Comments on Heart Disease: Can't Read Food Labels? You're Not Alone

MSG sucks!! I have had trouble with it for years w...

2009-03-15T20:34:00.000-04:00

MSG sucks!! I have had trouble with it for years when eating Chineese food, but I really had a bad reaction from eating on a salad bar in a super-market. Within an hour I was in pain with severe stomach cramps, to my hands, feet, face and eyes turning beet red and felt as if they were on fire. I became very nausious and had horriable diarreah. My mouth was so dry I could hardly talk. It scared me and my family. Lasting the matter of about 2hrs I was totally wiped out for the rest of the night and then continued with the diarreah on into the next day. I am afraid to eat anything that I suspect it might contain MSG. Hard telling what is in anything when it is all in a forgien launges to the common person.

To anonymous with acid reflux. I had chronic acid...

2009-02-24T14:24:00.000-05:00

To anonymous with acid reflux. I had chronic acid reflux a few years ago until i drank aloe vera juice for a two month period. I didn't have to take previcid anymore. My sister did the same only for six months, and she doesn't take nexium anymore. Those prescriptions don't heal the problem, only minimize the symptoms. Aloe heals the reflux.

Aspartame and MSG are powerful excitotoxins that c...

2008-12-29T07:33:00.000-05:00

Aspartame and MSG are powerful excitotoxins that create lesions on the hypothalamus, which in turn interfere with brain's ability to regulate appetite. Recent studies -- animal and human -- have shown a direct link between these toxic substances and obesity. If you're serious about controlling your weight, DO NOT ingest aspartame or MSG in any form.

Yes, I'm a tree-hugging vegan who finds it amusing when people assume you're out of touch for caring about your health and the environment. But a 10 months ago I was a seriously overweight vegan who has dropped over 50 pounds by exercising daily and giving up nearly all processed food and completely eliminating alcohol. Mind you, at no point have I gone on a diet -- in fact, I've gained muscle weight and have had to increase my caloric intake to meet the demands of the gym!

Most processed food, including so-called "health" or "diet" products, are loaded with aspartame, MSG, refined sugar, salt, and even saturated fats. Eliminate these substances from your diet, and chances are the cravings will end as your metabolism returns to balance. It really is that simple.

The blogger who provided the list of hidden MSG is quite right -- it's hidden in nearly everything. In my opinion, there ought to be a class action lawsuit against the FDA and major food manufacturers similar to the 1980s lawsuits targeting Big Tobacco. Giant food manufacturers are actively promoting unhealthy foods, and the FDA is well aware of the problems with the American food supply. It's no wonder we've become a nation of diseased blobs -- the problem extends far beyond cars, television, and video games.

Yes, by all means do write to Congress, the FDA, and even the food manufacturers -- in fact, to anyone who'll listen. More important, inform your friends -- waning consumer interest in poisonous food products may be the only thing that ever leads to a lasting change.

Incidentally, the person who still keeps a bottle of MSG in the spice drawer is either terribly misinformed or in deep denial to be labeling recent MSG/aspartame studies as "junk science." The information is out there for anyone with eyes to see.

One such study came out of the University of North Carolina in August 2008:

>> Link to study

"We found that prevalence of overweight was significantly higher in MSG users than in non-users," [the researcher] said. "We saw this risk even when we controlled for physical activity, total calorie intake and other possible explanations for the difference in body mass. The positive associations between MSG intake and overweight were consistent with data from animal studies."

Please stop shouting, i.e., USING CAPITAL LETTERS....

2008-11-19T14:35:00.000-05:00

Please stop shouting, i.e., USING CAPITAL LETTERS.

It is possible to disagree without being rude OR making personal remarks.

:)

I react quite seriously to MSG and sugar substitut...

2008-10-15T23:45:00.000-04:00

I react quite seriously to MSG and sugar substitutes. The greater the amount that I ingest, it would seem, the greater the reaction.

As soon as my face gets hot to the touch, and prickly feeling, the sweats start. I get severe cramps, extreme diarrhea, sometimes vomiting as well. I get bad headaches, body aches, and have trouble forming words...
basically I can not function while I am reacting... and it can last for hours.
My doctor did not believe me at first, and I was tested to the hilt. My reactions are not Celiac's, nor irritable bowel, nor Chrone's. In that, I feel very grateful. Mine is an extreme sensitivity.

As a result of the above symptoms, my body couldn't digest food properly, and I was not getting the nutrients I needed. For example, my vitamin D/calcium levels were almost non-existant.

