Understanding Nutrition: What is MSG in Chinese noodles?

October 8, 2025 •

4 min read

MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid that occurs naturally in many foods, and a key ingredient that enhances the savory umami flavor found in dishes like Chinese noodles. Despite decades of misinformation and stigma, scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports the safety of MSG for the vast majority of the population.

Quick Summary

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that provides the savory umami taste in many dishes, including Chinese noodles. Historically maligned due to xenophobia and flawed studies, MSG is now considered generally safe by health authorities and is produced through fermentation. It contains significantly less sodium than table salt and is a concentrated form of naturally occurring glutamate.

Key Points

What MSG is: Monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid that provides the savory umami flavor.
Source and Production: MSG occurs naturally in many foods, while commercial versions are made via fermentation of ingredients like sugar beets or sugarcane.
Health Safety: Major health organizations, including the FDA, have classified MSG as safe for consumption, debunking the 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' myth.
Sodium Content: MSG contains significantly less sodium than table salt and can be used to reduce the overall sodium content in food without sacrificing taste.
Flavor Enhancer: In Chinese noodles and other dishes, MSG serves to enhance and balance the savory flavors, creating a more satisfying taste profile.
Minimal Intake Concerns: Typical dietary intake of MSG is very small, and adverse reactions are rare, mild, and often linked to extremely high doses.

What is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)?

Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is a widely used food additive and flavor enhancer that is the purest form of umami, the fifth basic taste. Umami is a savory, brothy, or meaty flavor distinct from sweet, sour, bitter, or salty tastes. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, a common amino acid that is a building block of protein. Glutamic acid is found naturally in many foods, and our bodies produce it as well. The addition of MSG simply provides a concentrated and pure source of this umami flavor.

How is MSG Made and Used?

The production of MSG began in 1908 when Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda isolated glutamate from kombu seaweed. While early methods involved extraction from seaweed or wheat gluten, modern commercial MSG is produced through a fermentation process involving natural ingredients such as sugar beets, sugar cane, or molasses. This process is similar to how yogurt, wine, and vinegar are made. The resulting white, crystalline powder is then used in small amounts to enhance the savory notes in a wide range of foods.

Foods Containing Naturally Occurring and Added Glutamate

Naturally high in glutamate: Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce, fish sauce, and cured meats.
Often contain added MSG: Instant noodles, packaged soups, seasoning blends, frozen meals, and some snack foods.

The Misguided Controversy and Scientific Findings

For decades, MSG faced intense and largely unfounded scrutiny, particularly concerning its use in Chinese cuisine. In the late 1960s, a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine speculated that symptoms like headaches and flushing, experienced after eating at a Chinese restaurant, were caused by MSG. This sparked the creation of the stigmatizing and now-debunked term "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome". Subsequent research has shown that this controversy was fueled by anecdotal evidence, methodological flaws in early studies, and xenophobia.

Today, major health authorities have firmly established MSG's safety for human consumption in typical dietary amounts. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other global bodies classify MSG as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have failed to consistently trigger adverse reactions, even in people who self-identify as sensitive to MSG. Any reported mild, temporary symptoms, like headache or flushing, are extremely rare and typically only occur with very high doses (over 3 grams) consumed on an empty stomach, which is far beyond a normal intake.

What is MSG in Chinese Noodles?

In Chinese noodles, whether in a restaurant dish or in a packaged instant ramen, MSG is used to enrich and deepen the savory taste. In a broth-based dish, it harmonizes the flavors of ingredients like meats, vegetables, and soy sauce, creating a more satisfying and complex profile. For instant noodles, MSG is a key component of the seasoning packet, providing that signature savory foundation that consumers expect. It is not a magical ingredient for masking poor quality, but rather an effective tool for enhancing existing flavors.

MSG vs. Table Salt: A Nutritional Comparison

One of the most valuable aspects of using MSG is its potential to aid in sodium reduction. While both table salt (sodium chloride) and MSG contain sodium, their composition is significantly different.


Feature	MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)	Table Salt (Sodium Chloride)
Sodium Content (by weight)	~12.28%	~39.34%
Flavor Profile	Pure umami (savory) taste	Pure salty taste
Effect on Palatability	Enhances savoriness, can reduce perceived need for salt	Adds saltiness; too much can make food unpalatable
Usage in Cooking	Used in small quantities to boost flavor	Used in larger quantities to add primary saltiness

By replacing a portion of table salt with MSG, home cooks and food manufacturers can reduce the overall sodium content of a dish by a significant amount (up to 40% in some cases) without compromising on taste. For individuals on a low-sodium diet, this can be a valuable tool for managing sodium intake while still enjoying flavorful meals.

Conclusion

MSG in Chinese noodles is simply a flavor enhancer designed to bring out the delicious, savory umami taste, and its historical association with adverse health effects is based on unfounded claims rooted in racism and xenophobia. Regulatory bodies around the world have confirmed its safety for consumption in typical dietary amounts. For the average person, MSG poses no health risk and can even be a strategic tool for reducing overall sodium intake in their diet. When enjoying Chinese noodles, understanding that MSG is merely a concentrated form of a naturally occurring amino acid can help demystify this long-misunderstood ingredient. For more information, refer to the FDA's official Q&A on MSG.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, MSG is not bad for your health. Reputable health organizations like the FDA classify MSG as 'generally recognized as safe' (GRAS). The widespread fear originated from flawed research and xenophobia in the 1960s, and high-quality studies have since confirmed its safety.

The term 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' was created in the 1960s based on anecdotal reports and has since been debunked by scientific studies. It is considered an outdated and offensive term based on racist assumptions. The current medical term for reported sensitivity is 'MSG symptom complex,' which is extremely rare.

MSG is often used in instant noodle seasoning packets and some Chinese restaurant dishes to enhance flavor, but it is not in all Chinese noodles. Many traditional dishes rely on naturally glutamate-rich ingredients like soy sauce, mushrooms, or seaweed to achieve a savory taste.

MSG has a savory, umami taste, which is distinct from the primary salty flavor of table salt. While it enhances the perception of saltiness in food, it has a deeper, more rounded flavor profile.

Yes, MSG can be a helpful tool for reducing sodium intake. Because MSG has significantly less sodium than table salt, a combination of MSG and salt can reduce the total sodium content of a dish by a noticeable amount while maintaining a palatable flavor.

Glutamate, the main component of MSG, is a naturally occurring amino acid found in many foods. While commercial MSG is produced through a fermentation process, the human body metabolizes added MSG and naturally occurring glutamate in the same way.

In many countries, food labels must declare added MSG by its full name, 'monosodium glutamate,' or its E number (E621) in the ingredients list. However, naturally occurring glutamate from ingredients like yeast extract or hydrolyzed protein might not be explicitly labeled as 'MSG'.