Honest Umami MSG Flavour Boosts have arrived in the Deli this month and we are here to prove that their product is a great addition to your pantry. When you google MSG, the first suggested search that comes up is ‘Is MSG harmful?’ but we are here to tell you that it is not.

In the spirit of ‘every day is a school day’, we have done some research and have put together a little information sheet for you to read.

FIRSTLY…WHAT IS MSG?

MSG stands for “monosodium glutamate”. It’s a pure form of glutamate and is a natural flavour enhancer that makes your tasty foods even tastier. It is what is found naturally in foods like aged cheeses, tomatoes, mushrooms and soy sauce. In Honest Umami’s MSG flavouring, all of it is fully plant-based and is made with the process of fermenting vegetables, the same process used to make beer or wine.

MSG is not the product of some suspicious synthetic process. Originally, in the early 20th century, the most common source of MSG was seaweed. However, as seaweed is actually quite hard to harvest, it is now most common to source from soy beans or sugar beets. Honest Umami’s MSG flavouring is made from sugar beets.

Therefore, pure MSG is no different from the glutamates found in foods you are already eating. Your body cannot distinguish between the glutamates from a flavour boost or the ones found in your parmesan cheese.

HOW WAS MSG DISCOVERED?

MSG was first produced in 1908 by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda. His aim was to recreate the savoury taste found in his wife’s seaweed based broth. Ikeda managed to narrow the taste down to glutamic acid and figured out how to extract it from seaweed to recreate the taste in other broths and dishes. He named the flavour ‘umami’ and it became one of the five basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.

WHY DO PEOPLE AVOID MSG?

MSG has been the subject of misinformation for decades and has made people avoid it on the assumption that it is bad for you. However, there is no scientific data that proves MSG is the cause of the harmful side effects that people describe.

MSG contains significantly less sodium compared to table salt​ but can enhance the taste of saltiness while preserving palatability.

It has been used safely for centuries in many different cuisines and is classed as safe by the World Health Organization. Unfortunately, some of the unpleasant misinformation is connected to ignorant myths about Asian cuisine.

It is often found that those who claim to avoid MSG are actually consuming it every day, since it occurs naturally in so many foods.

HOW TO USE MSG?

A small amount of MSG goes a long way. Too much of it can overpower a dish.

The umami flavouring can be used across many dishes, from grilled meats, stir-fry, soups and even on your morning eggs (the chilli flavour boost is particularly good on this breakfast food).

Simply sprinkle some in dishes towards the end of cooking to intensify the taste of vegetables, meats, and sauces.

Or you can incorporate into you marinades to deepen the flavour of the protein.

ABOUT HONEST UMAMI

Honest Umami was set up by founders Rob, David and Bryn. Their aim is to inspire food lover and chefs around the world to use MSG as an essential ingredient in their dishes.

They are setting the record straight and debunking the myths that surround the ingredient.

They recommend “keeping a pot or two of Honest Umami out on the counter, near the hob or on shelves for foodies to turn up the flavour dial in people’s cooking!”

To learn more about MSG and Honest Umami, as well as find testimonies from top chef’s, head to their website.

If you are not local and would like any of the products highlighted in our blogs, please contact us. We can try to arrange to ship them to you. Please note: We ship to the UK only.