Happy hump day! I can’t believe we’re at the halfway hump. The weekend is near! As well as “spring ahead,” longer days, and warmer weather. I already feel like I have more energy.. Spring is a season of awakening, for sure! I’ve shared before how what you eat relates to your daily thoughts and feelings. Have you ever felt sluggish, slept terribly, had a bad dream and just couldn’t figure out why? I’ve had a family member feel the effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG) after dinner, but didn’t eat at a Chinese restaurant so it couldn’t have been MSG, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, MSG is hiding in many of the foods you eat daily. The USDA is hiding the ingredient under various names.
Totally unfair, I know. Completely frustrating? Definitely. It’s so tough to navigate the grocery store today, always on the lookout for chemicals and unnecessary preservatives that show up in your favorite cereal. I’m pretty fed up! The best way to deal is to spread the news. I know a majority of people want to avoid MSG at all costs, so I hope you find this post helpful!
Just the other day, I informed my mom that MSG is in the vegetable bouillon jar that she occasionally uses to add more broth to soup. She was shocked, not to mention disappointed. It may be found in your soy sauce or even your “healthy” snack that has “natural flavoring” on the ingredient list. Concentrated protein and protein isolates are also common to contain MSG chemicals, so be sure to do your research before consuming a particular protein powder.
Here are the most common names for MSG in everyday food sources:
- Yeast Extract (you’ll be horrified by how often you see this ingredient)
- Autolyzed Yeast
- Textured Vegetable Protein
- Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
- Soy or Whey Protein Isolate and/or Concentrate
For more info, head here. What can we do to avoid MSG? We can eat as close to whole foods as we possibly can. Choose foods that are less processed. Say no to chemicals! Make healthy food swaps. Nothing beats simply being aware! And with little changes day by day, we’re able to easily manage a healthier lifestyle.
CHEERS to spreading the word!
- What ingredients are you on the lookout for when checking labels?
- What’s your favorite healthy snack?!
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