Monosodium Glutamate in *ice cream* !!!

[Pobeka]

Here's the deal. I've been reading Russell Blaylock's book, "Excitotoxins, The Taste That Kills", it's about MSG, aspartame (Nutrasweet TM), etc. Fascinating book, and kinda scarey too about how we as a society are quite possibly slowly killing off our brain cells which eventually shows up as neurological disease in later life -- i.e. Alzheimer's, Parkinsen's, etc.

One common code name for MSG is "natural flavoring". They don't have to call out MSG in an ingredient if it contains less than %80 MSG.

So, I'm curious about what's in our pantry. Campbell's soups and stocks have MSG on the label (I never even thought to look, boy was I naive on that one).

Yoplait yogurt has natural flavorings.

I was talking with my wife about it, and she gets this wild look in her eye, heads to the freezer and hauls out the Breyer's ice cream. We are not dieters, this is the real stuff with cream and real sugar. There it is on the label, "natural flavoring".

IN ICE CREAM! For crying out loud, if ever there was a product that doesn't need help with taste it's milk fat combined with sugar and vanilla!

Boy do we live in a screwed up world or what?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. But if you're into Breyers, you should try Denali's

that's some really good poison :hi:

[Pobeka]

2. Will have to look. Had the best ice cream ever in Louisville, KY

Last summer, at Churchill Downs, there is semi-famous ice cream maker that had black raspberry with chocolate chunks in it.

I thought I had died and found ice cream heaven.

I will look for Denali's, thanks for the tip.

:hi: to you!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. A Raw Carrot has Natural Flavoring. Are you making mountain of molehill?

[Pobeka]

6. No. There is a huge difference.

It is true (according to what I've read), that some food products do contain some levels of excitotoxins, but they are generally at much lower concentrations, and come in a very different form.

What I'm talking about is stuff that is created in large vats, and thus contains different chemical properties -- proveably so by chemical analysis that has been done.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. You are condemning all "natural flavorings".

A raw unadulterated carrot contains only natural flavorings. Just because your favorite code phrase appears on a label, you are willing to condemn the food product without any further research. That kind of over-generalization is like somebody saying that since a white person was discovered committing a crime last Saturday, we should avoid all white people because they are criminals.

It doesn't matter if a chemical was created in a large vat or a test tube or refined from natural products, it is still a chemical. Salt is necessary for life. It can be created by combusting sodium in a chlorine atmosphere or it can be refined from seawater or mined from salt mines. It is still NaCL, sodium chloride.

Human bodies are chemical factories and so are strawberries. The chemicals that a strawberry produces to make the natural flavorings that make it so tasty are still chemicals. Just because something is a chemical doesn't mean that it must be condemned. You can't ingest elemental sodium and chlorine (unchemically combined) without injuring yourself. On the other hand, you must ingest the chemical compound sodium chloride or you will injure yourself.

Sometimes a natural flavoring is a natural flavoring, as Freud would say.

If you want a bogeyman, look to the Whitehouse.

[Pobeka]

27. Then why hide the true ingredient under the "natural flavoring" cover?

They spell out in immense detail all the other preservatives as unique chemical names.

They could at least do us the service of telling us what's in the food we buy.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

29. You seem to believe Coca Cola should reveal their formula.

[Pobeka]

33. You seem to believe Coca Cola thinks your health is a priority.

-- and we should just trust them blindly.

I don't blindly trust anybody, from Coca Cola to the Whitehouse.

In either case it's a strategy for a bad outcome.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

35. No, I don't believe that about Coca-Cola. Nothing I wrote indicates that.

[Pobeka]

37. Then you agree they should disclose their formula?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

38. No I do not agree with you that they should disclose their formula.

[Pobeka]

39. Do you drink Coca Cola?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

40. It doesn't make any difference whether I drink Coca-Cola or not.

It doesn't make any difference whether I drink Coca-Cola or not. The fact remains that to condemn all natural flavorings as you do because you believe they all contain MSG is irrational.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

32. MSG is not a preservative.

Sodium chloride is a preservative (among other uses). Why don't they spell it out in immense detail? Sugar from cane is sucrose. Another name for it is glucose-fructose-disaccharide. Why isn't that spelled out in immense detail? Fructose (fruit sugar, from corn syrup) is dextro-levulose. Would you prefer if they spelled it out in that detail or would you then claim they are hiding its true nature by using a complicated name?

[Bertha Venation]

34. Here's a possible reason:

"and natural flavorings (11 mg citric acid, 2.2 mg powdered cayenne, 1.31 mg essence of dehydrated reconstituted apple pulp, 1.22 mg powdered pure mustard; 1.2 mg vanilla extract, 0.77 mg wheat grass extract, 0.0007167453312 mg millet seed)" etc.

Chances are no one would buy it if they could read every single thing that is used to flavor something.

