Oh Mommy,
Why Can't I Lose Weight?
Could it be... Umami?

Here is an edited version of an article from my 'other blog' - "Toxic Timebomb Health Blog" that I published a short while ago:

By now everyone with half an ear to the news MUST know that it is a 'bad thing' to be obese.

Fair enough, no one is suggesting that any of you 'bigger folks' should be made to feel bad about your physical size...but for your own benefit, I'm sure you know, it is really important that you find ways and means to lose weight and therby reduce the consequent major health threats that being overweight undoubtedly poses.

One of the things that recent research has revealed is that the widely found flavour-enhancer - Mono-Sodium Glutamate (MSG) - also seems to 'enhance' the appetite and therefore leads to over-eating and hence, potentially, to obesity.

MSG is certainly used to increase the 'more-ishness' of many snack foods, which often happen to be higher fat (and frequently also higher salt, and/or sugar) foods. So watch out for MSG - and avoid it where you can if you want to regain control of your appetite! Unsurprisingly, it is also a common factor in the formulation of 'fast foods' and the condiments/sauces provided with them. So if you are trying to lose weight MSG is really a no-no!

Sue Dengate of fedupwithfoodadditives.info stated - as part of a summary of recent Spanish research showing that MSG used in experiments with rats caused a 40% increase in appetite:

[Quote]"It is ironic that many low-fat, low-salt foods now promoted by 'healthier' school canteens contain MSG or related flavour enhancers to compensate for lower salt content".[Unquote]

Which, of course, may mean that your children could be reducing their salt intake per gram of food consumed...but increasing their total food intake resulting in more calories - and pro-rata ACTUALLY possibly increasing the total salt and fat they consume anyway!

So be aware, with childhood obesity becoming a fast increasing problem, don't let MSG - Make YOU or YOUR kids - the Someone who is Growing FATTER!

Harmless-looking between-meal snacks could be making it harder for you or your children to lose weight. Check the packs you buy for references to 'flavor enhancer' (almost always MSG), or Mono Sodium Glutamate - and make an active choice to steer clear of them, if you want to achieve natural weight loss more effectively, and reduce hunger pangs encouraged by such 'chemicals'!

Read more information about MSG and Obesity

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