It has been a major struggle to isolate, as it is not a histamine reaction. Finally, though, we seem to have it under control. We got rid of the bad bacteria that had built up in my system, and daily I make sure I get the good bacteria that I need. I continue to be extremely careful with my food choices.

I don't eat out anymore- I simply can't. Too many foods are preserved, or enhanced, with something that zaps me.

I don't eat at other peoples' houses unless I know them well, and know what I am eating and how it is prepared. It is embarassing, but essential. I can't function without such precautions.

I spend a great deal of time when shopping to read every label. I buy organic whenever possible, but even so, it is not a given that it will be safe for me. Anything that is processed, it seems, can have the potential to harm me.

Mostly, I cook from scratch- as little processed junk as possible.
It can be very time consuming, but I have little alternative. I try to cook on the weekends, when I have more time, and freeze some, and use left-overs during the week in a variety of meals.

I suppose, in a way, this could be considered a good thing. I am eating much healthier as a result.

And the comment about produce is dead on, as well. They do not have to label what has been grown in AuxiGro... or whatever.
Again- I have the greatest potential for success when I buy organic, LOCAL produce. It can be expensive, and right now, with times so tight, it is frustrating... but it is easy to justify when I consider my alternatives. It is not only worth it, it is essential.
*shrug*

It also is extremely difficult when I get sick, such as during cold & flu season. I can't take most over the counter cold medications, as they have a sugar substitute in them called Manitol. I had NO IDEA what I was reacting to, and spent a small fortune trying this medication and that medication before I finally gave up. I went back to my doctor, and fortunately, she was able to locate a cough expectorant/suppressant that I can take without a reaction.

To those who doubt me- come live with me for a month or two. I will make a believer out of the greatest skeptic.

It may not be common, but it is very, very real, and very debilitating.

Those of you who say this isn't real?? Consider yourself very lucky. Very lucky indeed.

I am living proof that this exists.
Doubt me if you will.

I do have a problem with reading the food labels, ...

2008-09-18T18:32:00.000-04:00

I do have a problem with reading the food labels, but it is not the calories, fats, etc. I think that manufacturers should print them in larger ink.
To the mother, and children who have CD. I was diagnosed with CD (Celiac Disease) almost a year ago. I have learned how to read labels and what to look for, when I can see them. There is so much "hype" about what is okay and what is not okay to eat. MSG and non-suger sweeteners do not contain gluten. If their family is having problems with these types of foods, then they may have an additional sensitivity to MSG and non-sugar sweeteners. The gluten must be digested for CD sufferers to have the auto-immune reaction. CD causes an auto-immune reaction in the body and it will react the same way to CD as it does a cold, elimiating the threat to the body, in the process it will destory our ability to disgest our food.
Bloggers feel free to review what CD is and who might have it at celiac.org, or for acceptable food, and forbidden (yes I said forbidden) foods, go to celiac.com. Celiacs from all over the world will be on celiac.com for information on everything from first diagnosis to 20 years and still livin.
For everyone out there, if you would like to assist in the fight to improve our labeling laws, please go to celiac.org. They are fighting for better labeling for all of us who really need to know what is in our food.
For my fellow celiac, and eventually doctor. I commend you and thank you on your aspirations to help people like me. It took 15 long years for my diagnosis.
As I continue to heal, I do feel like a million bucks! I am no longer "tired and sick" of being "sick and tired". I too thought that I could not eat MSG. I spoke with my doctor regarding MSG and maltodextrin, they do not contain gluten. This does not mean that a celiac won't have an intolerance to it anyway. I am wondering what kind of non-profit you are opening? Where will it be located in this world?
I would also like to point out that CD is an inherited disease. If you feel that you might have it, check with your family, they may have it too.

1.MSG does NOT contain gluten! MSG is Monosodium ...

2008-08-21T13:30:00.000-04:00

1.
MSG does NOT contain gluten! MSG is Monosodium Glutamate- sodium, glutamic acid (the most common amino acid in nature) and a little bit of water. That's all!
It is made by fermentation of sugar by microorganisms.
2.
Food "allergies" are caused by incompletely digested proteins being absorbed by the body. Glutamic acid is an amino acid that you own body produces at a rate of ~30g per day! It is essential for proper functioning of the body. The typical American consumes ~0.5g MSG/day - and, considering that ~20% of MSG is sodium (much lower than salt by the way), that adds up to 0.4g glutamate. There are many countries in Europe and Asia that consume much more MSG than do folks in the US.
Protein broken down by digestion liberates glutamate at much higher levels than that!
There are even a lot of natural foods that contain a lot of free glutamate.
Any reactions that people might have that they atribute to MSG could very well have another source in the food - preservatives, additives, flavor chemicals, whatever.

