gluten free and MSG

by tiffany
(Isanti, MN, USA)

Is gluten free and MSG free the same thing?


Carol responds...

I can understand the confusion as MSG is short for Monosodium glutamate (which sounds like gluten).

MSG is a flavor enhancer, or in other words it makes the flavor already in a dish more intense, even though it has no taste of its own.

It can be made from wheat, but it just as likely to be made from corn, which is then fermented with sugar or molasses.

You will often find that it is used in Chinese or Asian cookery.

Those of us on a gluten free diet need to be aware of MSG as it can be used to disguise cheaper ingredients, making us think the food is of more value than it really is. Those cheaper ingredients could well contain gluten.

It also has a bad press and has been said to be linked to many health issues, so most people tend to try to avoid it if possible, whether they are on a gluten free diet or not. This is why some foodstuffs are labelled MSG free.