MSG Exposed (Monosodium Glutamate)

Many Popular McDonalds food items contain MSG (free glutamate) from various sources.

A quick look at the McDonalds ingredient list on their website makes it absolutely clear to the MSG informed. McDonalds food contains MSG (free glutamate) in many of their most popular food items. Do you eat Chicken McNuggets or Premium Chicken Breast Strips because you think they may be healthier than other things at McDonalds? If you understand at all what MSG (free glutamate) does to your body (obesity), brain, endocrine system, then you’ll want to know what to stay away from food-wise. I can’t recommend people not eat at McDonalds at all because that’s not my place, but it’s fast food and you know it’s not health food. The list following are food items on the McDonalds menu that contain MSG (free glutamate) from various sources. The ingredients listed are known to contain or are typically suspected to contain MSG (free glutamic acid) unless noted otherwise. The underlined ingredients are huge give-aways and Always contain MSG (free glutamate/glutamic acid). Also see our list of Hidden Sources of MSG on Food Labels.

Big Mac® Sauce:

• Vegetable Protein (hydrolyzed corn, soy and wheat)

Chicken Selects® Premium Breast Strip:

• Seasoning (Autolyzed Yeast Extract, maltodextrin, chicken broth, natural flavor)

Grilled Chicken Breast Filet:

• Seasoning (maltodextrin, spices, autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed (corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten), chicken broth, natural flavors

Southern Style Crispy Chicken Breast Filet:

• Yeast Extract, Carrageenan***, maltodextrin, natural flavors

Chicken McNuggets contain MSG (free glutamate).

French Fries

• Natural Beef Flavor CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK (Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients)

Chicken McNuggets®:

• Chicken Flavor (Autolyzed Yeast Extract, natural flavoring)

Barbeque Sauce:

• Soy Sauce

Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce:

• Soy Sauce

Creamy Ranch Sauce:

• Monosodium glutamate,

Yes the fries have MSG. It's beef flavoring that is hydrolyzed.

Chili Lime Tortilla Strips:

• Autolyzed Yeast Extract, maltodextrin, citric acid

Grilled Chicken Breast Filet:

• Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed (corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten) proteins, chicken broth, natural flavors

Newman’s Own® Low Fat Family Recipe Italian Dressing:

• Hydrolyzed soy protein, citric acid

Sausage Patty:

• Whey protein concentrate, monosodium glutamate, citric acid, BHA and BHT** Note: BHA & BHT do not contain MSG but there are other health risks. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, consider BHA to be possibly carcinogenic to humans, and the State of California has listed it as a carcinogen. Some studies show the same cancer causing possibilities for BHT

Southern Style Chicken Sandwich has MSG (free glutamate)

Hash Browns:

• Natural Beef Flavor (wheat and milk derivatives) Note: Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.
  

Sausage & Scrambled Egg Mix:

• Monosodium Glutamate

Southern Style Crispy Breakfast Chicken Breast:

• Yeast Extract, carrageenan***, maltodextrin, natural flavor

***A Note About Carrageenan

“Carrageenan increases free radicals. It is a polysaccharide made from a seaweed, the substance is known to produce intense inflammatory reactions when injected into tissues. In fact, the intense reaction is so reproducible it is used when researchers want to study inflammation. Inflammation is strongly associated with intense free-radical production within tissues. It also may promote accelerated bowel cancer growth.” Carrageenan is used as a thickener. When even small amounts of carrageenan are injected near developing tumors in animals, tumor growth, and eventual metastasis, increases dramatically¹.”
-Source: Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills by Russell Blaylock M.D.

1.) Raz A, Levine G, Khomiak Y. Acute local inflammation potentiates tumor growth in mice. Cancer Letters 148(2000): 115-120

I really like jerky, be it beef, turkey or any other kind of dehydrated meat. The problem is just about all of the major brands are flavored with free glutamic acid (MSG) in various forms. In fact, I personally haven’t found any packaged jerky that doesn’t contain MSG. Here we’ll take a look at the big boys of Beef Jerky.

Oberto Natural Style Beef Jerky

Ingredients:
Beef, brown sugar, dextrose, sugar, salt, hydrolyzed corn and soy protein, natural hickory smoke flavor, corn syrup solids, water, vinegar, flavorings, molasses, sodium erythorbate, caramel color, citric acid, sodium nitrite.