I took have a severe reaction to aspartame...disco...

2008-08-05T21:57:00.000-04:00

I took have a severe reaction to aspartame...discovered when I was a kid - getting diet sodas from my grandmother's cabinet. The cabinet also held her liquor, and at first, my family thought I was getting into that instead. For me, one diet soda is like drinking a whole bottle of whiskey. I get disoriented, numb, have trouble walking & talking, and it's all followed by a horrible headache. I too fear fountain sodas, because you never can tell if they pressed the right button. FYI: Crystal Light has WAY MORE aspartame in it than a diet soda. STAY AWAY if you're allergic. (Discovered on the first day I met my mother-in-law. She's a diabetic.)

The second reply had some very good points about w...

2008-05-09T21:39:00.000-04:00

The second reply had some very good points about what MSG could cause. I am not an expert but I have been diagnosed with bipolar [disorder]for the past 17 years and read everything I can on the subject. I have never heard of it being caused by MSG or it causing an episode. None of my doctors over the years have ever mentioned this fact either. I just didn't want anyone coming to this site to think they could catch bipolar disorder from what they ate. It is mainly genes and experiences in life that cause it.

Hello all. I am a Food major in college, and my s...

2008-03-19T11:34:00.000-04:00

Hello all. I am a Food major in college, and my stepfather is severly allergic to MSG. I have not only witnessed the many adverse affects that MSG can have on someone who IS allergic, but also the effects on those who are not allergic to MSG. It can cause blockage of neurotransmitters in the brain, (which are the connections that help us to think), as well as many, MANY health problems later on in one who is not allergic. MSG is used by the food companies to make foods more addicting, this is TRUE! To those of you who feel that you know more than the rest of us, PLEASE LOOK IT UP before deciding on your own that you know everything. Also, you must understand that since there are SO MANY DOCUMENTED CASES of food allergies, they must be real! My best friend is a Nutritionist, and she can tell you just how real food allergies are. My sister was an EMT, she could tell you how often that they had to rush someone to the ER for a severe food allergy. If you need more convincing, both my mother and my sister-in-law are nurses, and they have both seen their fill of people with severe food allergies, so whoever you think you are, DO YOUR RESEARCH, because these people are NOT hypochondriacs, their allergies are REAL!!!

To all of you that also suffer aspartame allergies...

2008-03-19T11:17:00.000-04:00

To all of you that also suffer aspartame allergies, I was told by a friend that I had PKU, Phenylketonuria, which is a genetic disease caused by the body's inability to process phenylalanine. I thought that it was odd that I don't have any other symptoms of PKU, but I thought maybe I just had a mild case, until I became pregnant for the second time, and discovered that children with PKU often become mentally incapable. (My first child also suffers from an allergy to sugar substitutes, and she is extremely intelligent) And I discovered that they test your blood while you are a little baby for PKU. You have all helped me because I thought that I was alone in having a severe allergy to a sugar substitute, without having PKU. Although, the one thing that does help when reading labels is checking for the PKU symbol, or warning, because often it will tell you what foods to avoid (being those with the warning label for PKU). I hope this helps.

FYI, I don't exhibit many of the symptoms that some severe cases do, however, I tend to break out in hives, and my throat swells so that I can't breathe. Yes, there are actually aspartame allergies out there, to those of you who doubt, try having a 4 year old whose throat is closing and you have no way to calm them down because you can't fix it, all you can do is go to the ER and pray that you make it in time.

From the time I was an infant till I turned 8,I th...

2008-03-02T19:23:00.000-05:00

From the time I was an infant till I turned 8,I threw-up every night.I would feel mildly better during the day,but every night came the horrible headaches and vomiting.My mother was at her wits end.We were new in town and had to find a new Doc.Thank God we did!She asked my mom what it was she fed me when I would get sick.She answered"campbells chicken noodle soup."The Doc. told her to cut out anything with MSG.By the next week I was like a new kid!Since then I've noticed the different ways MSG will affect me.Migrains are the biggest problem.Shakiness,tingling in my fingers,rapid heart beat,and thats only after an hour of eating it!My daughter is also very intolerant of it to.Anyone who has had to deal with this condition knows the pain it can cause.MSG is a poison!!!!

