It is rather alarming that MSG, a known neurotoxin, is found in the most unlikely foods disguised or euphemistically labeled as innocent or yummy sounding food ingredients.

Recently, through the internet, in a book called In Bad Taste: The MSG Symptom by Dr. George Schwartz, and various references to MSG by Dr. Russell Blaylock, you would be shocked and dismayed by what you read.

Before getting into this, consider this information to better put MSG into proper perspective. There are two kinds of MSG, natural (if you can believe that) and synthetic.

Natural MSG is known as L-glutamic acid, an amino acid that is found in plants and animals and is harmless. It is harmless because our digestive process slowly breaks down this natural or "bound" glutamic acid and through a bodily function it is delivered to receptors in the body and brain. Stay with me and wake up now, as the technical stuff is almost done. Even though harmless, eating too many foods high in glutamate will eventually reach the bloodstream. These foods include tomatoes, mushrooms, dairy products, corn, molasses, wheat, and even tobacco.

Here we go... in a factory, the "bound" glutamic acid in these foods is broken down or made "free" by various processes referred to as hydrolyzed, autolyzed, modified, textureized, or fermented, and is refined to a white crystal that resembles sugar. It is then mixed with salt and used as a flavor enhancer for those manufacturers too lame to put out a product with natural, harmless ingredients. It is affectionately known as monosodium glutamate or the "Darth Vader" of the free world.

Now, let's cut to the chase. YOU MUST READ LABELS!!! If is says, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed protein, or textureized vegetable protein, IT IS MSG.

If it says, maltodextrin, barley malt, whey protein, soy protein isolate (or words to that nature), IT IS MSG.

Gelatin (used in vitamin capsules) contains MSG.

Most smoke flavor or "flavorings" contain MSG.

Soy sauce, made from the fermentation of soy beans contains MSG and pure MSG powder can be added to cheaper brands of soy sauce to enhance its flavor.

Confirmed with Fearn Foods, the manufacturer of Spike, Spike contains MSG.

It is in vegetarian meat analogs, "hot dog analogs", soup broths, bouillon, and products using the words containing protein fortified, enzyme modified, rice syrup, brown rice syrup, citric acid, milk powder, dry milk solids, annatto, spice, carrageenan, guar gum, and lecithin (if from hydrolyzed soy products).

But wait, there's more!

Candy, drinks, gum, packaged salads with citric acid, low fat milk, stevia (if coupled with maltodextrin), Accent, Lawry's Seasoning Salt, Torula Yeast, Adobo salt, Chinese Seasonings, and believe it or not, internal feeding materials and some fluids administered intravenously in hospitals.

So, what is one to do?

Learn to cook and eat naturally, forget fast foods, processed foods, animal products and dairy products and eat an organic vegan plant based diet that is as much organic as possible. Let your spices be natural from foods and herbs. And above all, before you buy anything packaged and/or processed, YOU MUST READ LABELS.

One more thing, politicians that receive campaign contributions from large food companies have made it so that legislation has been passed to NOT list MSG as an ingredient but to euphemistically use the words mentioned above.

Aloha!