Can't Read Food Labels? You're Not Alone
A friend and I were just talking about food labels. Don't they drive you CRAZY? I hate it when I'm half-way through a bag/bottle/package of something that I think is 100 calories, and for some reason I look at the label a second time. Closer than the first time I glanced at it, right before I ripped it open and began to chow down...
Hmmm... There are HOW MANY servings in this bag/bottle/package??? What the heck? There are 2.5 servings in here? Does anyone out there actually have 1 and a 1/2 friends they share a snack with? If you do, will you please drop me a line (and a picture) telling me about that friend? Because I want to see that!
As reported in the November issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, dietary information presented in food labels may be "well beyond" individual's ability to understand, especially those with lower math skills.
In a study from June 2004 to April 2005, 200 primary-care patients (average age 43, 72% women) from a wide socioeconomic range, filled out a Nutrition Label Survey. The survey was designed with input from registered dietitians, primary care physicians, and authorities in health literacy and numeracy.
At first glance most patients (89%) felt the food labels were a snap. Yet on average, only 69% of them answered food-label questions correctly. And broken down, even that figure turned out to be misleading.
First the participants completed standardized math and reading tests; 68% of these individuals had some college education and 75% of them had at least a high school education.
Among these participants' results, 77% had at least 9th grade reading skills, but only 37% had 9th grade math skills. The results of the food label reading portion of this study reflected this math deficiency. For example, slightly less than 1/3 of the patients (32%) could calculate the number of grams of carbohydrate (67.5) consumed from a 20-ounce bottle of soda that contained 2.5 servings (total carbohydrates per serving = 27 grams).
Only 60% of patients could determine the number of carbohydrates consumed if they ate half a bagel, when the serving size was a whole bagel. In a summary of the nutrition questionnaire errors, the researchers said there were 970 errors in the subjects' responses to the first 12 items on the questionnaire. Frequent errors included misapplication of the serving size (325 errors), confusion due to extraneous material on the food label (369 errors), and incorrect calculation (276 errors).
Those individuals who did the best on the questionnaire tended to have a higher income and educational level, and to score better on the standardized tests for reading and math ability.
According to the researchers, the FDA is considering changes to food labels, with the aim of improving comprehension. In the meantime the researchers strongly recommend that individuals who need to understand food labels in order to self-manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure be referred to a registered dietitian for assistance. These health care professionals have the time, resources and training to assist patients to understand food labels.
If you feel that you have difficulty reading food labels and would like to improve your own understanding, ask your primary care provider to refer you to a clinical dietitian for assistance. It is usually paid for by insurance, as long as there is a documented reason, such as high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, high cholesterol levels, a need for weight loss or other documented concern.
Laurie
Related Topics: WebMD Video: Decode Labels and get Supermarket Savvy, Learn to Decipher "Nutrition Facts"
Technorati Tags: food labels, nutrition, weight loss
Hmmm... There are HOW MANY servings in this bag/bottle/package??? What the heck? There are 2.5 servings in here? Does anyone out there actually have 1 and a 1/2 friends they share a snack with? If you do, will you please drop me a line (and a picture) telling me about that friend? Because I want to see that!
As reported in the November issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, dietary information presented in food labels may be "well beyond" individual's ability to understand, especially those with lower math skills.
In a study from June 2004 to April 2005, 200 primary-care patients (average age 43, 72% women) from a wide socioeconomic range, filled out a Nutrition Label Survey. The survey was designed with input from registered dietitians, primary care physicians, and authorities in health literacy and numeracy.
At first glance most patients (89%) felt the food labels were a snap. Yet on average, only 69% of them answered food-label questions correctly. And broken down, even that figure turned out to be misleading.
First the participants completed standardized math and reading tests; 68% of these individuals had some college education and 75% of them had at least a high school education.
Among these participants' results, 77% had at least 9th grade reading skills, but only 37% had 9th grade math skills. The results of the food label reading portion of this study reflected this math deficiency. For example, slightly less than 1/3 of the patients (32%) could calculate the number of grams of carbohydrate (67.5) consumed from a 20-ounce bottle of soda that contained 2.5 servings (total carbohydrates per serving = 27 grams).