Re: Athlete with gas & racing heart Check out hiat...

2008-01-26T12:34:00.000-05:00

Re: Athlete with gas & racing heart

Check out hiatal hernia. The women in my family suffer from this. I am also athletic. My symptoms were brought on when I lifted something heavy. Gassy stomach brought on by coffee, stress, gassy foods travels into chest cavity, causing chest pressure and possibly pain. My mother gets a racing heart at night when sleeping on her side & pressing against this hernia. This is also in association with acid reflux. My doctor treated me with an acid reflux medicine which immediately helped. However, I am extremely careful not to aggravate the problem by any exercise that pulls on my chest wall. When you lift weight out in front of your body, do pull ups or carry heavy objects this can happen. Carry objects to your side instead. Be very aware during weight lifting & push-ups. Hope this helps.

HEY MSG ADVOCATE...I HAVE NEWS FORYOU ON YOUR COMM...

2007-10-17T15:33:00.000-04:00

HEY MSG ADVOCATE...I HAVE NEWS FORYOU ON YOUR COMMENT WHEN YOU STATED "While it is true that some people are sensitive to it (not allergic - true food allergies are protein-based), most people are not. Keep in mind that some people are sensitive or allergic to corn, or dairy, or gluten in bread. No one would say that these substances are inherently harmful. Neither is MSG." MSG IS GLUTEN HOT SHOT!! MYSELF AND 4 SMALL CHILDREN HAVE CELIAC DISEASE WHICH IS AN ALLERGY TO GLUTEN...MSG IS ON THAT LIST, NON-SUGAR SWEETNERS ARE ALSO ON THAT LIST...NOT JUST GLUTEN IN BREAD.

CLEARLY YOU ARE NOT A DOCTOR OTHERWISE YOU WOULD NOT HAVE POSTED THAT COMMENT AND YOU WOULD KNOW A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT GLUTEN IS AND WHAT IT DOES TO PEOPLE. I HAVE CHANGED MY PROFESSION FROM MORTGAGE UNDERWRITING FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS AND I AM BECOMING A DOCTOR BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE MORE PEOPLE AWARE OF CELIAC AND MAKE SURE MORE PEOPLE ARE PROPERLY DIAGNOSED. i AM ALSO OPENING UP MY OWN NON-PROFIT FOR CELIAC SUFFERERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE GAS PROBLEMS, SUGARLESS SWEETNER PROBLEMS AND MSG PROBLEMS, YOU CAN DO A COUPLE THINGS TO SEE IF YOU ARE CELIAC OR GLUTEN INTOLLERANT. FIRST, JUST CUT GLUTEN OUT OF YOUR DIET (BEWARE THE LIST IS LONG...BUT IT IS VERY EASY TO LOOK UP..(GLUTEN FOODS AND DRUGS TO AVOID), SECOND GET A BLOOD TEST...IF THE BLOOOD TEST SHOWS NEGETIVE THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE IT THE ONLY TRUE WAY TO TEST IT IS TO HAVE AN ENDOSCOPIC BIOPSY DONE ON YOUR INTESTINES OR STOMACHE... THE ONLY CURE FOR IT IS GLUTEN FREE DIET AND EXERCISE AND IF THE PAIN GETS TO TOLLERABLE AT TIMES, MEDICATION FOR PAIN BUT FOR THE MOST PART IF YOU EXERCISE AND COMPLETELY AVOID GLUTEN YOU FEEL LIKE A MILLION BUCKS, WELL MOST OF THE TIME!

HOPE THIS HELPS, GOOD LUCK AND MAY YOU ALL BE BLESSED WITH GOOD HEALTH! AND MSG ADVOCATE IF YOU ARE ALREADY BLESSED WITH HELP, MAY YOU BE BLESSED WITH KNOWLEDGE AND HUMILITY!!

Sugarless Allergy I fell your pain!!! I'm not qui...

2007-09-20T11:23:00.000-04:00

Sugarless Allergy I fell your pain!!! I'm not quite to the point you are at with the allergies but I'm pretty bad. Aspartame and Sucralose(I think that's the other name for Splenda) are in so many products now!!!! I live at my college for most of the year but when I go home for break I have to go to the store and buy a second set of groceries from what my family has in the house so I know I can eat. Being at school isn't much better. I live with a girl who is diabetic so there is all kinds of diet/artifical sugar filled foods in the house. We have to make sure EVERYTHING is label so she doesn't get into my foods and I don't get into hers. At least she can take some insulin if she gets into my food!!!

