This instructable is for those who know they are affected by MSG, health concious folks, and the curious who have stumbled upon this instructable.

I just want to note a few things before I delve into the meat of the matter. Firstly gluatamic acid = glutamate. Secondly glutamic acid is a non-essential amino acid, which means the body doesn't need to ingest any glutamate. Thirdly, it functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain and you don't want any excess of it in your body. Lastly the type of glutamate that primarily affects people is free glutamate, which just means it's not bonded to anything. MSG manufacturers make free glutamate and bind it to salt, thus creating MonoSodium Glutamate. When we ingest MSG the salt binding the glutamate breaks off creating sodium and free glutamate. Without going into detail this free glutamate wreaks havoc, especially in the brain. Now when glutamate is bound to other proteins it is safer for consumption, because being bound to other proteins slows the processing of glutamate.

Step 1: The Many Names of MSG

These are special case so I decided to put them first. They're special because they have the ability to enhance the effects of MSG. Whenever you see ingredients such as these it indicates the presence of MSG.

Disodium 5’-guanylate (E 627)

Disodium 5’-inosinate (E 631)

Disodium 5'-ribonucleotides (E 635)

Familiarize yourself with the names of MSG, because there are many. Keep in mind that most of these ingredients will always have MSG.

Glutamate

Glutamic Acid

Textured protein

Monosodium glutamate

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)

Hydrolyzed protein (any protein that is hydrolyzed)

Monopotassium glutamate

Glutamic acid

Yeast extract

Calcium caseinate

Yeast food

Sodium caseinate

Autolyzed yeast

Gelatin

Yeast nutrient

Malt extract

Flavors(s) & Flavoring(s)

Malt flavoring

Natural flavor(s) & flavoring(s)

Barley malt

Natural pork flavoring

Bouillon

Natural beef/chicken flavoring

Stock/Broth

Seasonings

Carrageenan

Soy sauce/soy sauce extract

Whey protein/Soy protein

Whey protein isolate/Soy protein isolate

Whey protein concentrate/Soy protein concentrat

Anything Protein fortified

Anything Enzyme modified

Protease enzymes, Protease, Fungal protease,

Enzymes

Accent

Ajinomoto

Hydrolyzed milk protein

Autolyzed Yeast

Kombu extract

Bouillon

Barley Malt

Natural seasonings

Textured Protein

Gourmet powder

Seasonings

Sodium caseinate

Flavorings

Spices

Malt extract

Hydrolyzed oat flour

Malt flavoring

Hydrolyzed plant protein

Zest

Step 2: Always Check Labels

Always check labels when you shop at the grocery stores and if you haven't already memorized every possible form of MSG then I suggest bringing a table or list for shopping trips.

Step 3: Semantics Is the Food Industry's Favorite Game

Also be observant when picking out food, if you see certain words on a package such as: “Natural”, “Organic” “No added MSG”, “No MSG” they may still have MSG. Know this, the food industry likes playing with semantics. That just means that you as the consumer have to know exactly what the label means. If you think “Natural” means it's good, then you have just made an invited inference as to the quality of the product, thus losing the battle. Never assume that a product has No MSG if a product says “No MSG” because that is what the food industry wants you to do. The food industry will use hot words like “Natural”, which means it's made from something that is or was alive or something that came out of an organism. It's a hot word you should give the cold shoulder to. “No added MSG” or “No MSG”simply means that a manufacturer did not add pure MSG. MSG has to be labeled Monosodium Glutamate on the package if it is 99%-100% pure . Anything lower than 99% purity can (and probably will) be renamed something else.

Note: if a package says “No added MSG” or “No MSG” you can be almost certain that it contains another form of MSG

Step 4: Think About Which Foods Have MSG

To save time think about what foods are more likely to contain MSG. If you think a food supposed to taste savory or you know it does then it probably has MSG.

Here's a list of foods that typically have MSG in them:

Taco seasoning

chili powders

soups and dry soup mixes

Chips: Doritos, Cheetos, Funions, …

Frozen Dinners

Microwaveable meals

Quick Prep meals

Ranch or sourcream and onion flavored items

Sausages and other cured meats

American Cheese and Cheese Sauces

Salad Dressing

Broths

Bullion cubes

Dips and sauces

Baby Formula (Yeah, it's there too, but it's not pure MSG )

Crackers (Especially those with cheese or garlic flavor)

Sweets (though not as often as above items)

protein powders

Energy Bars

Vegan items

Note: Frozen dairy treats do not have to list MSG if it is in the form of casein

Step 5: Other Sources of Glutamic Acid

Bread:

Gluten, which allows bread to expand, be elastic,etc, can contain around 40% free glutamic acid

Milk:

Casein which composes around 70% of the proteins in milk has around 20% free glutamic acid

Soybeans are naturally high in glutamic acid so go easy on the soybeans and soy products in general

Step 6: Stop Eating Out at Fastfood Restaurants

If You're really serious about avoiding this stuff you'll do it, but if you have family members that don't agree and/or support you, find a restaurant with the most innocuous food.

Be wary of diners as well, they might use MSG directly or indirectly.

Step 7: Cooking Your Own Food

If you don't want to become an obsessive label reader like yours truly then you have to cook your own food from scratch. MSG is the most ubiquitous food additive in our foods. It can be added to just about anything, so don't expect it to disappear soon. Preparing all of your food is not impossible, but it is a pain in the ass. To anyone reading I thank you and wish you good luck in your presumed quest for better health.

if you care to delve deeper into why MSG is a concern I suggest reading these titles:

Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills by Dr Russel Blaylock

In Bad Taste: The MSG Symptom Complex by George R. Schwartz M.D.