Is MSG safe to consume or does it pose a health risk?

If you are a fan of Uncle Roger, who reacts to videos of Westerners cooking Asian food, you've probably heard of his favorite kitchen tip so many times: add MSG to your dishes!

However, you've also probably heard somewhere that MSG – or vetsin as it is known locally – is not good for you and therefore you should refrain from using it when cooking.

What exactly is MSG and is it really not safe to consume?

According to Prof. Benjamin Gonzales, a faculty of the Department of Community Nutrition at the University of the Philippines Diliman, MSG or monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer.

"The sodium part gives off a less concentrated salty taste, while the glutamate part imparts an umami or savory taste, which is now recognized as a basic taste alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter," he told GMA News Online in an email interview.

Gonzales said that you can reduce the amount of salt in your dish if you are planning to use MSG as well. However, MSG is not meant to be a total replacement for salt, as that would result in a different flavor profile.

He also said that other seasoning products on the market likely contain both MSG and salt and are meant to be a replacement for them and other spices, but you can still add individual seasonings based on your taste.

As to whether MSG poses a health risk, have no fear – it is generally safe to consume.

Ryan Moralde, a nutritionist dietitian at the East Avenue Medical Center, said there is no conclusive evidence that MSG makes people sick. So far, there is also nothing that links it to lifestyle diseases.

MSG is a common ingredient in processed food like canned goods and chips, but it is also naturally occurring in some fruits and vegetables.

"MSG as a food additive ay tagged as 'generally recognized as safe' ng USFDA kaya wala dapat ikabahala ang mga health-conscious individuals ukol dito," Moralde said in an online interview.

You would be fine consuming MSG as long as you don't take it without any solid food, as Moralde said this is associated with higher incidence of headache and other symptoms.

Is there a recommended serving per day? There is none, according to Moralde.

"However, the acceptable daily intake ng MSG for a person is 30mg per kg body weight," he said. "The average MSG intake of Filipinos is 0.8g per day."

With the small amount of MSG that Filipinos consume, there should be no cause for concern. So if you wish to follow Uncle Roger's cooking advice, go ahead and just don't overdo it!