Time to give in to MSG in Singapore?

In the West, we are constantly on MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) alert. We don't want to eat MSG in our food. Plain and simple.

If we see it on the label, the more food savvy of us will probably turn our noses up at it and stick the culprit back on the shelf. The only time we think we might come across it is in the local Chinese take away.

But in Singapore these little white crystals....

are everywhere! And I have been thinking about it lots since I got here.

MSG has been linked to depression, headaches, asthma and Alzheimer. However there is no solid scientific evidence for any of this.

If the above really was true how come all the people here that eat MSG in most of their meals each day aren't a gibbering wreck?

I have to say that I know instantly when I've eaten MSG  - I feel like my brain is on some sort of food high even though the food looks like it shouldn't taste that good, and I will soon have problems breathing.

But could something that is derived of seaweed really be that bad for you? Natural glutamates after all exist in tomatoes, sweetcorn, Parmesan and a whole host of other foods.

MSG is considered safe by every government. Plus an ‘international team of experts' met in early 2007 to review the current knowledge of MSG safety, and concluded that it was ‘harmless for the whole population'.

So if that's the case why do I feel so wrong when I have consumed it? I am probably just hyper-sensitive to it or else all the governments and food manufacturers in the world are on one big cover up. 

But here is the weird thing, after all the backlash, people are now saying it actually has health benefits!

Yes here we go - they are saying that  it reduces the need for added salt. Which I suppose is true. But do they really need to have celebrity chef  Heston Blumenthal banging his drum saying that it adds ‘depth and strength' to a dish when really it's just causing a chemical food-based reaction in your brain?

Well that's alright then if Heston says so while caressing a sprig of rosemary!

I guess like with most things, you can bend it to suit whichever way you want to look at it. But I know I don't really want to feel like a demon on speed every time I just want a regular meal.