IMHO the fact that Asians have been consuming it in huge amounts for over a century, and yet there hasn't been any common health problems linked to it, should be enough of a clue that it's not really harmful...
I've found that restaurants in China in general tend to use a lot more MSG and other glutamate products than North America, enough to give me a little bit of a "high". It would not surprise me that someone not used to it would probably not like the experience. I once went to a "no MSG" one (they exist over there too, because the "chemicals are bad" line of thought is just as prevalent) without being aware of it, and found the food rather bland --- only upon leaving did I notice the signage.
>IMHO the fact that Asians have been consuming it in huge amounts for over a century, and yet there hasn't been any common health problems linked to it, should be enough of a clue that it's not really harmful...
This isn't really a good argument. Western people use lactose in a variety of ways such as a drink additive (tea), for cooking (cheese, cream-based sauces), and even consuming by the glass (good ol' fashion milk). However, there's a high prevalence of lactose intolerance in Asian countries. There are just some sensitivities, diseases, and reactions that are more prevalent in some ethnicities than others including lactose intolerance, sickle-cell anemia, and Tay-Sachs disease.
For the record, I keep a bottle of MSG in my pantry. I love the stuff, and the only way you'll get me to stop using it is by prying it from my cold, dead hands.
Presuming all backgrounds of people who have had different evolutionary paths are the same or would react the same biologically to different chemicals doesn't make sense to me. For example, many Asians from my current understanding - and correct me if I'm wrong, can't process Alcohol the same way the rest of us can - which leads a higher percentage of them getting a red face.
I too would get a bit of a "high" - whether it's the same experience that we both have or not, for me it also would cause me ADD/focus problems for many hours afterward and give me a headache.
You're right that some people could become conditioned or accustomed to it if they eat it regularly, however I wonder then what the long-term impact is - and how easy it would be to measure more subtle impact.
I've found that restaurants in China in general tend to use a lot more MSG and other glutamate products than North America, enough to give me a little bit of a "high". It would not surprise me that someone not used to it would probably not like the experience. I once went to a "no MSG" one (they exist over there too, because the "chemicals are bad" line of thought is just as prevalent) without being aware of it, and found the food rather bland --- only upon leaving did I notice the signage.