It was known as the “Chinese Restaurant syndrome”: In the seventies, visitors of Chinese Restaurants complained about headaches, Nausea, heart palpitations, tingling in the neck, as well as heat and close feelings. The Evil seemed to be quickly identified: glutamate, which is used in Asian cuisine very often. So far no study was able to demonstrate the connection between the fabric and the complaints scientifically.
The reputation of glutamate remained still battered. The substance is not suspected to favour only Overweight, but also Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cancer. The warnings are controversial, however, because the studies speak partly reflected. (Read more about it here.)
What don’t already know all consumers: Many foods naturally contain significant amounts of glutamate. This includes tomatoes and mushrooms, but also meat, fish and dairy products. Glutamate acid is the salt of the amino acid glutamine. “The human body also produces glutamate,” says Margret Morlo by the Association for nutrition and dietetics (VFED).
Flavor enhancers are added to food to intensify the private taste or loss of taste – due to the preparation of the food balance. Is glutamate added to a product or other flavor enhancers, which are related to glutamic acid, manufacturers must draw this with the E-numbers E 620 to 625 password. In principle, compulsory labelling of flavour enhancers for the canteen and out – of-home food, such as in Restaurants. “Here is normally on the menu or in the food issue of the note,” said Morlo.
Taste “Tomato”
“Because of the taste enhancers have a bad reputation, it is increasingly advertised, that finished products are without any added flavor enhancers. That is not true,” says nutritionist Annette Sabersky, who has written the book “Better food without additives”.
Instead of glutamate amounts of the manufacturer of your products, yeast extract, tomato powder, containing glutamic acid. Since they are considered to be natural ingredients, you don’t need to E-marking. Therefore, the flavor “tomato is” very often, in finished products, so Sabersky. Behind the information “” or “seasoning” would be wort glutamate, Guanylate and Inosinate. Who wants to completely do without flavour enhancers, you should pay attention to such details.
“In the first Moment the food is without flavor enhancers, maybe a little bland, but with time the tongue will learn to Taste again,” says Sabersky. She recommends taste-intensive spices and herbs like Curry, turmeric, Oregano and / or Basil.