Just a guess. :shrug:

[Pobeka]

36. Unwieldy labels?

You know, personally, I'd rather see it listed in full. The marketing dept may not like it because they'd not be able to get a nice juicy picture on the cover.

But I'd rather know *exactly* what I'm buying.

Don't you think people whose eyes would glaze over from reading that list would just continue to ignore the list regardless?

I realize I'm probably in the minority here -- but hey, it's not the first time :D

[Bertha Venation]

41. No, labels & glassy eyes weren't the point...

"Chances are no one would buy it if they could read every single thing that is used to flavor something."

Money makes the world go 'round. :grr:

And I think I wouldn't care if an infinitesimal part of the Coke formula were used-up battery acid. I'd still drink it.

Movie quote: Michael Keaton chugging a Coke for breakfast. Wife Marisa Tomei says, "Jesus, Henry, why not just pour battery acid down your throat?" Keaton: "No caffeine."

[Pobeka]

43. Oh, I see your point.

I'd be willing to drink something with a small amount of battery acid too, if I knew it was at a safe level!

Yeah, money makes the world go round.

I swore off caffeine a while back, had allergic reaction to it. I still say though, Starbucks italian roast, brewed thick enough to stand a fork up in it, was the best coffee I ever had, just had too much of it...

[Mr Bojangles]

4. The Frogurt is also cursed...

n/t.

[Magrittes Pipe]

5. MSG is NOT A PROBLEM for most people. Only for those with an intolerance.

MSG is an important flavoring in many cuisines, and it shouldn't be treated as the bogeyman.

Peanuts and shellfish are FAR more dangerous to those unable to tolerate them than MSG is. Should we ban them? MSG-phobia is one of the more ridiculous phenomena of the past 20 years. :eyes:

edit: and "natural flavoring" does NOT always mean MSG. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it means some other flavoring which comes from natural sources.

[Pobeka]

7. What is your basis for saying this? n/t

[Magrittes Pipe]

12. Google the following:

"MSG intolerance"
"Peanut allergy"
"Shellfish allergy"

One of these can cause migranes (and difficulty breathing in people with asthma). The other two can make you go into anaphalactic shock and DIE.

*singing* One of these things is not like the others....

As someone who does not have an intolerance to MSG, I could eat it in quantity. I wouldn't -- what's the point? But it does improve the flavor of much food. That said, if one is intolerant, there are other ways to hit the taste receptors effected by MSG (the Japanese word for that flavor is "umami" -- there really isn't an English equivalent).

[Pobeka]

18. Do you have any evidence it's not harmful to the brain?

Evidence, that is, from a source other than the food industry?

[Magrittes Pipe]

21. If you think Google is the food industry...

...you may well be paranoid. :P

Seriously, I would point you in the direction of medical journals. And I'd ask if YOU have any evidence that doesn't come from a book with an axe to grind. There are a lot of books out there with a lot of numbers in them that don't actually SAY anything. Lies, damned lies, and statistics, as it were. And it's true on both sides -- is the food industry going to try to cover up dangers? Yes. But the "sky is falling" brigade will also trot out worthless crap as well.

I haven't read the book you mention, but I have read various anti-MSG articles. I haven't read any that were backed up by good science.

[Magrittes Pipe]

23. Oh, the best evidece for that is anecdotal.

Sometimes, the best evidence is. ;)

People in certain parts of the world eat more MSG than people in other parts of the world without marked increase in brain damage. It well could cause brain damage. So can the pollution in our air and water. You can die from drinking too much water. Everything is dangerous if you look hard enough.

My concern is with the artificial additives more than any natural ones. And no -- MSG should not be used to cover up a bad-tasting product. :P

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

8. It triggers a migraine in me...so my issue is when it isn't clearly

marked as an ingredient then I am down for the day.

[nodictators]

9. Some ice cream has hydrogenated palm or coconut oil in it.

They call that junk "jungle grease" in the food industry. That's according to a front-page article in the Wall Street Journal some years ago. Guess they wanted to warn the CEOs. You won't be hearing about it on TV.

You can often find jungle grease in ice cream with fudge or chocolate sauce.

The junk doesn't even taste good.

[madrchsod]

10. msg is made from beet sugar

so it is a natural flavoring. some people react to msg some don`t.

[Pobeka]

13. There are short term reactions, and long term effects.

Both cause harm. Long term effects are damage to the brain neurons.

The original source of MSG is from a seaweed found off the coast of Japan. The seaweed was added to many dishes in Japan, and MSG was chemically isolated sometime in first half of the 1900's.

There is a Japanese company formed which extracts the MSG and sells it. AFAIK, this company still dominates the market.

Just because something comes from a plant, doesn't make it safe to consume. Just because it came from a plant that was orginally edible, doesn't mean consuming large quantities of it is a good idea.

[Bertha Venation]

11. "natural flavorings" = MSG -- ALWAYS?!

Question, question, question. Question always. Question everything.

Write to Breyers and tell them your concern.

If you're not satisfied, find a lab that will take a sample of your ice cream and look for MSG. It'll cost you but it might be worth it to ease your mind.

Yeah, we live in a screwed-up world. Especially in the U.S. But IMO fears of MSG in ice cream (or anything else) doesn't rate the top ten things that we're screwed by. Probably not even the top 100.

[Magrittes Pipe]

14. No. "Natural flavorings" does not always mean MSG.

It can, because MSG is natural, and it is a flavoring. But ANY NATURAL source of flavor can be called "natural flavorings" if it is under the legally mandated percentage of total ingredients.

And Kim -- I TOTALLY agree with your last paragraph. Hell, I wouldn't even put it in the top 1,000. ;)

[Bertha Venation]

22. Is MSG in Stove Top Stuffing?

;)

"legally mandated percentage" -- oooh, them's fighting words! God damn gubmint got their fingers in every pie -- including our pie! :hi:

[Magrittes Pipe]

25. I would have no idea, as I haven't had a box of Stove Top in years.

;)

Wouldn't doubt it, though!

[Pobeka]

15. Why add *anything* to ice cream?

That's what kills me (not literally) about this one.

Milk fat, sugar, vanilla. It just tastes plain delicious when you stop with those ingredients!

[Magrittes Pipe]

19. Well, I'll agree with you there.

I am definitely a proponent of simplicity in cooking, and most foods are NOT enhanced by MSG. Vanilla ice cream, perfect example. :D

[Pobeka]

24. Butter and garlic are my favorite "natural flavorings".

If you have any interest at all, you might find Blaylock's book at your library. It's about 8 years old. I read on Amazon that he has a new book out which says many of his conjectures (which in themselves were supported by studies of the day) are being born out by the latest studies as well.

[Magrittes Pipe]

26. Butter and garlic RULE!

But butter will give you heart disease! :o

(j/k)

Butter's the same deal as MSG, as far as I'm concerned. No, you probably shouldn't overdo it. And yes, it's in places it doesn't need to be. It's all about moderation.

Isn't everything?

[Pobeka]

30. Try this alfredo recipe.

Melt about 3 tblsp butter in small pot on med heat.

Add 1 or 2 clove pureed garlic (depending on your need ;-) )

A little ground pepper.

When garlic just starts to turn golden (a minute or so), add 1/2 cup whipping cream.

Let come to boil.

Add 2/3 C shreaded parmisian, 1/3 C shreaded romano.

This is an incredibly rich sauce you only need to drizzle a little over the top of the pasta because the taste explodes on your tongue.

Serves about 8.

[Magrittes Pipe]

31. Okay, yeah. That sounds good.

[madrchsod]

20. i mixed tons of stablizers for ice cream

mostly guar gum and kelp. keeps the ice cream stable so it can be put into boxes, etc. ever wonder why some soft serve ice cream melts really fast? no gum and kelp..

[Pobeka]

28. Yes. I knew about that. DQ soft serve holds up quite well.

Do you know if these stabilizers come under the heading of "natural flavoring"?

[madrchsod]

16. i worked for a company who mixed

the stabilizing powders for food products..sea kelp,Gar gum-three different kinds,flour salt,wheat powders,etc but the best was titanium dioxide-yes white paint-throw a in little paint thinner and linseed oil and paint the house! used in any product that is white-cottage cheese for one.look at any product that has this in it......i also mixed yo plait base-two products.one from Iowa one from Denmark-every box we used to mix the product had to be weighed when full and empty..that`s why it`s the only one i eat-it is a quality product

[liontamer]

42. unless your allergic

msg isn't a big deal. it is natural. It's the dioxin based stuff in the environment that's harmful. Don't sweat the small stuff

[UdoKier]

44. Isn't MSG simply a from of salt, harmless except those who are allergic?

Hasn't it been used in Oriental foods for ages?

Of course, I prefer not to use it, but I have noticed that foods that have it taste AWESOME.

I thought the risks of MSG for most people were the same as salt...


All this stuff SHOULD be clearly labeled, BUT

we are all gonna die someday, I want to enjoy life, including food, and not have a panic attack over every food label.

And I can't afford to eat all-organic - and I don't have time to grow my own.

life's a beeyotch...

[Pobeka]

45. Signing off now. Thanks for the discussion.

I do recommend reading the book (perhaps after we've booted * out of the Whitehouse). The author is very qualified, a neurosurgeon with a degree in biochemistry.

Many of the issues raised here are addressed in the book -- I've only read half of it so far.

The book is heavily documented with references to studies in the medical literature.

Time to go work in the yard, and burn off some ice cream :-)