol will only lead to the absorption of 60% of the calories as compared to simple sugars. Xylitol passes through most of the digestive system without being metabolized, until it reaches the large intestine, where it is partially digested.

For the same sweetness, it would take 4 calories from sugar, as compared to only 2.4 for Xylitol. In addition to the sensation of sweetness, Xylitol leads to a sensation of cooling, not entirely unlike mint, but not as potent. This sensation occurs because Xylitol is an alcohol, and reacts with chemicals in the saliva, which leads it to absorb heat.

How Can Xylitol Benefit Health and Wellness?

Because of the dietary caloric benefits of Xylitol, there has been a lot of research on the chemical, as it relates to our health. Xylitol is frequently used in sugar-free gum, and has been endorsd by the ADA because of its positive impact on dental health. Studies have shown that brushing twice per day and chewing gum containing Xylitol leads to a major reduction in the formation of cavities.

There are two known means by which Xylitol safeguards oral health. Foods containing simple sugar are bad for our teeth because they encourage the proliferation of bad bacteria which induce an overly acidic environment in the mouth, which is terrible for tooth enamel. Unlike simple sugars, Xylitol does not undergo the process of fermentation. This helps preserve the natural pH of the mouth, which is slightly above 7. The second reason why Xylitol reduces the incidence of cavities is because it encourages the release of saliva, which both preserves the enamel and disperses acids which etch into the enamel.

Xylitol Drawbacks

One drawback of Xylitol and other sugar alcohols is that it can lead to gastrointestinal issues when consumed in excess. This is because Xylitol has laxative effects, resulting from the way that it passes through the digestive system. Because we only partially break down Xylitol, it can lead to diarrhea, flatulence, and bloating. Most people that use Xylitol regularly are able to overcome these laxative effects, and it should be noted that it takes a lot of Xylitol to lead to these issues. Xylitol is quickly becoming favored over other sugar alcohols (especially sorbitol), because it is much less likely to lead to gastrointestinal distress.

Combine Xylitol with Stevia and other Sugar Alternatives to Enhance Health

If you are interested in preserving your oral health and improving your overall wellness, chewing gum with Xylitol as a sweetener is a smart choice. Xylitol is not heavily used in foods and drinks that we eat every day, but Stevia makes a fantastic alternative to table sugar in teas, drinks, and many foods. Take steps to minimize your intake of simple sugars, and focus on getting your carbohydrates from complex such as whole grain rice, whole wheat bread, and vegetables.