MSG is a food additive that has been highly publicized to produce harmful effects like nausea and dizziness when consumed. For this reason, the general public plays it safe and tries to avoid products that include MSG whenever possible. But what you probably don’t know is that MSG is hidden inside almost every single processed, packaged, canned, or frozen food you can think of – just labeled under secret names so we won’t know its there! The truth is that we are all consuming massive amounts of MSG every day. So how harmful is MSG really, and can its consumption contribute to acne?
Why is MSG added to food?
MSG is a chemical derived from seaweed that enhances the taste of food. Because it makes food taste so much better (and its so darn cheap), companies like General Mills, Campbells, etc, add large amounts of MSG, or mono-sodium glutamate, to our foods. This has created a multi-billion dollar industry, and the food corporations love it.
However, when it became publicized that the high amounts of MSG in chinese food was causing stomach aches, cramps, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness – people got scared of MSG (and they still are). But out of fear of losing money because the taste of their foods would not be as appealing without it, food corporations decided to get rid of the term “MSG” and started labeling the exact same chemical with a different name. This way the consumer would be under the impression that there was no MSG added.
Here are just a few of the many labels of MSG to look out for:
glutamate
autolyzed yeast extract
hydrolyzed protein
citric acid
sodium/calcium caseinate
carageenan
natural or artificial flavor
spice
gelatin
broth
stock
corn syrup
high-fructose corn syrup
MSG Health Factors
Ok, so now we know that MSG is sneakily added to almost all of our foods. But is there really any real health risk? There have been very few studies done on the health effects of MSG, mainly because the wealthy corporations who are benefiting from this chemical do everything in their power to prevent any further acquisition of knowledge on the subject. In fact, lobbyists and authors are paid by the food corporations to publicize positive information about MSG, while scientists attempting to bring the dangerous health risks to the public eye are dealing with extensive lawsuits.
Some researchers have concluded that MSG can be responsible for almost every disease out there – depression, stroke, upset stomach, “foggy” head, migraines, numbness, skin disorders, fatigue, or even heart attack. These are “MSG extremists” – people who think that MSG is one big conspiracy.
However, there is absolutely no evidence that mono sodium-glutamate causes ANY of these symptoms. And if you look at the timeline of when MSG was first added to our foods in the early 1950’s, there has been no increase in any of these health ailments within the general public. Clearly there is no obvious connection between MSG and dangerous health complications.
But can MSG cause acne?
The answer, is no, probably not. The chemical cannot directly cause acne, but the foods that commonly contain MSG might. Because MSG containing foods are normally processed, high in sugar, and devoid of much nutritional value, they force your body to work harder to digest them while at the same time providing no nutrition. This leads to a sluggish digestive system and liver, which ultimately leads to symptoms like acne.
So should you be worrying about the amount of MSG you consume on a daily basis? Maybe. If you want to promote healthy skin, the best thing to do is try to maintain a healthy diet of fresh foods that contain no added chemicals or preservatives. These kinds of foods are just all around easier on your body and better for your skin.