At the supermarket I looked at just about all of the flavors and from what I saw they just about all had MSG in some form. I would not recommend Oberto Beef Jerky if you are concerned about consuming MSG (free glutamic acid/glutamate). Soy Sauce was a key component in many brands of beef jerky and turkey jerky that I found. As you should know, soy sauce is very high in free glutamate. Soy sauce also makes the label look “cleaner” as it doesn’t have to list monosodium glutamate.

Pemmican Premium Cut Beef Jerky

Teriyaki Flavor Ingredients:
Beef, Sugar, Water, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Salt, less than 2% of Monosodium Glutamate,, Wine, Vinegar, Flavoring, Brown Sugar, Succinic Acid, Maltodextrin, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Nitrite, Lemon Juice Solids, Soy Lecithin. Contains Wheat and Soy

Pemmican doesn’t even hide “monosodium glutamate” in this product.  But as you can see, where there is MSG on a label there is often multiple forms of it, they in a sense piggy-back or stack multiple forms of free glutamate (MSG) in their product and thus the label typically reflects that. The jerky typically tastes very good but that’s exactly why, the monosodium glutamate (MSG) makes it very tasty, but has many health problems at the same time including neurodegenerative disease, obesity and intense food cravings.

Jack Links Beef Jerky

Organic Jack Links Beef Jerky Ingredients:
Beef, water, evaporated cane juice, soy sauce powder (wheat, soybeans, salt, maltodextrin), corn syrup solids, salt, black pepper, garlic, onion.

I listed the organic version of Jack Links Beef Jerky on purpose, we know the regular line has MSG but the “Organic” label can tend to make people think that there is no bad ingredients in the food, and that’s simply not true. As we mentioned earlier in this article there is high amounts of free glutamate in soy sauce and that tends to be why manufacturers love to include it in their products. Soy sauce has a great taste (which is the MSG (free glutamic acid or Umami as the glutamate industry tries to tell us) so that’s why they add it. The regular versions of the Jack Link jerky products contain other forms of MSG (free glutamate) than soy sauce. Typically hydrolyzed corn or soy protein or other forms of hydrolyzed proteins.

Walmart Great Value Beef Jerky

Ingredients:
Beef, Water, Salt, Brown Sugar, Corn Syrup Solids, Hydrolyzed Soy & Corn Protein, Flavoring, Monosodium Glutamate, Maltodextrin, Smoke Flavor, Spice, Sodium Nitrate

Walmart also doesn’t hide the MSG in their beef jerky. They also piggyback on their label by adding even more MSG in the form of Hydrolyzed Soy & Corn Protein. Bad, bad, bad, naughty no-no! The best way to enjoy your Beef of Turkey jerky is to make it yourself. You can buy a food dehydrator on the internet or amazon for much cheaper than in a big-box store. Make your own marinades without sauces that contain MSG. You can do it, there are recipes out there that have MSG free ingredients. Use our handy list at Hidden Sources of MSG on Food Labels for a guide to ingredients to stay away from.

Some Starbucks Sandwiches contain MSG

Some Starbucks sandwiches and pasta contain MSG in various forms of free glutamate such as Yeast Extract and Autolyzed Yeast Extract. Nutrition facts and ingredient listings are unique to each region or market. I took selections of sandwiches from the U.S. west coast and east coast. Included are breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches and pasta. The sandwiches that contain MSG are as listed:

(*) Tarragon Chicken Salad Sandwich
(*) Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon, Cholesterol-Free Egg, Reduced-Fat White Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich
(*) Portobello Mushroom Piadini
(*) Pesto Pasta with White Chicken

Tarragon Chicken Salad Sandwich

INGREDIENTS:

