Page 10 - Boca Exposure - June '24

Page 10, Boca Exposure
Healthy Answers – A Guide To Healthy Living:

‘An Order Of Pork Fried Rice With Extra MSG ... Please!’

By Dale Brown, B.S., Read labels – If you are concerned that you might Seeking advice – Healthcare professionals can play a
M.A., C.E.C. Dale is a have a sensitivity to MSG, read food labels that disclose crucial role in dispelling myths and addressing concerns
motivational speaker who the presence and/or percentage of MSG. May be listed about food additives.
has spent many years as a as hydrolyzed protein, autolyzed yeast, or flavoring. Many of the reported symptoms associated with
Certified Life Coach and has Information – Know about the natural occurrence MSG can have other factors that may play a role, such as
written numerous articles of glutamate in many foods and those that undergo individual sensitivities, other food additives or psychological
and e-books relating to self- fermentation, such as soy sauce and cheese. implications. By providing accurate information, addressing
improvement and ways to Understanding – One of the five basic tastes concerns and highlighting the benefits of MSG and umami,
build a high-performance associated with glutamate is umami, along with sweet, it’s possible to shift public opinion away from “Chinese
team. She is the author of sour, bitter and salty. All contribute to the complexity restaurant syndrome” and promote a more informed
the book, “Small Steps... and enjoyment of the food we eat. understanding of this common food additive.
Big Changes: The Personal Awareness – Acknowledge that some individuals In conclusion, I had asked my husband to read this article
Stories of a Life Coach.” Her education and years of may have sensitivities to MSG, but it’s important to and his only comment was, “Why even worry; there’s not
experience in physical fitness and training of elite athletes distinguish between genuine physical reactions and even one good Chinese restaurant in Boca Raton!”
have enabled her to sharpen her knowledge in many health- unfounded fears.
related areas. The following introduces a new approach to
Brown’s series of columns devoted to many topics that deal
with the mind/body connection and the importance of living
a healthy lifestyle. Dale, a Bocaire resident, can be reached NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
at dalebrown@lovingmondays.com.
Do you ever get paranoid about being allergic to
something? My husband is allergic to wasp stings and if
he ever comes in the vicinity of one he’s like an Olympic Boca Raton Concierge Medicine Doctor
sprinter trying to get away. Not too long ago, I had an adverse
reaction after eating a salad containing clementine extract.
That night I broke out in a very itchy rash all over my body. Board Certified in
Obviously, I’ve chalked them off my list of chosen fruits.
What makes this topic so relevant is my recent encounter Internal Medicine
with a friend who told me that she is highly allergic to MSG. with Added Qualifications in
Her reaction occurred after eating at a Chinese restaurant and
she vows never to go back. Geriatrics (2002).
For years, monosodium glutamate, a food additive
known as MSG, has been branded as an unhealthy processed Steven E. Reznick, MD, FACP
ingredient mainly found in Chinese food. To this day, the myth
around MSG, commonly referred to as “Chinese restaurant Voted a “Best Doctor”
syndrome,” is ingrained in America’s consciousness. Many by his peers.
people stay away from any foods containing MSG because
they consider it to be harmful, but chances are you’ve eaten
it more than you know in the foods you eat all the time. Call to request a complimentary meeting
MSG is often disguised as “hydrolyzed protein,”
“autolyzed yeast,” or “flavoring.” Take an average item like with Dr. Reznick.
canned soup: “yeast extract” in the ingredients might actually
mean MSG. This subtlety is frequently missed by consumers,
and it’s not just in savory foods – even cookies and chips 561.368.0191
can contain it. Take a taco spice blend, for example, the
label might show “spices,” “garlic powder” and “hydrolyzed
vegetable protein,” which is a fancy way of saying MSG. But, 7280 W. Palmetto Park Road | 205N
like salt and pepper, its job is to enhance every bite making Boca Raton, FL 33433
it fuller and more satisfying. www.bocaconciergedoc.com
If MSG is so popular an ingredient used to enhance flavor
in the many foods we eat, why were Chinese restaurants
blamed?
The debate began in 1968 when an unknown person wrote
a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine, complaining
of numbness after eating at Chinese restaurants. The idea
spread quickly and in 1969 a scientific paper identified MSG Are You Ready Hurricane?
as the cause of the syndrome, warning that it caused such
symptoms as headaches, sweating, numbness and burning.
After an independent inquiry was set up by the FDA in For The Next Storm?
the 1990s, it was labeled as “generally recognized as safe”
when used in normal amounts. Yet even today in America
MSG is thought to be a harmful substance. Interestingly, No Air Conditioning?
Chinese restaurants in the U.S. often hung signs inside that No Refrigeration?
announced, “No MSG used,” in an attempt to dispel the myth
and distance themselves from the humiliation. FREE
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