MSG Q&A (2)

Improving Taste Means Improving Nutrition

What most people don't realize is that the importance of taste doesn't stop at simply enjoying the flavor of the foods we eat. Although treating yourself to a meal at a superb restaurant or enjoying a scrumptious dinner at home seems reward enough, taste is actually an integral and important part of nutrition. To a large degree, it is our taste buds that actually trigger important digestive and metabolic functions allowing us to better use the essential nutrients we get from our diet. When food passes over our taste buds, those wonderful tastes not only trigger pleasure and satisfaction, they also send an important message to our body Û nutrition is on its way. Those tiny taste buds are, in essence, telling our bodies to get to work, and metabolize the foods we are eating.

Not only does MSG make good food taste better for consumers, new studies show that MSG may play a role in the overall health and nutrition of people who need it most. Aging, as well as a number of diseases and illnesses, decrease our ability to taste and smell. This decrease in our senses is a major contributor to poor nutritional status in populations like the elderly, making it increasingly difficult for doctors and nutritionists to ensure that their patients get much-needed nutrients. Studies have found that adding MSG to certain foods, such as soup and mashed potatoes, has been successful in increasing the food intake in institutionalized elderly populations.

Reducing Sodium Intake

MSG is also low in sodium, with about a third of the sodium of table salt. Many Americans add salt to improve the flavor of food; however, this can be problematic for people watching their intake of sodium. By using a small amount of MSG in conjunction with a decreased level of salt, sodium intake can be reduced by as much as 30 to 40 percent while still maintaining flavor.
By way of comparison, MSG contains about 12 percent sodium while table salt contains 39 percent. And, MSG is used at levels lower than salt. Considering all sources of dietary sodium (natural sodium content of foods, table salt, sodium-containing ingredients in processed foods, drinking water and pharmaceuticals), typical use of MSG contributes about 1 to 2 percent of the total sodium contained in the average daily American diet.