Why Do I Feel Weak After Eating Chinese Food?
Fans of Chinese cuisine may have experienced symptoms such as a headache or feeling ill after eating a meal from a Chinese restaurant or takeout, but they may not be aware that these symptoms are caused by a true condition. In actuality, what medical professionals used to refer to as the “Chinese restaurant sickness” is a response to monosodium glutamate (MSG), a condiment that is frequently used in Chinese cuisine.
MSG symptom complex is what happens when the flavoring creates symptoms such as headache, perspiration, nausea, weariness, or high heart rate. This condition has just been given a new label. Ingestion of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is not thought to be associated with any adverse health consequences, and the Food and Drug Administration in the United States considers it to be completely safe for human consumption.
But the MSG symptom complex is a genuine condition, according to medical professionals, and avoiding foods that contain it is the most effective method to protect yourself from developing it. However, the flavor may be found in a variety of foods, including hot dogs, canned goods, and crisps, in addition to Chinese cuisine, making it difficult for many people to avoid consuming it.
Drinking ginger or peppermint tea, staying hydrated, and taking painkillers is the best approach to assist yourself if you do fall prey to MSG, according to Dr. Jane Leonard, a general practitioner and writer based in London. MSG is perhaps most recognized for its application as a seasoning in Chinese cuisine; nevertheless, there is evidence to suggest that it may induce uncomfortable side effects in certain individuals, such as fatigue and nausea.
Although there is minimal scientific proof for the effects of MSG, both patients and medical professionals agree that it is a serious problem, even though they do not fully understand why the seasoning causes these symptoms. MSG is a kind of glutamic acid, which occurs naturally in the human body and may also be found in a variety of foods, such as cheese, meat, fish, mushrooms, tomatoes, and walnuts.
MSG is a manufactured version of glutamic acid. However, despite its natural occurrence, when monosodium glutamate (MSG) is utilized as an additional flavoring, it can have undesirable consequences on the people who consume it. In 2014, researchers from the universities of Yeonsung and Kyung Hee in South Korea released their findings that those who ate MSG reported a variety of negative side effects after their meal.
The symptoms that occurred most frequently were feeling dehydrated, drowsy or weak, nauseous, or having a headache.
Why does Chinese food make me feel ill?
Monosodium glutamate, sometimes known as MSG, is the primary substance that contributes to the addictive quality of Chinese cuisine and soups. Within a few hours of consuming MSG, a sensitive person may experience headache, giddiness, sweating, stomach discomfort, and urticaria.
Can MSG make you tired?
People have reported a variety of health problems that they believe are associated with MSG. A research that was conducted in Korea in 2014 found that the following were the most often reported types of complaints: Dryness of mouth (84.5 percent) drowsiness (55.7 percent) insufficiency (34.5 percent) nausea (30.2 percent) an aching head (14.7 percent) The MSG symptom complex might also cause the following: Symptoms may include profuse perspiration, flushing of the skin, a tingling feeling in the skin, numbness or burning in the mouth, and excessive tingling in the skin.
Does MSG make you dizzy?
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a flavor enhancer that is a sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid. It is used to make some dishes taste better. MSG was once extracted from seaweed, but nowadays it’s produced by fermenting maize, potatoes, and rice instead.
- It does not improve any of the four fundamental flavors (bitter, salty, sour, or sweet), but it does improve the nuanced flavors of meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables.
- MSG is a flavor enhancer that plays a significant role in the cooking traditions of both China and Japan.
- It is also widely employed in the food industry all around the world.
Tomatoes and Parmesan cheese have naturally occurring concentrations of it that are high. MSG is referred to as wei jing, which literally translates as “flavor essence,” in China. In 1968, the first cases of what came to be known as the Chinese restaurant syndrome were seen in individuals who had just consumed Chinese cuisine heavily laden with MSG.
- It appears that only some individuals are affected by the illness.
- Their symptoms may include a headache, a throbbing sensation in the head, dizziness, lightheadedness, a sense of pressure in the face, a feeling of tightness in the jaw, tingling or burning sensations in various regions of the body, chest discomfort, and back pain.
Large quantities of MSG have been linked to the development of arterial dilatation (widening of arteries). There are a lot of people who identify as Chinese who don’t think there’s such a thing as the Chinese restaurant syndrome. It’s possible that it’s an allergic or hypersensitive reaction.