Jan 2, 2009 10:34 am US/Eastern
Study Links MSG To Obesity In Humans
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (CBS) ―
Even if you're careful about what you eat, you may be getting something you don't want.
Cheesy-flavored tortilla chips and frozen pizzas, these foods and thousands of others have one ingredient that helps make them taste so good, MSG, or monosodium glutamate.
"It's a pretty powerful flavor enhancer," says nutritionist, Melanie Pearsall. "You're eating a lot of MSG and you probably don't even realize it. It's just a baseline across a lot of foods."
Some people already avoid MSG, thinking it can cause headaches, but a new study suggests it could be contributing to 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 used MSG, and others did not.
"We analyzed the data and found that those who used MSG are more likely to be overweight than non-users," says Dr. Ka He, of the University of North Carolina.
For years, animal studies have suggested a possible link between MSG and obesity, but this study is the first to make the connection in humans.
The use of MSG has recently become an issue for food companies. It's hard to miss the series of attack ads by rival soup companies accusing each other of using more of it.
Experts say it's not as easy to avoid MSG as some may think.
Information about MSG on the FDA website says: "Ingredients that contain glutamate as an inherent component are not required to list glutamate on the label. That includes things like hydrolyzed protein and autolyzed yeast extract.
Pearsall says a little MSG won't hurt, but if you're concerned, you need to pay attention.
Because the government considers it "safe," there are no warnings or restrictions on MSG.
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