New Study: Weight Gain Shocker!

New research shows that a common food additive may be causing you to gain weight. Here's what you need to know - by Colette Bouchez

The food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been blamed for a lot of health concerns - but if new studies are right you can also add weight gain to the list.

Indeed, this sub-category of the compound glutamate has been linked to everything from hot flashes and diarrhea to hives, headaches, joint pain, dizziness, heart abnormalities and more in those who are sensitive to it.

This week, research published in the journal Obesity, found the risk of being overweight was increased by a whopping 175 percent in people who consumed a lot of foods containing MSG - independent of the calories the consumed.

“Animal studies have indicated for years that MSG might be associated with weight gain,” said lead researcher Ka He, MD, from the University of North Carolina School of Public Health. He says his team is the first to back up the claims with human research that he believes proves it's true.

Not surprisingly, the food additive industry challenges the findings, which were dismissed by the Glutamate Association as “having “no practical significance”. They cite World Health Organization data indicating those who consume MSG aren’t at any greater risk for weight gain.

How MSG Could Pack On The Pounds

Monosodium glutamate is one form of the basic compound known as “free glutamate”. While other additives – including certain flavorings or colorings, as well as other taste enhancers -can also contain glutamate (such as malted barley, caramel flavoring, even some milk powders), MSG contains about 78% free glutamate – the highest found in any compound.

According to past research, animals fed MSG developed lesions in the hypothalamus, and area of the brain linked to appetite. He and his group also noted in the study that the animals exhibited signs of leptin resistance, a hormone that has been shown to also influence hunger and satiation – how full we feel after we eat.

In the new study researchers reviewed the eating/cooking habits of 752 healthy Chinese men and women aged 40 to 59. All study participants indicated they cooked meals from “scratch” and did not consume commercially prepared foods – indicating they knew exactly what ingredients were in their meals.

Of the group, 82% regularly used MSG in food preparation – mostly in the form of soy sauce, at a level equal to about .33 g per day (or 0.07 teaspoon).

The researchers then measured the BMI - body mass index – of all those in the study, comparing the numbers among those who used the most MSG daily to those who used the least.

The result: Study participants who had the highest consumption of MSG had a 175 percent increased risk of having a BMI of 25 – which meets the international standard for obesity.

The researchers say they also found a significant prevalence of excess weight in those who used MSG, compared to those who didn’t use this flavor enhancer.

“We saw this risk even when we controlled for physical activity, total calorie intake, and other possible explanations for the difference in body mass,’ says He.

The Glutamate Association points out that the FDA along with many other government organizations around the world have deemed MSG to be a safe food additive.

This however, could change if the new findings are confirmed in other studies.

Currently food manufacturers are required to list MSG on the ingredient label. However, many food purists argue this ingredient is often “hidden” by listing it under alternate names such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), autolyzed or hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP or APP), autolyzed yeast. Sodium caseinate, Calcium caseinate, and numerous other terms.

Click here to learn more about MSG labeling - and discover the hidden sources.

You might also be interested in reading:
Hungry Again? It's In Your Genes!
Good Vibrations: New Way To Lose Weight?
Or visit www.RedDressDiary.com - The Destination for Fabulous Women Over 40!