Only 60% of patients could determine the number of carbohydrates consumed if they ate half a bagel, when the serving size was a whole bagel. In a summary of the nutrition questionnaire errors, the researchers said there were 970 errors in the subjects' responses to the first 12 items on the questionnaire. Frequent errors included misapplication of the serving size (325 errors), confusion due to extraneous material on the food label (369 errors), and incorrect calculation (276 errors).
Those individuals who did the best on the questionnaire tended to have a higher income and educational level, and to score better on the standardized tests for reading and math ability.
According to the researchers, the FDA is considering changes to food labels, with the aim of improving comprehension. In the meantime the researchers strongly recommend that individuals who need to understand food labels in order to self-manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure be referred to a registered dietitian for assistance. These health care professionals have the time, resources and training to assist patients to understand food labels.
If you feel that you have difficulty reading food labels and would like to improve your own understanding, ask your primary care provider to refer you to a clinical dietitian for assistance. It is usually paid for by insurance, as long as there is a documented reason, such as high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, high cholesterol levels, a need for weight loss or other documented concern.
Laurie
Primary source: American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Source reference:
Rothman, RL, et al, "Patient Understanding of Food Labels: The Role of Literacy and Numeracy," American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2006; 31 (5): doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2006.07.025
Source reference:
Rothman, RL, et al, "Patient Understanding of Food Labels: The Role of Literacy and Numeracy," American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2006; 31 (5): doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2006.07.025
Related Topics: WebMD Video: Decode Labels and get Supermarket Savvy, Learn to Decipher "Nutrition Facts"
Technorati Tags: food labels, nutrition, weight loss
24 Comments:
Like everyone else I have a hard time reading nutritional labels - and I have a Master's degree and should be able to do the math! But let's be honest, the companies selling the products are trying to confuse us into thinking foods have lower calorie counts than they do. Who do I write to to complain? Congress? The FDA? The company?
What's equally important about reading labels is that you are able to spot monosodium glutamate (MSG) even when it's hidden. It is causing a multitude of symptoms, unbeknownst to most people. Some of the symptoms are: Numbness or paralysis, Swelling of hands, feet, face, Mitral valve prolapse, Arrhythmias or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (which can lead to stroke), Rise or drop in blood pressure (a fluctuation), Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), Angina, Heart palpitations (change in heart beat, or irregularities, such as atrial fibrillation), Shuddering, shaking, chills, Tendinitis and joint pain, TMJ, Arthritic-like pain Muscle aches - legs, back, shoulders, neck, Flu-like symptoms, Stiffness - jaw, muscles, Heaviness of arms, legs, Mental dullness, depression, Dizziness, light headedness, Disorientation, mental confusion, bi-polar, Anxiety or panic attacks, Hyperactivity, especially in children, Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.), Behavioral problems - delinquency, rage, and hostility, Feelings of inebriation, Balance problems, Mouth lesions, sores, Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting, Stomach cramps and gas, Irritable bowel, colitis, and/or constipation, Swelling of/or painful rectum, Spastic colon, Extreme thirst, Water retention and bloating, Abdominal discomfort, Asthma symptoms, Shortness of breath, Chest pain, Tightness of chest, Runny nose and sneezing, Bronchitis-like symptoms, Hoarseness, sore throat, Chronic cough, Gagging reflex, Skin rash - hives, itching, rosacea-like reaction, Mouth lesions, small waxy bits in throat, tonsils, Tingling numbness on face, ears, arms, legs, or feet, Flushing, tingling, burning sensation in face or chest, Extreme dryness of mouth, "cotton mouth", or irritated tongue, Aching teeth, Seizures, tremors, Loss of memory, Dark circles or bags under eyes, face swelling, Urological problems, nocturia, uncontrollable bladder or swelling of prostate, Difficulty focusing, Pressure behind eyes, Lethargy, Sleeping disorders - insomnia or drowsiness (chronic fatigue), Migraine headaches - facial or temporal Eye symptoms - tired or burning eyes to blurry vision, optic neuritis, Neurological diseases: ALS, Parkinson's, M.S., Burning sinuses, broken sinus capillaries, Prostate, infertility, thyroid problems, Gastro esophgeal reflux, Ear problems - tinnitus or Meniere's Disease, Cartilage, connective tissue damage, Gall bladder or gall bladder like problems, Hematuria Syndrome, Gout-like condition (usually knees), Kidney pain - Loin Pain.