TARRAGON CHICKEN BREAST WITH RIB MEAT SALAD (FULLY COOKED DICED CHICKEN BREAST WITH RIB MEAT [CHICKEN BREAST WITH RIB MEAT, WATER, SEASONING (SALT, MALTODEXTRIN, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, FLAVORING, CHICKEN FAT, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% DRIED CHICKEN, CHICKEN BROTH, CITRIC ACID, DEXTRIN, DEXTROSE, SUGAR), RICE STARCH, SALT, BLACK PEPPER], LIGHT MAYONNAISE [WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH*, EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR (CONTAINS SULFITES), CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, EGGS, MUSTARD FLOUR, WITH POTASSIUM SORBATE* AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA AS PRESERVATIVES, PHOSPHORIC ACID*, DL-ALPHA TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (VITAMIN E), OLEORESIN PAPRIKA, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, PHYLLOQUINONE (VITAMIN K1), *INGREDIENTS NOT NORMALLY FOUND IN MAYONNAISE], CELERY, FAT FREE PLAIN YOGURT [CULTURED PASTEURIZED GRADE A FAT FREE MILK, MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCH, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE (MILK), KOSHER GELATIN, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE], DRIED SWEETENED CRANBERRIES [CRANBERRIES, SUGAR, SUNFLOWER OIL], MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, TARRAGON, CELERY SEED, BLACK PEPPER), MULTIGRAIN BREAD (BLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR [WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLATE], WATER, YELLOW CORN GRITS, BROWN SUGAR [SUGAR, CANE SYRUPS], YEAST, WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, HONEY, PRECOOKED LONG GRAIN BROWN RICE, BABY OAT FLAKES, COARSE CRACKED WHEAT, WHEAT GLUTEN, SALT, SESAME SEEDS, DOUGH IMPROVER: [WHEAT FLOUR, CALCIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, SALT, CALCIUM SULFATE, DATEM, SOY OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: POTASSIUM IODATE, ASCORBIC ACID, ENZYME, L-CYSTEINE, AZODICARBONAMIDE], CALCIUM PROPIONATE [TO RETARD SPOILAGE], POPPY SEED, CARAMEL COLOR, WHEAT FLOUR AND ENZYMES, ASCORBIC ACID), LETTUCE.

Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon, Cholesterol-Free Egg, Reduced-Fat White Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients:
MULTIGRAIN ENGLISH MUFFIN (UNBLEACHED ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, REDUCED IRON, NIACIN, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], WATER, WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, FARINA, SOYBEAN OIL, YEAST, SUGAR, MOLASSES, FLAXSEEDS, HONEY, WHEAT GLUTEN, PRESERVATIVES [CALCIUM PROPIONATE, SORBIC ACID], SALT, RYE, CORN CEREAL, DEXTROSE, GROUND CORN, MONOGLYCERIDES, BROWN RICE, OATS, SOYBEANS, TRITICALE, BARLEY, MILLET, CALCIUM CARBONATE, NONFAT MILK, CARAMEL COLOR, SOY FLOUR, WHEY, NATAMYCIN [A NATURAL MOLD INHIBITOR]),CHOLESTEROL FREE EGG PATTY (EGG WHITES, WATER, WHEY SOLIDS, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, DICALCIUM PHOSPAHTE, SALT, NONFAT DRIED MILK, SODIUM BICARBONATE, NATURAL EGG FLAVOR, BUTTER FLAVOR [SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES, PALM KERNEL OIL], COLOR (INCLUDES BETA CAROTENE), GUAR GUM, XANTHAN GUM, LIQUID PEPPER EXTRACT), REDUCED-FAT WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES, VITAMIN A PALMITATE), TURKEY BACON (WHITE TURKEY, MECHANICALLY SEPARATED TURKEY, TURKEY FAT, WATER, SUGAR, SALT, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS SMOKE BACON FLAVOR [MALTODEXTRIN, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORYEAST EXTRACT (CONTAINS NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR), SUGAR, SALT], BACON TYPE FLAVOR [MALTODEXTRIN, GUM, ACACIA, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORING, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, , MODIFIED CORN STARCH , XANTHAN GUM, SUCCINIC ACID], SMOKE FLAVORING, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE, NATURAL FLAVORING, VEGETABLE OIL).

