SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

MSG - Is it really Making Some Grow FATTER?

By now everyone with half an ear to the news MUST know that it is a 'bad thing' to be obese.

Fair enough, no one is going to suggest that 'big folks' should be made to feel bad about their physical size...but for their own benefit it is really important that they find ways and means to reduce their weight and the consequent major health threats that being overweight poses.

One of the things that recent research has revealed is that the widely found flavour-enhancer - Mono-Sodium Glutamate (MSG) - also seems to 'enhance' the appetite and therefore leads to over-eating and hence, potentially, to obesity.

MSG is certainly used to increase the 'more-ishness' of many snack foods, which often happen to be higher fat (and frequently also higher salt, and/or sugar) foods. So watch out for MSG - and avoid it where you can if you want to regain control of your appetite! Unsurprisingly, it is also a common factor in the formulation of 'fast foods' and the condiments/sauces provided with them.

And as Sue Dengate of http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/ says - (in summarizing Spanish research showing that MSG used in experiments with rats caused a 40% increase in appetite):
"It is ironic that many low-fat, low-salt foods now promoted by 'healthier' school canteens contain MSG or related flavour enhancers to compensate for lower salt content".
Which, of course, may mean that your children could be reducing their salt intake per gram of food consumed...but increasing their total food intake resulting in more calories - and pro-rata possibly increasing the total salt and fat they consume anyway!

So - be aware and don't let MSG - Make YOU - (or your kids) the Someone who is Growing FATTER!

TIP OF THE DAY: Always drink a glass of water before a meal. This will reduce your appetite, and ensure that what you are feeling is 'hunger', not 'thirst'! Plus it will help to keep you properly hydrated - reducing the chances of a headache, and keeping you energised and able to concentrate better.

[This Safer Alternative 'blog aims to help identify those safer choices for you and your children in wahtever matters we come across as we trawl the web. Authorities agree that children need to be encouraged to learn about, and adopt, good habits when it comes to eating and other health related issues. This is because the attitudes and practices they develop whilst young are likely to have a serious impact on their long-term health.

Safer Alternative also aims to raise people's awareness about the need to change their body care routines - the soaps they use, their shampoos, conditioners, skin creams, etc. which almost all contain a cocjktail of potentially harnful chemicals - for a Safer Alternative see the wealth of information and products here: www.saferalternative.com ]

Technorati tags: