It’s true. If we weren’t all so convinced that the flavor powder—let’s just call it what it is: food crack—is the devil incarnate, we’d all happily sprinkle it on everything from steak to breakfast cereal. MSG is freakin’ delicious. And despite claims that it causes everything from numbness to chest pain, science has never found a direct link to adverse health effects and the FDA finds it safe. (At least as safe as Dorito powder.) Another point for its legitimacy was scored last week: the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study that found that MSG might help you lose weight in addition to boosting your food’s deliciousness. Scientists discovered that when MSG was paired with another flavor enhancer called inosine monophosphate (IMP, the new MSG?!), it actually curbs appetite without slashing satisfaction. Here’s how the experiment went down: Two groups of participants ate either plain soup or soup laced with the MSG mix. Then, everyone ate the same lunch, but the MSG soup slurpers ate significantly less food and were just as satisfied. Is this MSG’s comeback moment? Maybe for the Dorito-munching masses, but not for you, clean eater. MSG is hardly sodium-smart, and developing hypertension by sprinkling MSG on your daily dinner isn’t going to help your health. And sorry—but lo mein takeout will not help you shed pounds. Scratch that umami itch naturally with foods that contain both of the nucleotides MSG and IMP, and you might even reap the weight loss result—if the study’s results transfer to natural sources of MSG, that is, says study author Una Masic of the University of Sussex. Here are 5 of our favorites that don’t go overboard on sodium. Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoesmuirglen.com Umami isn’t only in Asian foods. Roasted tomatoes are another natural source, and these are rich and smoky, perfect for salsa or pasta sauce. ($25 for case of 12, ) Miso Master Organic Sweet White Misogreat-eastern-sun.com Fermented soybeans lend a depth to all kinds of dishes. Try it in the strangely satisfying savory blueberry miso smoothie of Christina Tosi. (Momofuku again! Folks are umami fiends.) ($4 for 8-oz cup, ) MORE: Meet Kalettes, The Love Child Of Brussels Sprouts And Kale Pacific Foods Organic Mushroom Brothpacificfoods.com There’s a reason that soup was chosen as the MSG vehicle in the recent umami study. Broth can be so bland without it. But mushrooms lend that earthy umami flavor without the help of MSG, thank you very much. ($3.69, ) Eden Organic Kombu MSG would make any veggie taste better, but sea vegetables come with built-in umami. These sea fronds are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and flavor, and if you simmer a strip in water you’ll have a savory broth base. ($9, edenfoods.com) Kitchen Table Bakers Aged Parmesan Crispskitchentablebakers.com A cracker made entirely of aged Parmesan is like the clean baby of Ritz crackers and Easy Cheese squirt cans. Wafer thin and pure umami. ($5, )