Portobello Mushroom Piadini

Ingredients:
CRUST (ENRICHED MALTED FLOUR [WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE, MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], WHOLE MILK, [MILK, VITAMIN D], UNSALTED BUTTER [CREAM FROM MILK], PASTEURIZED HOMOGENIZED EGGS [WHOLE EGGS, CITRIC ACID (TO PRESERVE COLOR), WATER], CANOLA OIL, SUGAR, PARMESAN CHEESE [PASTEURIZED CULTURED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES, POWDERED CELLULOSE (TO PREVENT CAKING)], INSTANT YEAST [YEAST, SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE, ASCORBIC ACID], SALT, PARSLEY, SAGE) SPINACH FETA RICOTTA FILLING MIX (FETA CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, CHEESE CULTURE, ENZYMES, POTATO STARCH (TO PREVENT CAKING)], PART SKIM RICOTTA CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, PASTEURIZED WHEY, PASTEURIZED CREAM, VINEGAR, SALT, STABILIZER (MODIFIED CORN STARCH, GUAR GUM, CARRAGEENAN), POTASSIUM SORBATE (AS A PRESERVATIVE)], SPINACH, GARLIC POWDER, SALT) PORTOBELLO FILLING MIX (PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS, ONION, UNSALTED BUTTER [CREAM FROM MILK], SALT, BLACK PEPPER) SCRAMBLED EGGS (WHOLE EGGS, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, SALT, CITRIC ACID, XANTHAN GUM).

*Note: The Portobello Mushroom Piadini contains the inflammatory additive Carrageenan. This is used as a thickener in many food, especially dairy products. Carrageenan is used in the laboratory to create inflammatory effect in the tissues of animals. Inflammation creates high levels of free radicals which can lead to an increased risk of cancer especially when combined with other harmful excitotoxins such as MSG (free glutamate) or Aspartame.

Pesto Pasta with White Chicken

Ingredients:
PESTO PASTA SALAD (WATER, CAMPANELLE PASTA [SEMOLINA (WHEAT), DURUM FLOUR (WHEAT), NIACIN, IRON (FERROUS SULFATE), THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID], LITE RANCH DRESSING [CULTURED BUTTERMILK, CANOLA OIL, SOUR CREAM (CULTURED MILK AND CREAM, WHEY, SKIM MILK POWDER, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, MALTODEXTRIN, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM CITRATE, GUAR GUM, CARRAGEENAN GUM, CALCIUM SULFATE, LOCUST BEAN GUM, ENZYMES), WATER, EGG YOLK, CIDER VINEGAR (CONTAINS SULFITES), DISTILLED VINEGAR, SUGAR, SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, MALTODEXTRIN, DRIED GARLIC, DRIED ONION, XANTHAN GUM, CARRAGEENAN GUM, SPICE, DRIED GREEN ONION], LIGHT MAYONNAISE [WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH*, EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, EGGS, MUSTARD FLOUR, WITH POTASSIUM SORBATE* AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA AS PRESERVATIVES, PHOSPHORIC ACID*, DL-ALPHA TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (VITAMIN E), OLEORESIN PAPRIKA, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, PHYLLOQUINONE (VITAMIN K1), *INGREDIENT NOT NORMALLY FOUND IN MAYONNAISE], BASIL PESTO [CANOLA OIL, BASIL, NON-GMO AND RBGH-FREE PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART-SKIM COW'S MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT AND ENZYMES), FRESH GARLIC, WATER, RICE VINEGAR, SALT AND BLACK PEPPER], BASIL, SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE [PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES), POWDERED CELLULOSE (CELLULOSE, DEXTROSE, ENZYME) ADDED TO PREVENT CAKING], RICE WINE VINEGAR [REDUCED WITH WATER TO 4.5% ACIDITY BY VOLUME], PARSLEY, GARLIC, SALT), TOMATO, FULLY COOKED ITALIAN STYLE ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS WITH RIB MEAT (BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS WITH RIB MEAT, WATER, SEASONING [ROMANO, BLUE AND PARMESAN CHEESES (PART SKIM COW'S MILK, CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), SALT, ISOLATED SOY PROTEIN, TAPIOCA STARCH, SUGAR, PAPRIKA, HYDROLYZED SOY AND CORN PROTEIN, GARLIC POWDER, ONION POWDER, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, SPICES, PARSLEY, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, MALTODEXTRIN, NATURAL FLAVORS, GUM ARABIC, LACTIC ACID, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, CREAM, WHEY POWDER, BUTTERFAT, SODIUM CASEINATE, GELATIN], SODIUM PHOSPHATES), LETTUCE, DRY ROASTED PINE NUTS (PIGNOLIAS).

Also see: Hidden Sources of MSG on Food Ingredient Labels