MSG synonyms
#282707 - 09/17/06 06:19 PM
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I have not wanted to actually learn for a fact that MSG can be called a whole bunch of other names. I posted a link once that had a list but I have been in denial and when I see a questionable ingredient I pretend that I am not suspicious of it being another term for MSG. However this doesn't help anybody! So has anyone done some looking into the other names for MSG and does that mean they are pure MSG? What are the rules?
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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I am highly sensitive/allergic to MSG. I am not sure if the symptoms would be as severe or the same if I ate for ex. hydrolyzed plant protein. I just try to avoid them all to be safe. I get so sick from MSG that I am not willing to even try the others to see what happens. It makes grocery shopping very difficult and I have to prepare alot of meals myself but I guess in the end it is healthier and better for my body.
I find this article helpful in explaining some things:
http://www.personaltrainertoday.com/articles/publish/article_552.htm
and also this one explains MSG and other related ingredients quite well:
http://www.msgmyth.com/ - what is msg
and
http://www.msgmyth.com/ - hidden names for msg
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Microscopic Colitis, IBS-A, GERD, Hiatal Hernia
Bethany, Ontario, Canada
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I too try to avoid all forms of MSG. It's just not worth it. It makes me feel so awful. I just wish it wasn't in so much food...almost anything packaged has some form of MSG. Very annoying.
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
 
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Re: MSG synonyms
#282780 - 09/18/06 07:44 AM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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I deleted my post - too much hysteria in the Website
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
Edited by Sand (09/20/06 07:49 AM)
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Well that's depressing. I mean, how can you even avoid it when it is sprayed on all crops etc.? I mean, even making your own food isn't safe because that is only as safe as the products you can buy. I guess we should just stop eating. That's just really depresssing.
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Ok, so does the average IBSer need to watch all those things that might have msg? Like if it says 'soy protein' how can we avoid that? I haven't noticed an MSG problem but I have avoided things that say MSG but not things that say hydrolized soy protein etc. and I don't want to. I won't be able to have my favorite soy sauce, ice cream etc.  But then why avoid "MSG" if you don't avoid the other maybes? That is why I have been trying to ignore this whole issue. I wish my hairdresser had not mentioned it at all.  I mean I won't buy fisher and planters peanuts because of msg but I do buy LaChoy soy sauce etc.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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If you're stable and haven't noticed any problems with foods that might contain "other" forms of MSG, then I wouldn't stop eating them. Not everyone is sensitive to the same things.
I know some people do have true allergies or sensitivities to MSG ... but do people who blame reactions on MSG blame the wrong food? I don't mean IBS-ers but people in general. We know from Heather's diet that many foods are hard to digest. So if someone's eating something high in fat with dairy and gets sick and blames a "hidden" form of MSG, is that really the case? Like if they order Chinese food and get deep-fried crab rangoons and a big plate of beef and broccoli and they stop at Dairy Queen for dessert and they have D later and think, "It must've been the MSG in that Chinese food!!"
I think that most people are probably okay with small amounts of MSG. But if you're not stable, I'd probably take extra care to avoid it. It's a real pain and it can be more expensive (have you ever tried buying chicken broth without it?? yikes!) (oh, and Swanson's "MSG-free" broth is NOT MSG-free), but it can be done. If you're stable, I'd just keep an eye on ingredients and if something does bother you and you're POSITIVE it was the MSG derivative (rather than that can of Coke you drank yesterday, or not eating breakfast until 11:30), well, then, you know for next time.
Personally, I'm not really sensitive to MSG, but I hesitate to use myself as an example, because at this point I've been undiagnosed with IBS, and I still don't know at what point IBS-D is different from some-other-condition-causing-D.
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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I am super sensitive to MSG. I do avoid anything with any form of soy...especially things like soy protein. I feel horrible after eating anything with it. It is a major pain. No soy sauce. And I can't buy any dairy alternatives that are made from soy. Soy proteins, etc. are hidden in so many things. I have to read labels very carefully. It's not fun, but it's worth it if I don't get the horrible attacks that it causes. You may want to take note when you eat something with a potential MSG source...see if you notice a connection. If not, then keep eating it. If you do, then it's worth it to cut that food out.
