Danger of Chinese salt: "Protect your children."

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), also known as Chinese salt, continues to be discussed as a food additive that threatens millions of children and adults.

The Turkish Kidney Foundation (TBV) and experts are warning families and authorities by drawing attention to the harmful effects of MSG on health.

MSG: AN ADDICTIVE DANGER

Timur Erk, President of the Turkish Kidney Foundation, stated that MSG can disrupt children's eating habits and create addiction. Stating that MSG, which is banned in Pakistan and restricted in many countries, is considered one of the "most harmful food ingredients" by the World Health Organization, Erk emphasized that the easy accessibility of products containing MSG in Turkey poses a great threat.

"There are nearly 2 million obese children in Turkey, and this rate increases by 8% every year. Access to packaged foods containing MSG should be made more difficult, and families should take care to feed their children natural and additive-free foods."

HARMFUL EFFECTS ON HEALTH

Evaluating the effects of MSG on health, Istanbul University Nephrology Department Head Prof. Dr. Aydın Türkmen stated that MSG disrupts taste perception and creates addiction.

“MSG can cause serious health problems such as hypertension, obesity, migraine, hyperactivity, autism, and fibromyalgia. It is extremely important to keep children away from such foods at an early age.”

Türkmen also emphasized that foods containing MSG can cause kidney failure and heart diseases in the long term.

FOODS CONTAINING THE MOST MSG

TBV Dietician Gökçen Efe Aydın listed the foods containing the most MSG as follows:

● Ready-made soups and noodles

● Chips and crackers

● Processed meat products (sausage, salami, sausage)

● Fast food products

● Frozen foods

Aydin stated that children should be kept away from such foods and drew attention to the importance of turning to natural and additive-free products.

SOLUTION SUGGESTIONS

The Turkish Kidney Foundation offers the following suggestions against the MSG threat:

1- Instilling the habit of reading labels in children.

2- Increasing legal regulations regarding MSG content in packaged foods.

3- Directing families to natural and seasonal products.

CONSCIOUS NUTRITION FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE

Creating awareness about the harms of MSG on health shows that individual and social steps should be taken. Experts state that MSG poses a serious threat not only to children but also to adults. Natural and balanced eating habits are now a must for a healthy future.