Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu:

The markets are flooding with all kinds of noodles and recipes. But are such habits good for health? A very common myth about noodles is the hazardous effects of Mono Sodium Glutamate, which is widely used in the preparation of these noodles.

Ajinomoto is a Japanese brand name for MSG, (monosodium glutamate) and is a flavour enhancer and is used in the formulation of snacks, soups, sauces and gravies. It’s the glutamate in natural foods that imparts the fullness and impact of taste and complexity of flavour. Ajinomoto is basically a kind of salt and is used as a flavouring agent in foods. “More than the quality, the quantity is what should be taken into consideration. Consuming Ajinomoto is certainly safe if taken in a limited quantity since anything taken in large quantities can be harmful to a person’s health,” informs Dr Bharat Rawat, executive director and consultant cardiologist at Norvic Hospital. As a doctor, Dr Rawat suggests his patients to consume less amount of salt if they suffer from high Blood Pressure and says, “I haven’t come across any particular data that would suggest ajinomoto is hazardous. The literature supports its safety and there are no confirming data about its links to any types of cancers. The FASEB report identifies two groups of people who may develop a condition. The report refers to as “MSG symptom complex.”

One group is those who may be intolerant to MSG when eaten in a large quantity. The second is a group of people with severe, poorly controlled asthma. These people, in addition to being prone to MSG symptom complex, may suffer temporary worsening of asthmatic symptoms after consuming MSG. “I feel a lot of fuss has been created regarding the consumption of monosodium glutamate. People living in Japan and China consume ajinomoto on a daily basis and ironically they have the longest life spans! But yes there have to be certain guidelines that the manufacturing industries of noodles should be following and I believe they are efficiently doing so. At present there is no rationale for any type of fears about Ajinomoto. Noodles can be cooked with a variety of vegetables to make them not only delicious but a more nutritious diet too!”