If you have had the chance to dine with panda express, you will agree with me they are among the best in the industry, right? They have managed to capture the heart of so many Chinese food lovers and have done so for the last 25 years.

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The family-owned business has been operational in many parts of the world. They offer cuisine of the Asian origin. From their signature meal the orange chicken breast, kung pao, Chow Mein and the famous burrito rolls, they have proven that they can deliver.

It’s not only their food but also the menu. It is fully illustrated on what you are consuming each time you choose a specific meal. That has made it easier for weight watchers to count their calories and know what to have and what to avoid. That brings the main question about the MSG.

Panda Express has been starting clear that they don’t add any MSG in their food. There have been many speculations online on whether that is true or not. To get clear on what the MSG is all about, read along as we explore more about the MSG and the conspiracy surrounding it.

What is MSG?

It has been stated in many food packages and food joints that they don’t use MSG. Do you know what it is? To many, MSG is a new word while to others, they know but don’t know what is the meaning of it. For those who are cautious of what they eat, they notice when it is stated somewhere.

MSG is a short name for Monosodium glutamate, a flavour enhancer that is used in many Chinese foods, canned vegetables and many processed foods. The MSG enhances balance and blends all the other tastes. It is an enhancer that has been existence since the 90s and has raised eyebrows among the cautious food consumers.

That is after a bioresearcher complained in the year 1968. He consumed food from a Chinese restaurant and started feeling numbness of the fingers, weakness and heart palpitation. He did a research and concluded that the MSG in the Chinese food he ate made him feel that way.

From that time onward, there has been many talks and research that has been done to ascertain whether that is true or not. That is because the MSG has glutamic acid, a non-essential amino acid that is found or you can consume in the following ways;

1. Foods

MSG is found naturally in food that we consume. That is why it is hard to ascertain whether the consumption of the MSG is bad. Some of the foods that have the glutamic acid include;

• Tomatoes.
• Grapes.
• Milk products including cheese.
• Mushrooms.
• Broccoli.
• Soy sauce.
• Peas.
• Vegetate.

2. Processed foods

The SMG is also used in manufactured and canned foods. It is widely used in the industry to enhance the taste of the food. That is why it is stated in many manufactures foods as containing glutamic acid and many other sneaky names.

3. When you cook

That where the Chinese restaurants come in. They are usually accused of using the MSG to enhance that taste when cooking their food. Some have come clearly like the panda express to state that they don’t while some clearly say they use the MSG in the food in safety measures.

Yes, it can be used in food. That is by adding while cooking just like you do when adding salt or pepper. It is known that it is safe when used in controlled measures. Many cooks online have come up clearly to state how they use it in food to enhance taste while remaining safe to people.

Then the discussion rises why is it that when you use the naturally occurring non-essential amino acid you end up feeling bad? That has been in peoples mind for a long time trying to figure out why that is so. To understand the MSG well, we need to understand more of where it originates from.

Origin of MSG

Its origin traced back in Japanese. They are known to have the Asian dishes and they are the one that when consumed are known to cause the side effects. A biochemist by the name Kikunae Kenda wondered why a seaweed used as a base in many Chinese foods have the distinctive taste.

In the year 1908, he started the research of knowing what brought up the savoury or umami taste by separating and duplicating the kombu. The savoury taste is the taste that is not sour, sweet, bitter or salty. It is a taste that is distinctive and brings flavour to your food whenever you use it.

He discovered the glutamic acid, the nonessential acid as the element behind the taste and from there hence ford he started producing the MSG by fermenting starch, sugarcane, molasses and sugar beets. He has been behind the discovery of savoury taste and other products.

Effect of MSG in your body

It is also known as the Chinese restaurant syndrome. That is because to those that have it, they do it after consuming food from the Asian restaurants. While many restaurants use it, they are afraid of admitting it publicly due to the stigma.

That has been in the centre of the talk. That is because some people have been complaining about headache numbness and tangy feeling after eating Chinese foods. The following are some of the side effects associating with consuming the MSG;

• Headaches.
• Numbness.
• Sleeplessness.
• Heart palpitation.
• Excessive stimulation of nerve cells.
• Nausea and chest pain.
• Weakness and facial tightness.
• Sweating and flushing.

To those who have experienced the symptoms, they vary from the individual. That is because it is due to their body unable to digest the level of the MSG found in the food that they have consumed. So, is MSG as bad as it is termed to be? Read along and know.

How to tell the food has MSG

MSG has brought so many controversies. There are some countries that have banned the use of it with some controlling the amount used and advocating for the use of natural food. Since it is your choice on whether to use or not, how will you know what you are consuming has MSG?

While some do it in secret and are afraid of admitting in public, there are some who do. They do that by stating clearly in their menu that they use the glutamic acid as part of the ingredients. That is easier for anyone who is using the food to know.

In the case of canned foods, they state clearly in the packaging. Some may use names that are not clear to you so that you cannot know or understand while others state clearly. The like of panda express state clearly that they don’t use the SMG in the cooking.

Whichever the way the user uses to indicate the MSG presence if you have an allergy or have an advance reaction to it, you better look and watch out what you consume before you do to avoid a nasty encounter. Read through the instructions and ask before you consume.

Is consuming the MSG bad as it sounds?

Since the controversy started, it has created fear for something that is naturally occurring and considers safe to consume. Studies have been done for over 40 years in so many countries by many researchers on whether there is need to worry about the MSG.

Many scientists say the reaction depends on an individual. It is true you ate the food and it is also true you developed the side effects but it is not because of the MSG in it. to some people, they have trouble when digesting the glutamic acid and hence the reactions.

there is no direct link between the use of MSG and the reactions infant they say the glutamic acid is naturally occurring. The only bad thing is when it is used for the wrong reasons, for example, the MSG can be used in a stale and bad tasting food to make it taste good and pleasing to the human mouth.

It is for that reason that many countries are still in dilemma on whether to ban or not. To some, they are still doing research to ascertain whether to ban the use of the enhancer. The people and companies that use the glutamic acid have no apologies for doing that.

To many, they advocate for natural and fresh eating. People should avoid canned and processed foods. While that is possible in many ways, what about in the food that we consume? Can we be able to control while it occurs naturally in many foods that we consume daily?

Does Panda express use MSG in their food?

Panda Express has been into healthy eating. They make sure what you eat is as healthy as possible. That is b making sure they cook the food in the right way and making sure why they are cooking is free from harmful elements.

In their menu, they state clearly. In each food that is listed in their menu, they state the number of calories, fat, carbohydrates, proteins, sodium and other elements you will receive in each food you consume. They also go ahead and say that their food is not prepared or cooked with any MSG.

That makes it safe right? To you who is a staunch watcher of hat you eat, it can be a sign of relief to know what you consume from panda express has no added MSG. that has made people feel safe and trust their food. That may also explain why they are preferred when it comes to Chinese food.

They go further and explains that they are not reliable for any MSG and advance reaction that may take place to an individual in case they consume MSG from their products that they use in cooking. That means they know that they cannot clearly stay away from the MSG and the following is why;

• They cook food with natural occurring glutamic acid

Yes, they cook food with an ingredient with natural occurring non-essential amino acid. They include the use of tomatoes, broccoli, cheese, mushrooms, peas and other foods. Now, if that happens to land in your plate and you have a reaction, they will not be held responsible for it.

• They use sauce

Sauces are used to enhance the taste of various foods. They do that by adding that it is in them to make the dish you are cooking to taste much better and tasty. Panda Express is known to use many types of sauce in their cooking.

While they make some of the sauces, they buy others from other manufacturers. Like stated earlier, glutamic acid is used in the processing of many foods and can find themselves in some of the sauce that panda express use in their cooking. That might find itself in your plate while dining with them.

How panda tries to stay away from MSG

While they cannot control the naturally occurring glutamic acid from landing into your plate, they try their level best to please their customers by assuring them an MSG-free meal. That is by making sure what they serve you is clear of the element.

According to their cooks, they try their best to use natural ingredients, including in making the sauces. That limits the use of manufactured sauce and other ingredients that may contain the glutamic acid. They also state clearly for anyone to see their what they believe in.

The MSG is used as a flavour enhancer especially in the Chinese dishes. It has been controversial in the food industry. That is after being associated with various reactions when people consume Chinese foods.

Through it is termed as safe to consume in the right quantities, panda express has stated clearly that they don’t use MSG in their foods unless found in other foods not associated with them.