MSG causes headaches, chest tightness, tingling arms and weakness - or at least that’s what we’ve all been told. For decades, MSG was considered public enemy number one, banned from restaurants and demonised in the media. But why?

MSG is everywhere: in tomatoes, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, soy sauce, even breast milk. So how did it become a “toxic chemical killer” in the public imagination?

Today I’m breaking down the bizarre story of MSG, from its origins in Japan, to its rise across Asia and the West, through to the flawed science and racism that turned it into a food villain.

So, because why are we so afraid of MSG?

In this episode let's unpack:

• The discovery of MSG and the origin of umami
• How MSG spread across Asia and into Western diets
• Why “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” started from just one letter
• The flawed studies that fuelled the MSG scare
• The racial undertones behind the MSG panic
• Why MSG is actually safer than table salt
• How modern chefs and TikTok are reclaiming MSG as “umami dust”

Thanks for joining me on this episode of Because Why?!

Mā te wā - see you next week.

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