Umami and High Fructose Corn Syrup

I'm a huge fan of Food Network. I love the chefs they have on there - except, does anyone else wonder if the Neeleys ever fight? But lately, I've been a little disappointed with the advertising I'm seeing.

First came the commercials talking about high fructose corn syrup. You know the ones. Someone is enjoying fruit juice or a popsicle. "You're going to eat that?" "Why?" "It's got high fructose corn syrup." "And?" "Well, you know what they say about high fructose corn syrup." "That it's natural. And made from corn?"

The truth is, high fructose corn syrup contains factory created free glutamates. The website I cited states that it is in varying amounts. I'm not reactive to much in that second tier of names, as previously discussed, but high fructose corn syrup is a big one for me. Especially when it's the second ingredient in many of the food items I used to purchase. Note "used to." I've since been a label reading maniac, and when you read labels? You'll be surprised what you find is in your food.

As the HFCS ads have decreased in frequency, new ads are taking their place. These ads extol the omg-amazing-ness that is "umami." It's commonly defined as the taste of savoriness, and has apparently been dubbed the "fifth taste sense."

However? Umami is that flavor imparted by MSG. In some cases, many people believe that umami is simply new terminology for the same old toxin. That proposing "umami" as the fifth taste is simply a public relations move.

Regardless of what you call it, it's still an excitatory neurotransmitter. It's still added unnecessarily to our foods and given any one of a number of clever names in order to make you think you're not ingesting toxins. And in many cases, it's still going to cause a reaction; be it migraines, nausea, vomiting, or in some cases, seizure.

Yes, glutamic acid and glutamates are naturally occurring in many foods. Our bodies naturally produce these chemicals. It's when we add to this level in our bodies and exceed what our bodies can handle that we begin to see reactions. We may not be able to avoid the naturally occurring glutamic acids and such, but we can avoid the factory created toxins put into our food.

They're trying to disguise these unhealthy chemicals. They call them "taste enhancers." And you know something? I'll believe what "they" say about high fructose corn syrup much faster than I'll believe what the other "they" says about MSG. I have a right to know what's in my food, and corporations should be obligated to be honest with me about it.

Avoiding unhealthy chemicals in my food shouldn't require the memorization of a list of ingredients I cannot have. It should not turn my shopping trip into a three hour extravaganza of label reading and comparison against the list of all things MSG. But it has, does, and is.

It is what it is. And I know I'm not the only one who has been affected in this way. So the battle for awareness and unbiased research marches on.

MSG attacks

I'm no poster child for MSG sensitivity - but I'm learning. It's only recently that I discovered this particular facet of my physical health. (See the health mystery tag for more information in regards to my roller coaster health ride.) And that's been a challenging ride.

I have a severe sensitivity to MSG in foods.

There's a lot of myths about whether or not people who are sensitive to MSG simply need more to increase their tolerance, or even if it's all in their heads. I was even told recently, "Well, hardly anyone uses MSG in food anymore anyway." And by a doctor, at that.

The devil's in the details.

The bad food on this plate are the onion rings.

High salt content and God-knows-what in the batter.

Not so. MSGMyth.com has all the hidden names for MSG. But before you go clicking over there, sit with me for a moment. I'll list to you the top tier of names for MSG.

• MSG
• Monosodium glutamate
• Monopotassium glutamate
• Glutamate
• Glutamic Acid
• Vegetable Protein Extract
• Gelatine
• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
• Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP)
• Autolyzed Plant Protein
• Sodium Caseinate
• Senomyx (wheat extract labeled as artificial flavor)
• Calcium Caseinate
• Textured Protein
• Yeast Extract
• Yeast food or nutrient
• Autolyzed yeast

And that's just the top tier of additives / ingredients "with MSG containing 78%."

There's a whole other section with over 20 different ingredients and additives containing "factory created free glutamate in varying amounts." And, let me tell you, it's hit or miss with whether or not I'll have a reaction to any of those second tier. I rabidly avoid the top tier, but sometimes cannot avoid the secondary tier. I know after last night's bowl of tomato soup that high fructose corn syrup? Is not my friend.

What does an MSG attack look like? It varies from person to person. Just like allergic reactions can vary from hives to anaphylaxis. But for me?

It starts with increased pulse.

Then I start to feel shaky.

My head begins to hurt, and if I've had enough MSG-containing foods ingested, I cannot stop the migraine.

I get tingly all over. Short of breath.

It's usually around this time that I'll have a vertigo attack associated with my Meniere's Syndrome. When they occur during an MSG attack, the vertigo is that much worse than normal.

And then I feel nauseous and weak. Occasionally I'll vomit. Most of the time, I curl up on the couch and try to sleep it off. If the migraine has hit, I take my prescription emergency migraine medication and let that help me sleep.

I'm not looking for pity. I am looking for commiseration. For others who experience and suffer from this sensitivity / allergy / intolerance. If you're experiencing various health problems - chronic headaches and other issues associated with food allergies and sensitivities - try an elimination diet to narrow down what it is that your body is telling you it can't handle.

I am looking for those who are pushing for more explicit labeling. We want truth in what we're ingesting. Many of these ingredients are labeled as "artificial flavorings" or "artificial colorings." They don't tell you what, exactly, they've done to add those artificial flavorings and colors. And many times? Those ingredients are harmful to our health.

So how do I cope?

I don't eat fast food. I'm still experimenting with store bought foods, but we're getting there. The more I make at home, the more control I have over what goes into my body.