Glutamates
A lot of people have heard about the additive MSG (monosodium glutamate) which is an example of a glutamate that can cause a range of issues such as head ache, tight chest, dry mouth, bring unable to sleep at night. If you think you react to MSG then you may also react to other glutamate additives and naturally occuring glutamates in foods.
Glutamate is an amino acid which can be an issue for some sensitive people.
All foods that contain protein will have glutamate bound into the protein- this is not an issue, only the free glutamates.
Glutamates in their free form are used to enhance flavour so it follows that foods such as soy sauce, stock cubes and liquid stock, cheese, tomato and many savoury snack foods that are so very tasty and bursting with flavour are naturally high in free glutamates and can be a nightmare if you have a glutamate sensitivity.
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Monosodium Glutamate or MSG (621) is glutamate that can exist naturally in foods or added to foods to enhance flavour.
Probably in response to the poor marketing profile of MSG, MSG has been removed from many foods, for example rice crackers, but natural MSG sources such as soy sauce powder are used instead as well as closely related glutamates that can cause the same reactions as MSG in sensitive people.
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If you react to MSG then you have a glutamate sensitivity and may react to glutamates that exist naturally in foods. In addition you may react to the other naturally occurring food chemicals: amines or histamines and salicylates.
Read more about salicylates and histamines (amines) to see if you feel you may have one of these sensitivities as well.​
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JOIN THE COMMUNITY: BRAND NEW Dietitian led Facebook group: Amines, Salicylates and Glutamates: The Food Intolerance Dietitian for great information and community support.