MSG is an “excitotoxin” or neurotoxin because of its degenerative and deadly effects on the brain and nervous system. Neurons are over stimulated to the point of exhaustion and cell death. MSG is not a naturally occurring substance. It’s man-made from glutamic acid, which is an amino acid found in all complete proteins.
Food Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG:
Autolyzed Yeast
Calcium Caseinate
Corn Oil
Gelatin
Glutamate
Glutamic acid
Glutavene
Glutacyl
Gourmet powder
HVP
Hydrolyzed (any) Protein
Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
Kombu extract
Monosodium Glutamate
Monopotassium glutamate
Natrium glutamate
Plant Protein Extract
RL-SO
Sodium Caseinate
Textured protein
Textured Protein (Including TVP)
Vetsin
Yeast Extract
Yeast Food
Yeast nutrient
Zest
Additives that very often contain MSG or create it in processing
Bouillon
Broth
Carrageenan
Citric acid
Disodium guanylate
Disodium inosinate
Enzymes (anykind)
Fermented (anything)
Flavors/Flavoring
Low fat and no fat milk products often
include milk solids that contain MSG
Malted Barley
Malt Extract or flavoring
Natural Flavors/Flavoring
Natural Beef, pork or Chicken Flavoring
Pectin
Protease/enzymes
protein fortified (any)
Soy protein, protein isolate or concentrate
Soy sauce
Stock
Seasonings
Spices
Vegetable broth or protein
Whey protein, protein isolate or concentrate
Ultra pasteurized
L-cysteine & aspartame are also neurotoxic amino acids
Most disturbing is the fact that MSG is also being sprayed on fruits, vegetables and nuts, i.e. in California - on tomatoes, almonds, apricots, cherries, plums, nectarines, peaches, prunes, grapes (including grapes to be used in wine), melons, onions celery, cucumbers, edible navy and pinto beans, onions, bell and jalapeno peppers, iceberg head lettuce, romaine lettuce, peanuts, potatoes, snap beans, strawberries, watermelons, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards, turnips, rutabaga, mustard, watercress, and kohlrabi . So even trying to eat a diet of whole and natural foods is not a solution either.
Do your own research at www.msgmyth.com
Wow! If MSG is so devatating AND so ubiquitous, I'm surprised that we're all not crippled zombies. This rant sounds like some stuff that I've read about sucralose (Splenda) -- another scourge foisted upon us by the evil trolls of the military/industrial/food manufacturing conspiracy.
How about a rebuttal (or at least a comment) from a qualified scientist?
It isn't just that food labels are hard to intepret, the serving size is set by the USDA and they base it on the "common amount consumed" versus something a little more sensible. For instance, one ounce of unsweetened cereal is about 100 calories. Yet the label serving size is based on 150 calories or 60 or some other number that makes the item look good. A cup of water may be 8 fliud ounces, but a cup of coffee is 6! Remeber way back when; a bottle of Coke was 6 ounces, but Seven Up was 7. Then Coke went to 12, 16, 32, 64, then switched to metric, 1/2 liter, 1 and 2 liter. A serving size should still be about 6-8 ounces 1/3-1/4 of a liter. Labels would be easier if one value was constant and then we could learn to make proper adjustments.
I would just wish they would print the damb word in a list of possible alergic substances on the lables. I am very allergic to MSG and suffer seizures from it and thus the chemical has become a pain in the but for me !
I've been reading labels on the foods I eat since I was young. What's so difficult about it? If you can do simple math and know how to use a measuring cup it is quite easy to understand what you are eating. It's not our goverments job to tell us what to eat. It is our responsibility to take care of ourselves.
My son doesn't digest lactose well. It's his responsibility (at 12) to eat only foods that he can digest. He will read ingredients and labels. It's not rocket science! My 12 year old can read labels and make sense of them. What is wrong with the adults in the country who can't figure these things out?
Please don't pay attention to the MSG rant. Most of it is simply not true. Monosodium Glutamate is a substance that is found naturally in some foods, and most people's bodies metabolize in the same way as any other glutamate. While it is true that some people are sensitive to it (not allergic - true food allergies are protein-based), most people are not. Keep in mind that some people are sensitive or allergic to corn, or dairy, or gluten in bread. No one would say that these substances are inherently harmful. Neither is MSG.
