Improper consumption of MSG can lead to poisoning
MSG has a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on improving the nutritional status of human cells and treating neurasthenia. However, improper use can also lead to adverse consequences, rendering MSG useless as a seasoning or causing negative effects on human health. Therefore, please pay attention to the following points when using MSG.
First Taboo: High-Temperature Use
When cooking dishes, if MSG is added when the dish is at a very high temperature, a chemical change will occur, turning MSG into sodium pyroglutamate. This way, not only does it fail to season the dish, but it also produces a mild toxin, which is detrimental to health. Scientific experiments have shown that MSG dissolves best at temperatures between 70°C and 90°C.
Therefore, the best time to add MSG is just before the dish is ready to be served. If the dish requires a thickening starch, the MSG should be added before the thickening is done. Based on the principle that MSG should not be added at high temperatures, you also do not need to add MSG when battering or coating ingredients.
Second Taboo: Low-Temperature Use
MSG does not dissolve easily at low temperatures. If you want to add MSG to a cold dish for a umami boost, you can dissolve the MSG in warm water, let it cool, and then drizzle it over the cold dish.
Third Taboo: Use with Alkaline Food
In an alkaline solution, MSG undergoes a chemical change, producing disodium glutamate, which has an unpleasant odor. Therefore, do not add MSG when cooking alkaline foods. For example, squid that is prepared with alkali should not have MSG added to it.
Fourth Taboo: Use with Acidic Food
MSG does not dissolve easily in acidic dishes. The higher the acidity, the less it dissolves, and the poorer the effect.
Fifth Taboo: Use with Sweet Dishes
Sweet dishes such as "Crystal Lotus Seed" and "Tomato and Shrimp" should not have MSG added. Adding MSG to sweet dishes makes them taste very bad, as it ruins both the umami and the sweetness.
Sixth Taboo: Overuse
Excessive MSG produces a strange taste that is neither salty nor astringent. Using MSG is not a case of "the more, the better."
Seventh Taboo: Use in Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled yellow vegetables refers to scrambled eggs. Eggs themselves contain a lot of glutamic acid. When scrambling eggs, salt is usually added. The main component of salt is sodium chloride. After heating, these two substances—glutamic acid and sodium chloride—produce a new substance: sodium glutamate, the main component of MSG, which gives the eggs a very pure umami flavor. Adding MSG to scrambled eggs is like drawing a snake and adding feet; too much of it will have the opposite effect.
Tip:
Daily consumption of MSG should not be excessive. Under normal circumstances, a person's daily intake of MSG should not exceed 6 grams; otherwise, symptoms such as headache, nausea, and fever may occur. Excessive consumption of MSG can also lead to high blood sugar. The elderly and patients with diseases such as hypertension, nephritis, and edema should consume it with caution.