Recognizing Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Allergy Symptoms

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. If you have an adverse reaction every time you ingest food that contains MSG, you could be intolerant or allergic to it. The below mentioned symptoms are those commonly associated with a MSG allergy and usually occur within a few hours of ingestion-:

• Headaches or Migraines: One of the most common symptoms of a MSG allergy is a severe headache or migraine.
• Flushing: This symptom often presents as a sudden warmth and redness of the face and neck.
• Sweating: You may experience heavily increased levels of sweating.
• Chest Pain: Some individuals could experience chest pain or heart palpitations.
• Facial Pressure or Tightness: Feeling a heavy pressure across your face or even a tightness, particularly around your nose and cheeks, is another sign.

Schedule an Allergy Test

If you experience symptoms regularly, consider making an appointment with an allergist who can perform a skin prick test or a blood test to confirm if it's MSG or other food allergens that's causing your reactions.

Keep a Food Diary

Keeping a record of the foods that you eat and the reactions that you have can help identify MSG or other potential triggers. If symptoms always occur after eating foods known to contain MSG, it provides solid evidence supporting MSG intolerance.

Perform an Elimination Diet

If MSG is suspected, your healthcare provider might recommend an elimination diet. This involves removing MSG and other potential triggers from your diet for several weeks and then gradually reintroducing them to see if symptoms reappear.