Monosodium Glutamate MUST be included in ingredient statements if it is present. The list that was provided is utterly ridiculous. If MSG is there, it's labeled by law.
However, if a person is sensitive to MSG, they may also be sensitive to similar naturally ocurring substances. The only two that I see worth mentioning are autolyzed yeast extract and hydrolyzed protein. These are not MSG, but those are sensitive to MSG should watch out for these ingredients as well.
Frankly, I'm tired of junk science crackpots demonizing perfectly good ingredients. I have a bottle of MSG in my spice drawer that I add to soup sometimes if I want a fuller, meatier flavor. It's actually really tasty stuff. If I was sensitive to it, I wouldn't use it. Just like if I was lactose intolerant, I wouldn't drink milk or eat ice cream. Everyone's body is different, and you have to take responsibilty for your own.
There was a big story on CBN (christian broadcast network) about the harmful effects of MSG and how it is hidden in the food under different names..Of course, the big companies don't want you to see it..it's in all campbells' soups...and all snack foods..i looked in my pantry every food in there has it in it...croutons, ranch dressing, chip dip..little doses are one thing when it's in everything you eat that has to be harmful...check out your pantry - they said it triggers your taste buds to eat more more more.. i had an upper GI done years ago as i thought i was dying...it was from the msg in chinese food and chex mix and bouillon and the seasoned salt i had been eating..when i quit eating it-the doubled over pain went away. so it is real!
To the person above who says that MSG are harmless, what is your profession? The problem is that they hide it under different names that you don't know what you are eating. So it is not plain that its in there "by law"
Anonamous: I totally agree with those complaints against the ones misleading the public! Lets advocate against the marketers for their greed! Lets inform the public as non-profit with groups and billboards.
I am 27 years old and I have a diagnosed severe allergy (since age 5)to artificial sweetners, especially aspartame. My non-severe symptoms after minimal exposure (inhaling carcinogen from airborn powders such as kool-aid or crystal lite, or even some medicines that have to be reconstituted) are severe headache, nausea and vomiting, itchy throat, dry mouth, light headedness, blurry vision. My severe symptoms (direct ingested exposure to carcinogen limited to even one sip of diet soda)include cough, difficulty talking, wheezing, labored and painful breathing, disorientation, and most seriously, inablility to breath causing DEATH without medical intervention.
You may be one of the lucky people who has never suffered a severe allergic reaction and may view the above mentioned information about food additives to be bunk and overly cautious hypochondriacs. I urge you , let me say it again, I URGE YOU, these symptoms and conditions ARE real, and ARE documented. I have spent numerous hours in Emergency Rooms with severe symptoms, receiving Epinepherine shots, oxygen, breathing treatments (albuterol), and IV therapy including steroids.
Food labels and nutritional information are more ambiguous and harder for me to decifer every day with the development and use of new additives for foods and other ingested substances on the rise in our culture.
I have to be so careful, religiously reading every label, even with items like tooth paste, mouthwash, gum, chapstick, and OTC medications.
My diagnosing reaction was at the age of 5 from chewing Care-Free Sugarless gum. My worst reaction was in 2003, from the accidental ingestion of Diet Coke, served to me mistakenly in a Restaurant. My husband (or whomever I'm with), has to taste test all of my beverages when ordering fountain drinks, and I am the annoying guest at the restaurant that makes the server ask the chef everything in every dish I order.
In closing, please don't be so quick to judge. You are welcome to your opinion and beliefs, and as Americans, we are freely able to express our opinion, a precious and rare right to many other cultures and nations in this world.
All I ask is just take a moment to consider how drastically your life would change if you had to read every label, ask every annoying question, go to the ER everytime you brushed your teeth, chewed a piece of gum, or drank a diet soda. Further, consider the blessing of an effortless and relaxing deep breath you are able to take 16-20 times a minute, every minute of every day.
"Sugarless Allergy" -- THANK YOU! I have been suffering from numerous health issues for some time, and they've been getting worse.
Numbness in one leg
"hazy" thinking
water retention
loss of balance
ETC>
I attributed these symptoms to age?
Blood sugar levels?
Stress?
everything except Aspartame! (Nutrasweet/Equal)
I was ingesting a LOT of Aspartame along with my weight-loss diet...
