Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 Several products do use tamari, another ingredient that contains a small amount of free glutamate, but tamari is usually not problematic for consumers in the same way that yeast extract can be, possibly due to the process used to create tamari.
The "no hidden ingredients" claim that currently appears on some Amy's Kitchen products, we were told, is currently being phased in across the Amy's Kitchen product line and will be appearing on more products soon. The lack of such a descriptive claim on any current Amy's Kitchen product in no way means the product contains hidden ingredients, Mr. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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 While technically MSG is only one of several forms of free glutamate used in foods, consumers frequently use the term MSG to mean all free glutamate. For this reason, the FDA considers foods whose labels say "No MSG" or "No Added MSG" to be misleading if the food contains ingredients that are sources of free glutamates, such as hydrolyzed protein.
The Fix
If you suspect you have an adverse reaction to MSG, avoid the food sources at home and in restaurants. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 This ingredient has only one purpose in foods: To deliver free glutamic acid, or free glutamate, to your tongue. The idea is to mimic the chemistry and function of monosodium glutamate, or MSG, an ingredient that has been classified as an excitotoxin. Most people know to avoid MSG because they've been warned about the detrimental effects of this ingredient on the nervous system and especially the dangers to children and infants. But what a lot of natural food makers do is hide this free glutamate in their foods in another innocent-sounding ingredient: Yeast extract. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| Yet it contains free glutamate, and for many people, it has the same effect as MSG -- migraine headaches, chemical taste enhancement and harm to the nervous system according to doctors like Russell Blaylock, author of Excitotoxins.
Editors' Note: This story has been updated with new information from Amy's Kitchen. In response to this story and considerable reader response, Amy's Kitchen has committed to attempting to reformulate their foods to remove yeast extract entirely. You can read the complete details of this new update at http://www.newstarget.com/021674. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| Background information: Yeast extract contains from 6% - 12% MSG (or "free glutamate") and is used by food companies who want to add an MSG-like taste experience to their foods without using MSG on the label. It causes extreme headaches in some people, and according to Dr. Russell Blaylock, the author of Excitotoxins, MSG is damaging to the brain, nervous system, endocrine system and even promotes obesity by interfering with appetite regulation. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 He says that many of them have free glutamate, or MSG, in them, and I've definitely observed that to be true. For example, most of the vegetarian beef jerky products, or the textured vegetable protein products, contain yeast extract, MSG or some other kind of chemical taste-enhancer.
I've also received literally hundreds of emails from readers asking my opinion on soy and whether I'm aware of some of the nutritional dangers of relying too much on soy. |
Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
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 If we consume diets high in free glutamate or aspartate, we risk serious brain damage. And if we happen to carry the gene for a high risk of Alzheimer's disease, elevated levels of blood glutamate from a bad diet may be just the trigger that is needed to initiate the disease. The same is true for Parkinson's disease and ALS.
Aging makes us susceptible to other threats, as well. Our brain depends on a steady supply of glucose to function. While it can use other fuels to a limited extent, glucose is its main fuel. |
| The tomato sauce alone is high in naturally derived free glutamate. When you add this to a liberal helping of MSG, you have a very neurotoxic mix. Add to that a twenty-ounce diet drink and you can see why we are having problems with obesity. Our children have become lab rats.
Juvenile Diabetes and MSG Intake
One of the most devastating things that can happen to a child is to develop diabetes early in life. These children are insulin-dependent, and often spend much of their lives in an emergency room or hospital bed. |
| Of special concern are soy-based formulas, since they too are high in free glutamate as well as phytoestrogens.
One of MSG's more alarming properties is its affect on anger. Researchers who injected MSG in microscopic concentrations into the hypothalami of test animals' brains were able to produce intense rage reactions in the subjects232—a not-unexpected effect since the hypothalamus is an integral part of the brain's limbic system, the complex of nuclei concerned with emotional elaboration. |
| By artificially adding very high concentrations of free glutamate to food, blood glutamate levels in most people are far higher than were ever intended, taxing the ability of the protective gatekeeper. If blood levels remain high, the glutamate can gradually seep into the brain past the gatekeeper, creating havoc.214
Also, some areas of the brain—the circumventricular organs—are not protected by the blood-brain barrier. |
| Many of the liquid nutritional diets given to hospitalized stroke patients contain substantial levels of free glutamate and/or aspartate. Even as they start to recover, stroke patients are often fed foods containing the additive MSG. This not only increases the likelihood for increased brain injury, but also increases the likelihood of a seizure.
