As people's demands for taste become increasingly high, seasonings such as MSG and chicken essence are being used more frequently in daily life. In fact, some foods have their own natural flavors and do not require excessive seasoning.
MSG, also known as Ajinomoto, is mainly composed of sodium glutamate, which is extracted from grains such as wheat, corn, and sweet potatoes. Chicken essence is derived from chicken and chicken bones, and its main component is also derived from sodium glutamate. They both have a strong umami flavor that stimulates appetite and helps improve the human body's digestion rate of food. Sodium glutamate is physiologically necessary for the human body, as it can participate in the metabolism of sugar in the brain. Therefore, moderate consumption is harmless to the human body. However, its extraction process is through microbial fermentation, and excessive consumption can cause thirst or other discomforts.
Both MSG and chicken essence are flavor enhancers, while foods such as seafood, meat, and mushrooms naturally contain umami components. Therefore, in such foods, MSG and chicken essence can be omitted. Sodium glutamate itself also has a salty taste, so if MSG is added during cooking, less salt should be used. Moreover, if the dish is too salty, the umami flavor of MSG may not be noticeable. A salt-to-MSG ratio of 3:1 or 4:1 can achieve a mellow and柔和 taste. When making cold dishes, it should be dissolved first, because MSG dissolves at 85°C, and below this temperature, it is difficult to decompose.
It should be noted that MSG should not be added to a boiling pot, but rather just before the dish is finished cooking. This is because when the temperature exceeds 120°C, sodium glutamate can transform into sodium pyroglutamate, which is harmful to the human body after consumption and is difficult to excrete. Furthermore, patients with hypertension should not only limit their sodium intake.