Someone brought up the topic on a diet group I belong to. So I checked it out. YIKES! I Googled for "Aspartame warnings" and read for 10 minutes and got really scared.
I am NOT a "tree-hugging/greenie/vegan/radical who sees the 'sky is falling' " every time I look around!
I quit the Aspartame 2 days ago, and can already notice a HUGE difference!
Barbara
ps. The United States Air Force, in 1996, released orders to all their pilots NOT to ingest Aspartame in any form before flying. (because it's been PROVEN to "dull the senses".)
what do we do about a burning sensation in the hand that intensifies when not in ice. We are pretty sure it was onset when cutting jalapenos.
YOU PROBABLY HEARD THIS BY OTHER PEOPLES POST BUT-I DO A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SIT UPS EVERYDAY-AND I HAVE ACID REFLUX-MOSTLY A LARGE AMOUNT OF GAS AS WELL!! IM A WELL CONDITIONED ATHLETE AND CAN RUN FOR MILES AND I HAVE A FINE HEARTBEAT-@TIMES ONCE IN A BLUE MOON IF I GET HUGE GAS WHILE IM BENDING OVER OR EXERCISING OR IF I JUMP UP IN THE AIRR IN A ERATIC MOTION I WILL FEEL THE GAS COME UP AND IT WILL PUT MY HEARTBEAT TO RACE INSAINLY!!! IS THIS HEARD OF?? IS IT NORMAL?? I KNOW A FEW PEOPLE THAT GET IT BUT NOT MANY-I TALKED TO MY DOCTOR AND HE TOLD ME THAT A SMALL SECRET THAT ACID REFLUX DOES MESS WITH THE HEARTBEAT AT TIMES-NOT INCLUDING ANXIETY!! MY QUESTION IS IF IT ODES MESS WITH THE HEART BEAT-IS IT PUTTING STRAIN ON IT, AND IS IT DANGEROUS?? OR IS THIS NORMAL AND ITS JUST RHYTHM DISTURBANCE>??? I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WHEN I EAT A HUGE CARB MEALS ON AN EMPTY STOMACH MY HEART BEATS STRONG-NOT FAST BUT VERY HEAVY UNTILL MY STOMACH SETTLES!! I HAVE BEEN TAKING PRILOSEC AND IT HAS BEEN HELPING ME ALOT-WITH THE ACID AND IM NOT AWARE OF MY HEARTBEAT AS MUCH!!! ANY POST WILL HELP ME THANX!!!
Sugarless Allergy I fell your pain!!! I'm not quite to the point you are at with the allergies but I'm pretty bad. Aspartame and Sucralose(I think that's the other name for Splenda) are in so many products now!!!! I live at my college for most of the year but when I go home for break I have to go to the store and buy a second set of groceries from what my family has in the house so I know I can eat. Being at school isn't much better. I live with a girl who is diabetic so there is all kinds of diet/artifical sugar filled foods in the house. We have to make sure EVERYTHING is label so she doesn't get into my foods and I don't get into hers. At least she can take some insulin if she gets into my food!!!
HEY MSG ADVOCATE...I HAVE NEWS FORYOU ON YOUR COMMENT WHEN YOU STATED "While it is true that some people are sensitive to it (not allergic - true food allergies are protein-based), most people are not. Keep in mind that some people are sensitive or allergic to corn, or dairy, or gluten in bread. No one would say that these substances are inherently harmful. Neither is MSG." MSG IS GLUTEN HOT SHOT!! MYSELF AND 4 SMALL CHILDREN HAVE CELIAC DISEASE WHICH IS AN ALLERGY TO GLUTEN...MSG IS ON THAT LIST, NON-SUGAR SWEETNERS ARE ALSO ON THAT LIST...NOT JUST GLUTEN IN BREAD.
