No, reputable scientific studies have proven that MSG is not bad for you. It is a safe flavor enhancer used in Chinese cooking because it naturally triggers your savory taste receptors to make food taste richer and more satisfying.
Why monosodium glutamate is safe and effective
Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is simply a combination of sodium and glutamate, which is a common amino acid. Your body handles the glutamate in MSG exactly the same way it processes the natural glutamate found in tomatoes, aged cheeses, and mushrooms. Decades of rigorous scientific research have failed to find a link between normal MSG consumption and negative health outcomes.
The ingredient works so well because it targets your fifth basic taste, known as umami or savoriness. When MSG touches your tongue, it fools your brain into thinking you are eating a deeply savory, protein-rich meal. Chinese cooks use it to build a foundational layer of deliciousness in savory dishes, allowing them to extract the maximum flavor from simple ingredients.
How to use MSG to enhance your home cooking
If you want to recreate restaurant-quality Chinese dishes at home, you can use MSG to elevate your food. Follow these simple steps to use it correctly.
- Buy the right product: Look for a seasoning called Ac’cent in western grocery stores, or a red-and-white bag labeled Ajinomoto in Asian supermarkets. It looks like small, clear crystals.
- Use the correct ratio: Replace about one third of the salt in your recipe with MSG. A good rule of thumb is to use one half of a teaspoon of MSG for every pound of meat or four servings of vegetables.
- Add it at the right time: Toss the MSG into your wok or pan toward the end of the cooking process, right when you are adding your salt and soy sauce, so the crystals can dissolve evenly into the food.
- Balance with acid: If your dish tastes too heavy after adding MSG, squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice or add a splash of rice vinegar to balance the rich flavors.
The unexpected salt trap to avoid
The biggest mistake you can make when cooking with MSG is forgetting that it still contains sodium. While MSG has about two-thirds less sodium than regular table salt, combining it with other salty Chinese ingredients can quickly ruin your dish and spike your daily sodium intake.
Ingredients like soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin, and fermented bean pastes are already loaded with sodium. If you add a full dose of MSG on top of a heavy pour of soy sauce without reducing your regular salt, your food will become overwhelmingly salty and unpalatable. Always taste your food as you go, and treat MSG as a partial replacement for salt rather than an extra topping.