Because of brain swelling caused by the stroke or pre-existing hypertension, many of these patients are given powerful diuretics. To combat swelling, neurosurgeons and neurologists will also resort to the use of steroids. |
George R. Schwartz
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 Glutamate in Stroke
High levels of free glutamate in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, that is, brain fluid, are released in patients with stroke. This is the basis for the use of experimental antiglutamate treatments. The first 24 hours seem to be most important if the stroke is progressive while for a stable/contained stroke the first six hours show elevation in glutamate. With the increased awareness of neurotoxic effects of free glutamate, patients with strokes should receive low free glutamate diets to assist in reducing neurologic deterioration. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| But what a lot of natural food makers do is hide this free glutamate in their foods in another innocent-sounding ingredient: Yeast extract.
This ingredient is so common in the natural health industry that it's difficult to actually find what I call "clean natural foods" in the frozen food section of any health food store in this country. One food after another contains yeast extract that functions almost like monosodium glutamate. That is its only purpose in these foods. I personally, have a very sensitive glutamate detector in my body. |
| Since I know the people of Amy's Kitchen will eventually read this review, I strongly urge them to avoid any chemical taste enhancers in the future, especially yeast extract or any free glutamate derivative, because that would be a violation of the trust that the company has built up with consumers after all these years. You see, consumers who know what they are buying actually read the ingredients, and consumers who really know what they are doing know to look out for chemicals like yeast extract. |
| I believe, and the research clearly shows, that yeast extract has no purpose other than enhancing the taste of foods through the delivery of free glutamate to the consumer's tongue. That's the only purpose of this ingredient, and more often than not, it is used to make foods that would normally taste bland appear more exciting to the consumer. It also saves manufacturers money because they don't have to actually buy fresh spices. Instead, they can just throw some yeast extract into the mix, and it will taste good to people who don't know any better. |
Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
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| I am unaware of any studies looking for mutagenicity, yet numerous studies have shown that MSG, free glutamate and other excitotoxins produce enormous amounts of free radicals in tissues—which are a major cause of cancer induction in tissues and organs. By consuming foods on a daily basis that are high in excitotoxic additives, we would certainly expect high levels of free radicals and lipid peroxidation in numerous tissues. Again, no one has looked at the possible association. |
Mike Adams
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 MSG and cancer
Numerous studies have shown that MSG, free glutamate and other excitotoxins produce enormous amounts of free radicals in tissues - which are a major cause of cancer induction in tissues and organs. By consuming foods on a daily basis that are high in excitotoxic additives, we would certainly expect high levels of free radicals and lipid peroxidation in numerous tissues.
- Russell Blaylock, M.D. |
Walter Last
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 Aged proteins, processed meat, cheeses, and tomato purees have higher levels of free glutamate as well, but fresh tomatoes are fine. All of these products containing excititox-ins should be avoided by sensitive individuals and their use minimized by others.
Water Chlorination: Chlorination of our drinking water is yet another instance of an added substance (chlorine) that is detrimental to our health. Besides microorganisms in the water, all other organic matter present will be chlorinated. |
Healing Children's Attention & Behavior DisordersDr. Abram Hoffer, M.D., FRCP(C)
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| Glutamate is present in commercial soups which may contain up to 1,300 mg of free glutamate per 6 oz cup. A twenty pound baby eating one cup would get 130 mg per kg of body weight. The toxic dose for immature mice is 250-500 mg per kg. This is too small a margin of safety. But humans are 5 times more sensitive than mice and 20 times more sensitive than monkeys to brain damage from glutamate. Aspartame is equally toxic in destroying brain neurones. These exotoxins are being examined for their possible role in causing degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Huntington disease. |
George R. Schwartz
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| With the increased awareness of neurotoxic effects of free glutamate, patients with strokes should receive low free glutamate diets to assist in reducing neurologic deterioration.47
Helping the Heart, Hurting the Brain
The observation that glutamate infusion may aid in the recovery of the heart from cardiac surgery and ischemia indicates its ability to stimulate the heart.48 In a normal state this may relate to the precipitation of
Davalos A, Castillo J, Serena J, Noya M: Duration of glutamate release after acute ischemic stroke. Stroke, 28(4):708-10,1997. |
The Life Extension Editorial Staff
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 Red meat, processed meat, cheeses, and tomato puree have higher levels of free glutamate as well. Fresh tomatoes ate fine. All ptocessed foods should be avoided by persons with Parkinson's disease.