CLEARLY YOU ARE NOT A DOCTOR OTHERWISE YOU WOULD NOT HAVE POSTED THAT COMMENT AND YOU WOULD KNOW A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT GLUTEN IS AND WHAT IT DOES TO PEOPLE. I HAVE CHANGED MY PROFESSION FROM MORTGAGE UNDERWRITING FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS AND I AM BECOMING A DOCTOR BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE MORE PEOPLE AWARE OF CELIAC AND MAKE SURE MORE PEOPLE ARE PROPERLY DIAGNOSED. i AM ALSO OPENING UP MY OWN NON-PROFIT FOR CELIAC SUFFERERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE GAS PROBLEMS, SUGARLESS SWEETNER PROBLEMS AND MSG PROBLEMS, YOU CAN DO A COUPLE THINGS TO SEE IF YOU ARE CELIAC OR GLUTEN INTOLLERANT. FIRST, JUST CUT GLUTEN OUT OF YOUR DIET (BEWARE THE LIST IS LONG...BUT IT IS VERY EASY TO LOOK UP..(GLUTEN FOODS AND DRUGS TO AVOID), SECOND GET A BLOOD TEST...IF THE BLOOOD TEST SHOWS NEGETIVE THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE IT THE ONLY TRUE WAY TO TEST IT IS TO HAVE AN ENDOSCOPIC BIOPSY DONE ON YOUR INTESTINES OR STOMACHE... THE ONLY CURE FOR IT IS GLUTEN FREE DIET AND EXERCISE AND IF THE PAIN GETS TO TOLLERABLE AT TIMES, MEDICATION FOR PAIN BUT FOR THE MOST PART IF YOU EXERCISE AND COMPLETELY AVOID GLUTEN YOU FEEL LIKE A MILLION BUCKS, WELL MOST OF THE TIME!
HOPE THIS HELPS, GOOD LUCK AND MAY YOU ALL BE BLESSED WITH GOOD HEALTH! AND MSG ADVOCATE IF YOU ARE ALREADY BLESSED WITH HELP, MAY YOU BE BLESSED WITH KNOWLEDGE AND HUMILITY!!
Re: Athlete with gas & racing heart
Check out hiatal hernia. The women in my family suffer from this. I am also athletic. My symptoms were brought on when I lifted something heavy. Gassy stomach brought on by coffee, stress, gassy foods travels into chest cavity, causing chest pressure and possibly pain. My mother gets a racing heart at night when sleeping on her side & pressing against this hernia. This is also in association with acid reflux. My doctor treated me with an acid reflux medicine which immediately helped. However, I am extremely careful not to aggravate the problem by any exercise that pulls on my chest wall. When you lift weight out in front of your body, do pull ups or carry heavy objects this can happen. Carry objects to your side instead. Be very aware during weight lifting & push-ups. Hope this helps.
From the time I was an infant till I turned 8,I threw-up every night.I would feel mildly better during the day,but every night came the horrible headaches and vomiting.My mother was at her wits end.We were new in town and had to find a new Doc.Thank God we did!She asked my mom what it was she fed me when I would get sick.She answered"campbells chicken noodle soup."The Doc. told her to cut out anything with MSG.By the next week I was like a new kid!Since then I've noticed the different ways MSG will affect me.Migrains are the biggest problem.Shakiness,tingling in my fingers,rapid heart beat,and thats only after an hour of eating it!My daughter is also very intolerant of it to.Anyone who has had to deal with this condition knows the pain it can cause.MSG is a poison!!!!
To all of you that also suffer aspartame allergies, I was told by a friend that I had PKU, Phenylketonuria, which is a genetic disease caused by the body's inability to process phenylalanine. I thought that it was odd that I don't have any other symptoms of PKU, but I thought maybe I just had a mild case, until I became pregnant for the second time, and discovered that children with PKU often become mentally incapable. (My first child also suffers from an allergy to sugar substitutes, and she is extremely intelligent) And I discovered that they test your blood while you are a little baby for PKU. You have all helped me because I thought that I was alone in having a severe allergy to a sugar substitute, without having PKU. Although, the one thing that does help when reading labels is checking for the PKU symbol, or warning, because often it will tell you what foods to avoid (being those with the warning label for PKU). I hope this helps.
FYI, I don't exhibit many of the symptoms that some severe cases do, however, I tend to break out in hives, and my throat swells so that I can't breathe. Yes, there are actually aspartame allergies out there, to those of you who doubt, try having a 4 year old whose throat is closing and you have no way to calm them down because you can't fix it, all you can do is go to the ER and pray that you make it in time.
