MSG

Ok so i get these really bad migraines(like i feel like my heads gonna explode and i get nauseous) at least once a week. A friend of mine told me that msg could cause you to get migraines allot so ive decided to try and cut it out for a while and see if that makes a difference. But how do you no if something has msg in it? any help would be really appreciated!

monosodium glutamate is the full name of MSG.  Hydrolyzed protein I think also contains MSG.  It's a salt of an amino acid normally found in protein but when it's by itself instead of covalently bound to other amino acids in a protein it does different stuff to our bodies.  My dad, brother, and I all get migraines from MSG although if it's a tiny amount (say less than a serving of bbq chips) then I'm usually ok.  MSG is in most canned soups, flavored chips, and packaged/processed food.  Some stuff I buy organic not so much b/c I specifically want to buy organic chicken broth but b/c it's the only one without MSG.

yup i get headaches from msg, and also from fake sugars like aspartame... i read labels obsessively!!!  doritos have msg, as well as a lot of other flavored chip type snacks.  on the plus side it's just another reason to stay away from them right?  ;)

 

I used to get migraines all the time! I hated it, and looking back, MSG foods were some triggers for me. Still are, but I am on a maintenence medicine which allows me to eat some foods I normally couldn't, just in moderation.

Ask your doctor about a maintence medicine. I am on topamax. I rarely ge tmigraines now. Also, it probably is best to stay away from foods with MSG in it anyways. I know chinese food is loaded with it!

msg is addative number (E)621, so if you see that number in the list of ingredients it is a good idea to stay clear of it.

It is generally possible to stay clear of it if you look at labels and don't eat too much processed food. One thing to be careful of is ingredients like instant chicken stock, or ready sauces etc which you might not think about as much.

Good luck, I hope that it helps get rid of your headaches. (other things that cause me problems are citrus fruit, especially oranges, which is something you might not realise is a trigger because it seems kind of strange)

thanks guys. i just wasnt sure what it would say in the ingredients? cause it doesnt list msg as one ya no lol. but yea ill deffenetly be looking at the ingredients more carefully now!

MSG effects my breathing and I get headaches. Take out Chinese food is high in MSG although you can request no MSG in your order. Some Chinese restaurants actually put it on their menu. NO MSG.

wow really i had no idea you could order it without msg! thats awsome. my bf loves chinese food... rice is his main food group lol so we order chinese like once a week. well at least he does

Cook your own food for a week from fresh ingredients and season it with a little pepper and a few herbs.  (Few people have a pot of MSG handy in their kitchen cupboards.)  Drink plenty of water... 2 litres a day.... so that you know you're not dehydrated (extremely common cause of headaches).  Avoid all processed foods and ban the takeaway.  It'll do the b/f good and save you some money at the same time.

I actually do cook at home for most of the week... except on tuesdays when i get off work at 430 and have to b at school by 6 then he usually just bring chinese home (i no not very healthy). i guess my main problem is lunch i usually go to the cafe and most of their food doesnt come with an ingedients list.

My hubby also get migranes when he has MSG - he also cannot have caffiene either, which means no chocolate, coffee, decaf coffee, tea, etc.  He also has a reaction to sea salt, so I suggest avoiding that too.

The things I commonly DON"T BUY because they have MSG are as follows:

Beef Broth, Chicken broth, cheaply made soy sauce, non-refriderated cheese - like american process cheese food slices, a variety of pre-made sauces like some bbq sauces, 99% of pork sausage, ramen noodles w/ seasoning packets, Doritos, most flavored potato chips, frozen dinners, canned soups - Campbell's tomato soup is the only flavor with no MSG - really, just about anything that's canned, and not organic. and not a vegetable, like canned corn.  The list is extensive.  We eat mostly homemade stuff, or places that say 'no MSG'. 

Also be wary of ingredients with 'spices', Hydrolyzed yeast extract.