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
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How do you know Swanson's msg free broth isn't msg free? What is in it? I can't tolerate msg very well, but I thought that was safe. Do you know of other broths that truly are msg free?
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~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
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Ditto Mary V's comment about avoiding soy. I can't touch soy - I never get D - ever - unless I eat anything with soy in it and then 20 minutes later I'm in misery. Mary mentioned soy protein - also watch for soybean oil - it's in almost every single food in your refrigerator, pantry or cupboard. Any "vegetable" oil is almost always soybean oil, BTW. Thus, I cook all my own food and read labels religiously. Yeah, it's a drag, but it's worth it not to have crippling pain and embarrassing D, followed up by a week of inability to eat anything without suffering.
Personally, I think a lot of IBS is caused by soy sensitivities - but since the soy industry has convinced us that it's healthy, we eat it and assume that it's something ELSE that must be hurting us. When I cut soy completely out of my diet three years ago (it's HARD), I lost 15 pounds and haven't had gas or D since - not once. I still have problems, but the elimination of soy products has been life-changing for me.
Hang in there!
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Jennifer
42 years old
Neither D nor C - just sluggish
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Those things give me nasty pains. I don't know how people can eat those as snacks. They taste good...but my tummy hates them.
I don't trust any of the soy foods.
Do you avoid soy sauces too? Or things like Braggs?
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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All protein bars have soy in them - in fact, that's how I discovered my sensitivity- I was eating three Atkin's bars a day (and always sick). When I stopped eating them, I felt 100% better.
Nope, I don't eat anything with soy in it - no soy sauce, no nuthin. Go look in your fridge and pantry and read ingredients - you'll be stunned at where you'll find soy products. It's even in canned tuna packed in water. WHY????? It's in canned cappucino powder mixes... bloody mary mix...you name it.
J
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Jennifer
42 years old
Neither D nor C - just sluggish
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Wait a minute
#283135 - 09/20/06 07:54 AM
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Sand
Reged: 12/13/04
Posts: 4490
Loc: West Orange, NJ (IBS-D)
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First, the link I posted was for the substitute list, not for all the hysteria in the rest of the Website. I've now deleted my post.
Second, things like "soy protein" are listed in the "Often" category, not the "Always" category. As I tried to say in my original post, if a food bothers me and I can't figure out why, I look for an MSG equivalent. I certainly *don't* refuse to try foods that contain things like gelatin, stock, soy sauce, flavors and flavoring, and so on. For Heaven's sake, I'd starve to death: I wouldn't be able to eat HanSolo's Fried Rice, I'd be out of marinades for my grilled chicken, and what would I make mashed potatoes with?
Third, there doesn't seem to be agreement among MSG avoiders as to what MSG masquerades as. The Website I pointed to listed "autolyzed yeast", but one of Betharoo's seems to think "autolyzed yeast extract" is not MSG. So, as I said, I deleted my post - on taking another look at the Website, I think the hysteria there is not worth the (questionable) list of MSG equivalents.
Fourth, I have no hard science to back this up, but my sense is that if the ingredients have recognizable names (like "soy beans" and "chicken"), I'm fine. If they have names that I can't pronounce, I'm more likely to have problems. I can eat soy sauce like there's no tomorrow, but the times I've had trouble with an MSG equivalent it's been some long chemical name.
Fifth, soy is not synonymous with MSG. A sensitivity to soy is not the same as a sensitivity to MSG. MSG just kills me, but I'm fine with soy.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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--------------------
[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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The form of MSG it has is "naturally-occurring". It says so on the label. I don't remember what.
...OK, let me stop being so lazy and actually get the darn can. It says "NO MSG" with a little cross next to it. When you find the cross, it denotes in tasteful little light blue letters "Except for that which naturally occurs in autolyzed yeast extract."
