By Alanna Nuñez, Shape
6. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Made famous by the “Chinese restaurant syndrome,” MSG is a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese foods and products, as well as canned vegetables and soups and some meats.
It’s officially recognized as a food that’s safe to eat in small quantities, but because a proportion of the population experiences an adverse reaction, including migraines and increased appetite, it remains controversial within the healthy living community. For this reason, it’s required to be on the label whenever it’s added to a food, and it’s not allowed to be added to infant formula or foods for toddlers.
This excerpt is Part 6 of a list compiled by Alanna Nuñez, published in Shape Magazine. Photo by Taylor McKnight/Flickr.
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