Not Always Bad Impact, MSG Can Be A Healthier Alternative To Salt?

MSG illustration in lieu of salt (Freepic)

JAKARTA - Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is not an artificial chemical additive, but comes from amino acids. MSG has been used as a flavor enhancer for nearly a century and has proven safe for human consumption.

Unfortunately, MSG often gets a bad reputation among the public, because many associate it with dangerous health impacts.

However, this view is starting to change along with a new, deeper understanding of the benefits and uses of MSG, especially in the culinary world.

One of the benefits that are becoming known is his ability to be a healthy alternative to salt, especially for those who want to reduce sodium intake.

Reported by VOI from the Tasting Table page on Friday, February 14, MSG can be a very good way, if you want to reduce sodium consumption. MSG can be an alternative and you can include less salt without making the dish taste bland.

In fact, table salt contains 39% sodium, while MSG only contains 12% sodium. This means that MSG contains less than a third of the sodium on table salt.

MSG's ability to increase the taste of the umami taste is stronger without adding a lot of extra sodium, although it is not recommended to replace the salt completely.

You can use MSG both before and while cooking, similar to the way you give foods with salt and pepper. Like other spices, if you're not sure how MSG tastes or how it affects the taste of the dish, try a little MSG if you've never tried it before.

This is a quick and easy way to feel the taste of the umami. If you've never tried it, you can more confidently use it in recipes with better results.

MSG is easy to find with various brands that produce it through plant-based product fermentation processes such as sugar cane, cassava, sugar bits, or corn. One of the popular brands is Ajinomoto, which is made of corn glucose.

In terms of special measurements as a guide to replace salt with MSG in cooking, you should start slowly and use MSG to make enough so that you better understand how MSG tastes affect food, because you can always add it when cooking.

For a smaller amount, such as sauce or salad, start with a small pinch and feel periodically when you give them spices. For large amounts of recipes, such as broth and soup, use 3/4 sdt MSG with each tablespoon of the salt you add, then feel it again before adding it again. You may be surprised by how little traditional salt is needed when using MSG in cooking.

In addition to being a flavorer for water used to boil vegetables or cook pasta, MSG is also useful when used with salt in marijuana or meat spices. To season one pound of meat, start with half a teaspoon of MSG with each tablestel of salt.

You can also make your own mixture of MSG and salt to store. The trick is to simply mix 1 part of MSG with 2 parts of salt and use this to season foods as usual.

There are several interesting ways to use MSG, because MSG can be added to sweet dishes. In addition, providing ingredients such as chicken or egg-based custard with an additional umami touch, can be a wild dish.