MSG And The Inability To Lose Weight

We've all heard of MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate, and I think it's something we don't really give a lot of thought to- I know I didn't for the longest time. However, there are BIG reasons why I think we should.

​MSG is a salt that is chemically converted into a flavour enhancer. It’s found in almost all popular processed foods, fast foods and restaurant foods, and research has shown that it causes weight gain and obesity by causing damage to the area of the brain that is in charge of the appetite regulation, known as the hypothalamus.

This causes leptin resistance. Leptin is the hormone that controls how much a person feels like eating. When MSG is consumed, the fullness and satisfaction that come from having eaten is completely lost, leading to an urge to eat that never stops.

MSG is added to over 80% of boxed, canned, processed foods and restaurant foods, and is disguised under many names.  

What is does is, it supercharges the taste of food, but not in the way you would think. You know how food can make you feel so good sometimes? MSG operates on the brain and it tricks it into thinking food tastes really great. It gives you a drug-like rush that provides a brief sensation of well being.

It’s highly addictive, which causes people to keep coming back for more, and they end up overeating. MSG is a huge factor in the epidemic of obesity because of its effect on leptin. In fact, when researchers want to fatten up lab rats for experiments, they feed them MSG. Just google “msg to make mice gain weight.” Researchers have proven that MSG destroys the hard wiring in the brain of a rat like it does in the brain of a person.

So knowing all this, why do corporations sell food that contains MSG? Because it makes cheap ingredients taste great and it keeps people coming back for more.

The way MSG causes a person to gain weight is this...When you ingest MSG, your body tries to protect you from it, and it does this by adding fat stores in an effort to trap the MSG.

The catch is, your body WILL NOT release those fat stores as long as you continue consuming MSG. The only way to release the fat is to stop consuming foods containing MSG and anything that your body can’t properly metabolize.

The best way to avoid MSG is by buying whole foods and preparing them at home and adding your own spices and herbs. The next best thing is to become an expert at label reading and knowing the various disguises that is used for MSG.

Even terms like spice and natural flavor can mean the presence of MSG. The term MSG is rarely seen listed on a food label, but it’s likely there in a disguised form. I created a Facebook and Instagram post on this the other day and listed 30 names that MSG can hide under.

I want to make it easier for you to make the switch over to clean eating. I know not everyone has the time to figure this all out on their own. Life is busy, I get it.

Because nutrition is my job, I’ve done the heavy lifting for you. I want to help you take the guesswork out of learning how to eat clean, so you can save time and energy from trying to figure it out on your own.

My 14-Day Body Reset is family friendly and includes everything you need to make the switch to clean eating in an easy to follow, step by step manner and even includes recipes and meal plans the whole family can follow.

If you’re ready to ditch the processed foods and make the switch to eating real, whole foods, check out the link HERE.

Until next time,

May Anne