YOU PROBABLY HEARD THIS BY OTHER PEOPLES POST BUT-...

2007-06-22T21:12:00.000-04:00

YOU PROBABLY HEARD THIS BY OTHER PEOPLES POST BUT-I DO A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SIT UPS EVERYDAY-AND I HAVE ACID REFLUX-MOSTLY A LARGE AMOUNT OF GAS AS WELL!! IM A WELL CONDITIONED ATHLETE AND CAN RUN FOR MILES AND I HAVE A FINE HEARTBEAT-@TIMES ONCE IN A BLUE MOON IF I GET HUGE GAS WHILE IM BENDING OVER OR EXERCISING OR IF I JUMP UP IN THE AIRR IN A ERATIC MOTION I WILL FEEL THE GAS COME UP AND IT WILL PUT MY HEARTBEAT TO RACE INSAINLY!!! IS THIS HEARD OF?? IS IT NORMAL?? I KNOW A FEW PEOPLE THAT GET IT BUT NOT MANY-I TALKED TO MY DOCTOR AND HE TOLD ME THAT A SMALL SECRET THAT ACID REFLUX DOES MESS WITH THE HEARTBEAT AT TIMES-NOT INCLUDING ANXIETY!! MY QUESTION IS IF IT ODES MESS WITH THE HEART BEAT-IS IT PUTTING STRAIN ON IT, AND IS IT DANGEROUS?? OR IS THIS NORMAL AND ITS JUST RHYTHM DISTURBANCE>??? I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WHEN I EAT A HUGE CARB MEALS ON AN EMPTY STOMACH MY HEART BEATS STRONG-NOT FAST BUT VERY HEAVY UNTILL MY STOMACH SETTLES!! I HAVE BEEN TAKING PRILOSEC AND IT HAS BEEN HELPING ME ALOT-WITH THE ACID AND IM NOT AWARE OF MY HEARTBEAT AS MUCH!!! ANY POST WILL HELP ME THANX!!!

what do we do about a burning sensation in the han...

2007-06-21T01:21:00.000-04:00

what do we do about a burning sensation in the hand that intensifies when not in ice. We are pretty sure it was onset when cutting jalapenos.

"Sugarless Allergy" -- THANK YOU! I have been suf...

2007-06-08T15:35:00.000-04:00

"Sugarless Allergy" -- THANK YOU! I have been suffering from numerous health issues for some time, and they've been getting worse.

Numbness in one leg
"hazy" thinking
water retention
loss of balance

ETC>

I attributed these symptoms to age?
Blood sugar levels?
Stress?

everything except Aspartame! (Nutrasweet/Equal)

I was ingesting a LOT of Aspartame along with my weight-loss diet...

Someone brought up the topic on a diet group I belong to. So I checked it out. YIKES! I Googled for "Aspartame warnings" and read for 10 minutes and got really scared.

I am NOT a "tree-hugging/greenie/vegan/radical who sees the 'sky is falling' " every time I look around!

I quit the Aspartame 2 days ago, and can already notice a HUGE difference!

Barbara
ps. The United States Air Force, in 1996, released orders to all their pilots NOT to ingest Aspartame in any form before flying. (because it's been PROVEN to "dull the senses".)

I am 27 years old and I have a diagnosed severe al...

2007-05-10T19:05:00.000-04:00

I am 27 years old and I have a diagnosed severe allergy (since age 5)to artificial sweetners, especially aspartame. My non-severe symptoms after minimal exposure (inhaling carcinogen from airborn powders such as kool-aid or crystal lite, or even some medicines that have to be reconstituted) are severe headache, nausea and vomiting, itchy throat, dry mouth, light headedness, blurry vision. My severe symptoms (direct ingested exposure to carcinogen limited to even one sip of diet soda)include cough, difficulty talking, wheezing, labored and painful breathing, disorientation, and most seriously, inablility to breath causing DEATH without medical intervention.

You may be one of the lucky people who has never suffered a severe allergic reaction and may view the above mentioned information about food additives to be bunk and overly cautious hypochondriacs. I urge you , let me say it again, I URGE YOU, these symptoms and conditions ARE real, and ARE documented. I have spent numerous hours in Emergency Rooms with severe symptoms, receiving Epinepherine shots, oxygen, breathing treatments (albuterol), and IV therapy including steroids.