Exact ingredients listed:
chicken stock
salt
flavoring
dextrose
autolyzed yeast extract
celery juice concentrate
carrot juice concentrate
onion juice concentrate
So if you go by the MSG paranoia website, this stuff could be chock-full of all kinds of MSG.
Personally, I use tons of this stuff and I do perfectly fine with it. I think you have to be cautious about being too paranoid about MSG synonyms or you'll end up with a very unappetizing diet.
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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I am hoping people don't take this too far or decide based on these posts not to eat soy products anymore. As I have learned from this thread alot of the info regarding MSG is very confusing and contradicts each other. I will just post on my personal experience.
I cannot tolerate MSG (monsodium glatamate). I get severe abdominal pain, d, the sweats and a rash on my neck when I have had it. I am sick and wiped out for days afterwards. I feel like my reaction to MSG is worse than my worst IBS attack and similar to food poisoning.
I guess I should clarify my orginal post to say that I avoid at all costs MSG, Glutamate, Glutamic acid, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Monopotassium glutamate, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein and Autolyzed yeast extract. These are most of the ingredients from the list that ALWAYS contain MSG when they are on a label. I don't know to what extent they are the same but I don't want to find out.
From the foods/ingredients that OFTEN contain MSG I am sure they are probably in some of my food but I attempt to avoid them.
I cannot tolerate whey protein or malted barley but that might have more to do with IBS than its connection to MSG. Carrageenan is on the often list and I can have small amounts of it (in a glass of choc almond milk). It does give me some symptoms (gas) but not the same reaction or as severe as MSG itself.
So, I avoid MSG specifically and most of the ingredients that are considered to always be MSG, If I avoided all of the things listed in all of the categories I would be one hungry girl.
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Microscopic Colitis, IBS-A, GERD, Hiatal Hernia
Bethany, Ontario, Canada
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Well, not necessarily unappetizing being as I don't think food necessarily sucked 100 years ago, but certainly it is awfully hard to find *any* food that does not have some in it. I mean, there just isn't much left to eat.
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Have you tried Bragg - it is better tasting than even soy sauce and definitely no MSG.
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hi, you said that you have no problems since cutting out soy but then you said you still have problems. I am not sure what you mean?
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Yeah, I know that's confusing, so I'm glad you asked. I didn't mean to sound preachy since we all have our own journey.
What I meant is that when I used to eat soy, I was a mess. I had terrible gas, horrible stomach pains and explosive D whenever I ate soybean oil. Once I ate a carton of soy ice cream and I began shaking uncontrollably and not from the cold. By 2pm every day, my stomach was so bloated and gassy that I was untouchable - when my husband came home I literally wouldn't let him near me because I was so prickly. We didn't have sex (TMI?) for years because I was so miserable.
As soon as I cut out soy (and other irritants, but mainly soy), the gas and D went away. Completely. I still have IBS and I'm still quite unhappy about it, but my symptoms would probably be considered more manageable and less severe than many of you. Mainly, my gut never feels empty. As if I need to GO, and if I could, I would feel all better. It's uncomfortable and annoying, but not nearly disruptive as having constant D or gas.
So, I'm still on my journey and still hoping to discover a cure, but the elimination of soy was an enormous step in the right direction.
Make sense?
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Jennifer
42 years old
Neither D nor C - just sluggish
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Hi, Yes, it makes sense. I am a curious person and needed to ask details as it helps me look for different options. I too never feel emptied when my IBS is acting up and it is very annoying and uncomfortable. I have had months and months of stability, actually a year, with soy still in my diet so I am not sure that I really need to eliminate it but what you shared is very interesting and I am going to be using smaller quantities of soy since I wanted to cut down anyway. Thanks,
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P.S. Actually it was not TMI, I wanted to make a post on sex and IBS to ask how other people find it affects their sex life. It can really take it toll on sexuality as the last thing you want is to be touched when IBS is acting up. If someone else has never experienced it they just do not understand.
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I had never noticed that fine print before.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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