MSG in Your Diet Is a Health and Weight Loss Saboteur!

Do you know that you are probably consuming MSG, or monosodium glutamate, every single day of your life without even realizing it? Would you be surprised to know that MSG is a common ingredient in most processed food? The more I researched this, the more I learned about the danger these three letters represent. MSG is the salt of an amino acid and it looks like sugar or salt. The difference is that MSG does not change the taste of the food we eat, rather it enhances the flavor of food by making our taste buds more sensitive.

MSG is usually found in processed foods, and it is an ingredient in many restaurant dishes. So what's the big deal? I mean, hey, if it makes food taste better, then why not use it? Well, if you recall, some of the side effects from MSG that we used to associate with Chinese takeout were migraine headaches, pain or tightness in the chest, facial swelling, and numbness or burning in and around the mouth. Do you remember back when this was big news? Well, these are the more common, visible symptoms, but they are certainly not the only ones you need worry about!

Adding MSG to food has been connected with obesity and excitotoxicity, as well as the appearance of brain lesions in lab animals. That's because the glutamic acid is a neurotoxin: it kills neurons. MSG also causes the pancreas to produce more insulin, and that excess insulin causes a drop in blood sugar, triggering the physical sensation of hunger! That's why you're always hungry after eating food with MSG! If that weren't bad enough, MSG also damages the hypothalamus, the gland that controls appetite! This damage can cause feelings of insatiable hunger! Really? And guess what? Those most sensitive to this type of damage are the very youngest among us. No surprise there, I guess. Let's just look at the appetites our children possess: they're always starving! And look at what they clamor for: processed food and snacks, right? Any wonder that the rate of childhood obesity is a national crisis?

Although it was not required in the past, the FDA is now attempting to have all labels correctly reveal the addition of MSG to the foods we consume. The problem, as I have mentioned in the past, is that labels are deceiving. Instead of clearly stating that a product contains MSG, manufacturers are disguising the fact by listing MSG as "hydrolyzed vegetable or plant protein, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy protein isolate, natural flavors, artificial flavors, or autolyzed plant protein, and on and on. MSG is actually a component of at least 36 ingredients commonly found on "nutrition" labels!

What to do? Well this is a tough one if you refuse to just accept the fact that everyone of us should stop eating processed foods! Think about it. Knowing what you know, can you still, in good conscience, feed this stuff to your children? If you're not yet convinced, at least try to cut back and start educating yourselves so you can start protecting your children. In all honestly, I am infuriated by the blatant misuse of words, the constant manipulation of ingredients, and the unconscionable deception practiced by manufacturers of the products people consume (notice I did not say food). I am enraged by the increasing number of sick and obese children whose suffering I see every day. How about you? Are you sick and tired? Literally? Or are you sick and tired of all of lies? I know I am.

Berta Prevosti is a weight loss counselor known for transforming the lives of overweight women who have previously given up on losing weight. She has counseled hundreds of women losing thousands of pounds using emotional support and healthy common sense methods.

Berta's expertise has grown to such a point that she can articulate points in a way that she hears at least weekly "I never had it explained to me that way - it all makes sense now". At her clients requests, and as a result of her growing waiting list, she is shifting her practice to the Internet to share her transformations and help more women reclaim the lives and dreams they had given up on. Please go to http://www.justloseit.com and sign up for her FREE weekly e-zine packed full of great information and loving support.