Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) has been considered a very "unhealthy" food additive for years and widely linked to solely Chinese food (and other Asian cuisines) however, studies say differently. In fact, MSG is an amino acid that is commonly (and naturally) found in foods such as tomatoes and cheese which can be extracted by fermentation-- a process similar to yogurt and alcohol-- and put into chicken stock and other savory dishes.
How could a common ingredient be regarded as taboo and compartmentalized into a single cuisine? The answer lies in the origins of, "Chinese Food Syndrome"-- the belief that Chinese food or other Asian cuisines are solely unhealthy for you due to it's known use of MSG.
In 1968, the debate over the health effects of MSG began when a man complained to the New England Journal of Medicine about feeling numbness after dining at Chinese restaurants. A year later, a scientific journal was published warning others of "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" in which symptoms included heartburn and facial pressure after eating at a Chinese restaurant. After years of research and inquiries conducted by the FDA and other credible sources/organizations, MSG was considered safe by the 1990's. Despite these findings, many today are still plagued by ignorance and fear of Chinese cuisine.
MSG in Chinese food isn't unhealthy -- you're just racist, activists say
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