Around the world, the number of children hospitalized with food allergies is rising every day. Recent reports by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) in Atlanta have presented data that shows discharges from hospitals for allergic reactions has risen from an average of 2,600 per year, in the late 1990s, to over 9,500 per year after 2005.
Children with food allergies are more prone to have additional medical problems such as asthma, eczema, and other respiratory problems than children without food allergies. Ironically, when data on individual known food allergies is added up they do not equal the numbers being reported as hospital discharges. Both doctors, the AMA and the CDC are wondering why.
The suspected culprit hiding just over the horizon is the food flavor enhancer MSG. MSG is basically artificial salt. The letters MSG stand for Monosodium Glutamate. Many of the foods that children love to snack on are over filled with MSG. These include packaged chips of all sorts, crackers, cookies, soups and packaged noodles.
The most comment results of over ingestion of MSG in children are rashes, dry skin problems and nagging respiratory problems, including coughs that will not go away. In many cases, once children with rashes and coughs stop eating packaged chips and packaged noodles their symptoms quickly disappear.
A growing number of parents are upset to find that, especially in countries outside the United States, MSG is not showing up on food labels. Often MSG is hidden under a different name as a food additive or flavoring. A very scary fact is that even a low dosage of 0.5 grams per day can trigger an asthma attack in children. This has also happened to adults that suffered from asthma more seriously as a child.
In Asia tomato ketchup is one of the most serious offenders of hidden MSG. The fact that other benefits of tomato ketchup draw buyers to the product makes reporting the same product as a health hazard due to ingredients often not listed on food labels extremely confusing to consumers.
The most important thing that parents can do, even though many times MSG is not specifically listed as an ingredient, is to teach their children the importance of checking carefully and reading all food labels before purchase. Basically no food product that shows MSG as an ingredient should be purchased or eaten. This is because the amount of hidden MSG is so prevalent that only by total elimination of known sources of the food additive can a person have any chance of avoiding problems.
While MSG mostly affects children under the age of 18 years, it also can be the source of many chronic respiratory and skin problems for adults as well. So do yourself and your family a flavor favor and at all costs avoid any food with MSG as an ingredient. You will find your family healthier and spending less money on over the counter medicines and medical expenses as a wonderful side benefit of your diligence.
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Topic: nutrition facts, nutrition, labels, labeling, Food
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