Food Allergies
Undetected food allergies and chemical sensitivities contribute to the development of many degenerative diseases. Additionally, we know that the intestinal tract becomes increasingly inefficient with advancing age and degenerative diseases, as well as from allergic inflammation, aspirin use, and absorption of endotoxins and partially digested food as noted earlier. |
George R. Schwartz
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| With the increased awareness of neurotoxic effects of free glutamate, patients with strokes should receive low free glutamate diets to assist in reducing neurologic deterioration.47
Helping the Heart, Hurting the Brain
The observation that glutamate infusion may aid in the recovery of the heart from cardiac surgery and ischemia indicates its ability to stimulate the heart.48 In a normal state this may relate to the precipitation of
Davalos A, Castillo J, Serena J, Noya M: Duration of glutamate release after acute ischemic stroke. Stroke, 28(4):708-10,1997. |
Ruth Winter
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 This report made the FDA propose that foods containing significant amounts of free glutamate (not bound in protein along with other ammo acids) declare glutamate on the label. GRAS status has continued since 1980 while tests were being completed and evaluated. MONOSODIUM METHYLARSONATE • Arsonate Liquid. Weed-E-Rad. An herbicide used on animal feed and cottonseed hulls. FDA residue limit is 0.9 ppm in cottonseed hulls when used for animal feed. Arsenic and its compounds are on the Community Right-To-Know List and in the EPA Genetic Toxicology Program (see both). Moderately toxic by ingestion. |
George R. Schwartz
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| The Mystery of Free Amino Acids in Human Milk
An argument proposed by the Glutamate Association (and their aliases) for the safety of glutamate is that mother's milk contains free glutamate. Once again, quantity is overlooked by those advocates of excitotoxicity. For example, while arsenic is present naturally in the soil, it doesn't mean 1000 times the amount in soil is safe. One analysis33 showed free glutamic acid at an average level of 1750 millionth moles/liter, which converts into a total quantity of almost one one-hundredth of a teaspoon of MSG in a quart. |
Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
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 For example, the discussion on effects on the developing brain were severely deficient, especially in light of their finding of very high levels of free glutamate in some infant feeding formulas. I go into much more detail in Chapter four of this book.
I am also puzzled by the lack of data on actual amounts of glutamate added to processed foods. While several questionable studies on total consumption are cited, it seems to me to be a simple matter to obtain from each industry the actual amounts of glutamate and related excitotoxins that are being added to the foods at the time of processing. |
George R. Schwartz
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| This "free glutamate" is not attached to other amino acids. Thus, the normally slow breakdown process is bypassed because there are no "peptide" linkages to slow the process. The sudden increase in glutamic acid within the body is rapidly absorbed and can raise the normal blood level of glutamate to eight or ten times or even twenty times its usual amount.
Chapter Six MSG: Bad Taste
We have no problem with a consumer's right to know if the product he or she is buying contains MSG. But then, everything should be labeled, since there are many ingredients that pose afar greater risk than MSG. |
Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
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| Remember, free glutamate in the extracellular space can kill the neurons. This removal process occurs very rapidly under normal conditions.
Loss of the glutamate transporter is a specific defect thus far seen only in ALS. Dr. Rothstein found that when he applied a drug known to block the glutamate transporter to a spinal cord slice in a culture, glutamate levels rose to high levels that persisted for weeks. During this time the neurons appeared normal. Then he began to see a process of slow death among the motor neurons (the neurons destroyed in ALS). |
| Yet we continue to add tons of free glutamate, aspartate, and cysteine to our food and drink. That is not a rational thing to do.
It is my opinion, after reviewing an enormous amount of medical and research literature, that monosodium glutamate, aspartame, and other excitotoxin dietary additives poise an enormous hazard to our health and to the development and normal functioning of the brain. To continue to add enormous amounts of excitotoxins to our food is unconscionable and will lead to suffering and ruined lives for generations to come. |
| This would give us a much more accurate picture of free glutamate in the diet. I was also disappointed in their lack of discussion of the additive effects of excitotoxins in the diet. We know that even subtoxic doses of excitotoxins when added together can produce an ultimate toxic dose to the brain. This is especially important in evaluating not only differing forms of MSG in food, but the fact that large amounts of aspartame are also being consumed as well, which adds significantly to the danger. |
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