Foods Alive Feature Recipe & Newsletter
BETCHA CAN’T EAT JUST ONE !
This is the marketing slogan of the industry additive Mono-Sodium Glatamate. MSG for short. Much like sugar additives it is listed in the ingredients under 15 different names, but let me tell you first what MSG does to your nervous system, your appetite and your cells. MSG is not a vitamin or preservative. It is added to our food for the addictive effect it has on the body masked as a general taste enhancer. The Glutamate lobbying group says eating more is beneficial for the elderly, because many elderly do not eat enough. (Would someone check if it’s added to ENSURE, a primary food that is handed to the elderly by many institutions and recommended by doctors?) Clearly, under-eating is not a problem for most of us. MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing us to become obese. ( Pancreatic cancer has tripled in the last ten years) If I was a food producer interested solely in the bottom line, would I not want to create brand name loyalty by adding a little pinch of addiction to the contents of the box?
Of course one-up-man-ship is hardly a stranger to this same industry and since the FDA has never set limits to the allowable amount of MSG in processed food, we simply do not know how much of this substance we or our children ingest. MSG is linked to obesity, diabetes. migraines, autism, ADHD and even Alzheimer’s The prize for worst offender goes to Kentucky fried chicken. MSG is in that crunchy crispy crust and every dish they serve right down to the gravy. Than we have McDonald’s, proud sponsor of the 2010 Olympics, Wendy’s and yes Tim Horton’s coffee. Is the proof in the line-up at the drive through?
I looked for a can or package of soup that had no MSG and could not find any until I arrived at the organic section. I will list a few of the more common names for MSG to give you a head start. For a complete list; Google msg side effects.
Gelatin, Calcium Caseinate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) Textured Protein, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, Sodium Glutamate, Autolyzed Plant Protein, Yeast Nutrient, Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten, Natural Flavour, Artificial Flavour, Spice.
How about a nice veggie broth to settle your gut, after all the rotten tricks that are played on well believing consumers. It might be a little bland, but hey why not get addicted to additive free food? I did.
SPRING TONIC
2 cups carrots with tops
1 cl garlic
2 cups potato peelings (organic)
4 cups celery,
1 onion
2 qt. distilled water
½ tsp herbamare
Finely chop all veggies, and slowly bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and drink broth at room temperature.