Everyone in asia DOES have a headache. Actually, I read that... what's that guy's name? There was a Yale-educated foodie over at Vogue, in one of his articles he explained how MSG could cause a food headache if you were deficient in certain vitamins...

The link in the article supplies no evidence that MSG sensitivity has been "thoroughly debunked."

Seems like Danwei has succumbed to the same poor reporting habits that are regularly criticized on this page and practiced by the likes of Xinhua. None of those articles seemed very balanced, and none of them contained any definitive evidence that MSG is fine for everyone. As a Chinese medicine doc and American, I run with plenty of people from the natural health crowd and have heard a lot about the bad side of MSG. These articles gave me the same bad taste in my mouth that listening to the health crowd's rants give, unbalanced and insubstantial.

A normal dose is no problem. An overdose gives me itchy skin. A massive overdose gives me sore throat and 3 days fever.

I mentioned that problem to a Chinese doc a while ago - he said "me too".

But the point is, it doesn't do anything positive - why use it in the first place? It makes everything taste the same.

I remember Mom putting MSG on our popcorn instead of salt. This went over very big in my elementary school Popcorn sale. (this was in the 70s). I often use MSG in everything I cook. Up until recently, in the last year or so, everything I eat with MSG in it, give me a blinding headache. Even in small amounts. My mother, being japanese, used it in everything, so we grew up on this stuff. I love the taste it brings out in my food, just wish i could use it still. I used a very very small amount yesterday and have been paying for it ever since. Woke up with a massive headache.

I have absolutely no reaction to the added MSG, and until recently I had no idea it was in just about everything you eat. Even if it says "no msg added" look on the back for hydrolyzed vegetable protein or Yeast Extract.

Like I said it doesn't affect me as far as I can tell but, I would prefer if it wasn't there.

MSG has gotten such a bad rap. It's adds flavor to food, that's all. MSG has pretty much the same effects as sugar; eat too much and it's bad for you. Too much sugar can cause eyesight problems (like some are trying to say with MSG). If you get headaches from eating things with MSG, it's because you think you're going to get a headache and you're the type of person that's influenced by others and the media.

link link

I was born and raised in China, then spent most of my adulthood in US. I grew up with MSG. But that early exposure doesn't seem to protect me from the discomfort of dry mouth that prevents a thorough enjoyment of my food. No, not every Chinese who claims an MSG sensitivity is faking it for the reason of cultural condescension.

The links merely suggested that MSG's allergy effects have been exaggerated, NOT that MSG is totally harmless. At the very least, MSG dulls your taste buds and wipe out subtle distinction of natural as well as other concocted flavors.

Not that it matters to Anglo-Americans ;-)