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Oct 31, 2008 10:46 pm US/Eastern
Study: Flavor Enhancer MSG May Influence Obesity
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Even if you're careful about what you eat, you may be getting a hidden ingredient you don't want: MSG.
A hot bowl of soup, cheesy tortilla chips, and frozen pizza – these foods and thousands of others have one ingredient that helps make them taste so good.
"It's a pretty powerful flavor enhancer," nutritionist Melanie Pearsall said.
That ingredient is MSG, or monosodium glutamate, and the term often brings one type of food to mind.
"I only thought it was in Chinese food, actually," one NY resident said.
But that's a popular misconception, as MSG is found virtually everywhere.
"You're eating a lot of MSG and you probably don't even realize it," Pearsall said.
MSG has long been linked with headaches, but a new study suggests that it could be contributing to a more serious problem: America's expanding waistline.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina followed people in rural China. They all ate the same healthy foods, some of which contained MSG while others did not.
"We analyzed the data and found that those who used MSG are more likely to be overweight than non-users," Dr. Ka He, one of the researchers, said.
By law, manufacturers are required to list MSG on the ingredient label, but it still may not be easy to spot.
Information about MSG on the Food and Drug Administration website says that ingredients that contain glutamate as an inherent component are not required to list glutamate on the label.
That includes things like hydrolyzed protein, which is found in rice bowls, beef stew, and onion dip
Another ingredient that contains glutamate is autolyzed yeast extract, which is found in veggie burgers.
For most, low levels of MSG consumption won't hurt. But if you're concerned, you'll have to pay attention to the fine print.
Another rule of thumb is that MSG is commonly found in processed foods with a salty, rather than sweet, flavor.
Because the government considers it "safe," there are no warnings or restrictions on the additive.
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