Hello all. I am a Food major in college, and my stepfather is severly allergic to MSG. I have not only witnessed the many adverse affects that MSG can have on someone who IS allergic, but also the effects on those who are not allergic to MSG. It can cause blockage of neurotransmitters in the brain, (which are the connections that help us to think), as well as many, MANY health problems later on in one who is not allergic. MSG is used by the food companies to make foods more addicting, this is TRUE! To those of you who feel that you know more than the rest of us, PLEASE LOOK IT UP before deciding on your own that you know everything. Also, you must understand that since there are SO MANY DOCUMENTED CASES of food allergies, they must be real! My best friend is a Nutritionist, and she can tell you just how real food allergies are. My sister was an EMT, she could tell you how often that they had to rush someone to the ER for a severe food allergy. If you need more convincing, both my mother and my sister-in-law are nurses, and they have both seen their fill of people with severe food allergies, so whoever you think you are, DO YOUR RESEARCH, because these people are NOT hypochondriacs, their allergies are REAL!!!
The second reply had some very good points about what MSG could cause. I am not an expert but I have been diagnosed with bipolar [disorder]for the past 17 years and read everything I can on the subject. I have never heard of it being caused by MSG or it causing an episode. None of my doctors over the years have ever mentioned this fact either. I just didn't want anyone coming to this site to think they could catch bipolar disorder from what they ate. It is mainly genes and experiences in life that cause it.
I took have a severe reaction to aspartame...discovered when I was a kid - getting diet sodas from my grandmother's cabinet. The cabinet also held her liquor, and at first, my family thought I was getting into that instead. For me, one diet soda is like drinking a whole bottle of whiskey. I get disoriented, numb, have trouble walking & talking, and it's all followed by a horrible headache. I too fear fountain sodas, because you never can tell if they pressed the right button. FYI: Crystal Light has WAY MORE aspartame in it than a diet soda. STAY AWAY if you're allergic. (Discovered on the first day I met my mother-in-law. She's a diabetic.)
1.
MSG does NOT contain gluten! MSG is Monosodium Glutamate- sodium, glutamic acid (the most common amino acid in nature) and a little bit of water. That's all!
It is made by fermentation of sugar by microorganisms.
2.
Food "allergies" are caused by incompletely digested proteins being absorbed by the body. Glutamic acid is an amino acid that you own body produces at a rate of ~30g per day! It is essential for proper functioning of the body. The typical American consumes ~0.5g MSG/day - and, considering that ~20% of MSG is sodium (much lower than salt by the way), that adds up to 0.4g glutamate. There are many countries in Europe and Asia that consume much more MSG than do folks in the US.
Protein broken down by digestion liberates glutamate at much higher levels than that!
There are even a lot of natural foods that contain a lot of free glutamate.
Any reactions that people might have that they atribute to MSG could very well have another source in the food - preservatives, additives, flavor chemicals, whatever.
I do have a problem with reading the food labels, but it is not the calories, fats, etc. I think that manufacturers should print them in larger ink.
To the mother, and children who have CD. I was diagnosed with CD (Celiac Disease) almost a year ago. I have learned how to read labels and what to look for, when I can see them. There is so much "hype" about what is okay and what is not okay to eat. MSG and non-suger sweeteners do not contain gluten. If their family is having problems with these types of foods, then they may have an additional sensitivity to MSG and non-sugar sweeteners. The gluten must be digested for CD sufferers to have the auto-immune reaction. CD causes an auto-immune reaction in the body and it will react the same way to CD as it does a cold, elimiating the threat to the body, in the process it will destory our ability to disgest our food.
Bloggers feel free to review what CD is and who might have it at celiac.org, or for acceptable food, and forbidden (yes I said forbidden) foods, go to celiac.com. Celiacs from all over the world will be on celiac.com for information on everything from first diagnosis to 20 years and still livin.
For everyone out there, if you would like to assist in the fight to improve our labeling laws, please go to celiac.org. They are fighting for better labeling for all of us who really need to know what is in our food.
For my fellow celiac, and eventually doctor. I commend you and thank you on your aspirations to help people like me. It took 15 long years for my diagnosis.
As I continue to heal, I do feel like a million bucks! I am no longer "tired and sick" of being "sick and tired". I too thought that I could not eat MSG. I spoke with my doctor regarding MSG and maltodextrin, they do not contain gluten. This does not mean that a celiac won't have an intolerance to it anyway. I am wondering what kind of non-profit you are opening? Where will it be located in this world?
I would also like to point out that CD is an inherited disease. If you feel that you might have it, check with your family, they may have it too.
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