Monosodium glutamate is a food additive in Fayetteville AR that is often found in Chinese food, processed meats, and canned foods. MSG is considered an "excitotoxin," a synthetic chemical with no food value, which is added to food in order to heighten its flavors unnaturally. It's on the "generally recognized as safe" list, but it's controversial enough that companies have to list it in the ingredients when they sell food containing MSG in the grocery store.

MSG in Fayetteville AR

What's more, labeling can sometimes be tricky. For example, "No added MSG" doesn't mean that the food doesn't contain MSG, only that no MSG was added after the food was processed.

So it can be hard to avoid MSG. Does this matter?

MSG is most known for its role in "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome," a collection of symptoms that some people experience after eating foods containing MSG. Signs of this reaction include these:

• headaches
• sweating
• numbness
• chest pain
• flushing

While these symptoms can be unpleasant and frightening (and land people in the hospital, fearing that they're having a heart attack), the reactions are not dangerous and they usually subside without treatment. People who are allergic to MSG may experience life-threatening heartbeat irregularities and may require treatment.

MSG is also a source of concern because some research has linked it to more serious problems when it is used over long periods of time. Some research has connected MSG with obesity, insulin malfunction, and even neurological damage.

The only way to avoid any possible danger from MSG is to avoid MSG. It doesn't occur in nature, so unprocessed foods will not contain it. Stick to natural foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats, and you won't have to worry about MSG.