Food labels and nutritional information are more ambiguous and harder for me to decifer every day with the development and use of new additives for foods and other ingested substances on the rise in our culture.

I have to be so careful, religiously reading every label, even with items like tooth paste, mouthwash, gum, chapstick, and OTC medications.

My diagnosing reaction was at the age of 5 from chewing Care-Free Sugarless gum. My worst reaction was in 2003, from the accidental ingestion of Diet Coke, served to me mistakenly in a Restaurant. My husband (or whomever I'm with), has to taste test all of my beverages when ordering fountain drinks, and I am the annoying guest at the restaurant that makes the server ask the chef everything in every dish I order.

In closing, please don't be so quick to judge. You are welcome to your opinion and beliefs, and as Americans, we are freely able to express our opinion, a precious and rare right to many other cultures and nations in this world.

All I ask is just take a moment to consider how drastically your life would change if you had to read every label, ask every annoying question, go to the ER everytime you brushed your teeth, chewed a piece of gum, or drank a diet soda. Further, consider the blessing of an effortless and relaxing deep breath you are able to take 16-20 times a minute, every minute of every day.

Anonamous: I totally agree with those complaints a...

2007-04-16T15:23:00.000-04:00

Anonamous: I totally agree with those complaints against the ones misleading the public! Lets advocate against the marketers for their greed! Lets inform the public as non-profit with groups and billboards.

To the person above who says that MSG are harmless...

2007-04-12T08:29:00.000-04:00

To the person above who says that MSG are harmless, what is your profession? The problem is that they hide it under different names that you don't know what you are eating. So it is not plain that its in there "by law"

There was a big story on CBN (christian broadcast ...

2007-03-07T13:20:00.000-05:00

There was a big story on CBN (christian broadcast network) about the harmful effects of MSG and how it is hidden in the food under different names..Of course, the big companies don't want you to see it..it's in all campbells' soups...and all snack foods..i looked in my pantry every food in there has it in it...croutons, ranch dressing, chip dip..little doses are one thing when it's in everything you eat that has to be harmful...check out your pantry - they said it triggers your taste buds to eat more more more.. i had an upper GI done years ago as i thought i was dying...it was from the msg in chinese food and chex mix and bouillon and the seasoned salt i had been eating..when i quit eating it-the doubled over pain went away. so it is real!

Please don't pay attention to the MSG rant. Most ...

2007-03-06T15:14:00.000-05:00

Please don't pay attention to the MSG rant. Most of it is simply not true. Monosodium Glutamate is a substance that is found naturally in some foods, and most people's bodies metabolize in the same way as any other glutamate. While it is true that some people are sensitive to it (not allergic - true food allergies are protein-based), most people are not. Keep in mind that some people are sensitive or allergic to corn, or dairy, or gluten in bread. No one would say that these substances are inherently harmful. Neither is MSG.

Monosodium Glutamate MUST be included in ingredient statements if it is present. The list that was provided is utterly ridiculous. If MSG is there, it's labeled by law.

However, if a person is sensitive to MSG, they may also be sensitive to similar naturally ocurring substances. The only two that I see worth mentioning are autolyzed yeast extract and hydrolyzed protein. These are not MSG, but those are sensitive to MSG should watch out for these ingredients as well.

Frankly, I'm tired of junk science crackpots demonizing perfectly good ingredients. I have a bottle of MSG in my spice drawer that I add to soup sometimes if I want a fuller, meatier flavor. It's actually really tasty stuff. If I was sensitive to it, I wouldn't use it. Just like if I was lactose intolerant, I wouldn't drink milk or eat ice cream. Everyone's body is different, and you have to take responsibilty for your own.

I've been reading labels on the foods I eat since ...

2007-03-04T16:42:00.000-05:00

I've been reading labels on the foods I eat since I was young. What's so difficult about it? If you can do simple math and know how to use a measuring cup it is quite easy to understand what you are eating. It's not our goverments job to tell us what to eat. It is our responsibility to take care of ourselves.
My son doesn't digest lactose well. It's his responsibility (at 12) to eat only foods that he can digest. He will read ingredients and labels. It's not rocket science! My 12 year old can read labels and make sense of them. What is wrong with the adults in the country who can't figure these things out?

I would just wish they would print the damb word i...

2007-03-03T21:31:00.000-05:00

I would just wish they would print the damb word in a list of possible alergic substances on the lables. I am very allergic to MSG and suffer seizures from it and thus the chemical has become a pain in the but for me !