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Aug 7, 2009 9:00 am US/Central
Study: MSG Enhances Flavor, May Also Expand Waists
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Flavor-enhancing monosodium glutamate, or MSG, packs a lot of taste into your meals – but new research shows that it can also make you pack on the pounds.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
You're exercising and eating right – so how are you not losing any weight?
Research shows that the culprit could be a common ingredient found in some of the foods you eat every day.
It's found in everything from canned soup and snack foods to frozen dinners, fast food, and even many salad dressings, reports CBS station WCBS-TV in New York City.
Flavor-enhancing monosodium glutamate, or MSG, packs a lot of taste into your meals – but new research shows that it can also make you pack on the pounds.
"We found that those who used the MSG were more likely to be overweight compared to MSG non-users," Dr. Ka He, one of the researchers, said.
In the study out of the University of North Carolina, researchers tracked 750 Chinese men and women in three rural Chinese villages. The participants were divided into three groups based on the amount of MSG they consumed.
The results were considerable in those who ate the most MSG.
"The ones who consumed the most MSG were three times more likely to be overweight compared to the non-users," Dr. He said.
Widely known for its use in many Asian cuisines, more and more food manufacturers are now using MSG in packaged goods. Experts say the ingredient, which has been shown to over-excite the taste buds on the tongue, is a cheap way to flavor food.
But Dr. He says MSG can interfere with your levels of leptin...a hormone that plays a key role in regulating appetite and metabolism.
"That means that energy intake is more than energy expenditure, so our body weight will gain," Dr. He said.
Another problem, according to Dr. He, is that MSG is often listed on food labels with another name, so you may not even know you're consuming it.
"Right now, there is no way for people to completely avoid MSG," Dr. He said.
The Food and Drug Administration has responded, saying MSG is a safe ingredient – but researchers question whether it's healthy and want the agency to require the ingredient to be clearly marked on labels.
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