Does Mono Sodium Glutamate Help Us Limit Our Salt Intake?

Does monosodium glutamate help us limit our salt intake?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) offers a promising solution for reducing sodium intake without sacrificing the palatability of food. Studies have shown that MSG can enhance the umami taste and saltiness of food, making it possible to lower sodium content significantly. While the safety of MSG is well-established, ongoing research is essential to address potential health concerns. Overall, MSG can be a valuable tool in public health strategies aimed at reducing sodium intake and mitigating the associated health risks.

Excessive sodium intake is a well-documented risk factor for various health issues, including hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and stroke. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily sodium intake of less than 2 grams to mitigate these risks. However, achieving this target can be challenging due to the prevalent use of sodium chloride (NaCl) in food for flavor enhancement. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a compound known for its umami taste, has been proposed as a potential solution to reduce sodium intake without compromising the palatability of food. This article explores the effectiveness of MSG in reducing sodium intake and its implications for public health.

The Role of MSG in Sodium Reduction

Sensory Characteristics and Consumer Acceptability

Research has shown that MSG can enhance the umami taste and saltiness of food, making it possible to reduce the sodium content without affecting overall acceptability. A study on typical Korean foods demonstrated that the addition of MSG allowed for a 23% reduction in sodium intake while maintaining consumer satisfaction2. This finding is significant as it suggests that MSG can be an effective tool in sodium reduction strategies.

Quantitative Verification

A study by Yamaguchi et al. investigated the interaction between MSG and sodium chloride in various concentrations. The results indicated that MSG could enhance the saltiness of solutions with lower NaCl concentrations, making it feasible to reduce sodium content in soups and other liquid-based foods1. This study provides quantitative evidence supporting the use of MSG as a sodium-reducing agent.

Modeled Effects in the U.S. Population

A modeling study using data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimated that substituting sodium with glutamates in certain food categories could reduce overall sodium intake by approximately 3% across the population. For individuals consuming specific products with glutamate substitution, the reduction could be as high as 7-8%3. These findings highlight the potential public health benefits of incorporating MSG into food products.

Technological and Safety Aspects

Safety Considerations

The safety of MSG has been extensively studied, and it is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives has also established that MSG poses no health risk when used as a food additive4. This reassures consumers and manufacturers about the safety of using MSG in food products.

Technological Applications

MSG can be used in various food products to reduce sodium content while maintaining flavor. For instance, a study on spicy soups found that adding MSG allowed for a 32.5% reduction in sodium levels without compromising taste5. This demonstrates the versatility of MSG in different culinary applications.

Potential Health Concerns

While MSG is effective in reducing sodium intake, some studies have raised concerns about its potential health effects. Research on animal models has suggested that high MSG consumption may be associated with adverse effects such as obesity, diabetes, and neurotoxicity7. However, these findings are not consistently observed in human studies, and more research is needed to fully understand the long-term health implications of MSG consumption.

Does mono sodium glutamate help us limit our salt intake?

Sing-Young Chen has answered Likely

An expert from UNSW Science in Physiology, Biochemistry

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is commonly used as a food additive to enhance umami taste. Umami is one of the basic tastes (the others are sweetness, bitterness, saltiness and sourness). MSG results in perception of umami taste because the MSG activates taste receptors that recognise glutamate.

From the perspective of food production, MSG does allow for less salt to be added to foods. The MSG provides sufficient savory umami flavour to retain the palatability of the food.

From the perspective of food consumption, it’s more complicated. Does consuming MSG reduce our desire for salty foods? Does this translate to lower salt consumption? Or does its palatability result in greater salt consumption overall? There is some evidence for both sides of the argument.

One study ran for one week and involved 32 volunteers consuming soup with or without MSG. Participants given soup with MSG rated the soup as more pleasant and more savory, while also consuming more. Another study, which provided vegetable broth with or without MSG for 4 weeks, found that consuming MSG for this amount of time actually decreased consumption of savory foods.

So the answer is – it depends. By using MSG in food production, suppliers of processed foods are able to add less salt while still retaining sufficient flavour. However, whether or not this translates to less salt consumption in the individual depends on the absolute amount that they are eating, which could depends on all sorts of parameters that have not been exhaustively studied.