The basic elements of the kitchen are condiments, including salt, oil, sauce, vinegar, pepper and of course, MSG. But now there are various studies pointing out that eating MSG is bad for your health. What is the danger of MSG? Should we put MSG in our cooking? The ingredient of MSG is monosodium glutamate. Eating a small amount of MSG not only flavors the food, but also enhances brain function.

MSG is a common cooking condiment. Adding a small amount of MSG to cooking not only flavors the food, but also enhances brain function. This is because MSG contains monosodium glutamate which breaks down glutamic acid during digestion. Glutamic acid, catalyzed by glutamic acid decarboxylase and coenzymed with vitamin B6, is converted into -aminobutyric acid, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, whose insufficient production causes over-excitement of the central nervous system, such as mania or convulsions, in brain tissue. Therefore, moderate consumption of MSG is beneficial in maintaining the function of the nervous system.

Dangers of Excessive MSGWhen MSG is consumed in excess, this inhibitory neurotransmitter can inhibit various neurological functions in the body, leading to a series of symptoms, such as dizziness, headache, drowsiness and muscle spasms; some people may also experience anxiety and panic; some people with sensitive constitutions may even feel bone soreness and muscle weakness. In addition, excessive amounts of inhibitory neurotransmitters can inhibit the body's hypothalamus from secreting thyroid-stimulating hormones, which can hinder bone development, especially in children.

When too much MSG is consumed beyond the body's metabolic capacity, it can also lead to increased levels of glutamate in the blood, which can limit the utilization of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and copper. In particular, glutamate binds to zinc in the blood, and unavailable zinc glutamate is excreted from the body, leading to a zinc deficiency. Zinc is an important nutrient for the physical and mental development of infants. Therefore, infants and breastfeeding mothers should abstain or eat less MSG. In addition, researchers believe that long-term overconsumption of MSG may lead to thinning of the retina, vision loss, and even blindness. Large amounts of glutamate slow down heart surgery, increase the amplitude of heart contractions and compress coronary blood vessels. Large amounts of glutamate can stop the heart from moving.