Dean Esmay wrote:
>
> The last I read about it, MSG has been a "spice" used by the Chinese for
> many centuries, and is extracted from beets.
>
> Some people do have negative reactions to it, but I'm not sure how to place
> it on the scale of undesirable foods for the modern hunter/gatherer.  It
> has a chemical NAME but so does salt; apparently in reality it's just an
> extract from beets.  (I suppose the question would next be whether or not
> beets are acceptable.)

MSG is an excitotoxin - it damages neurons.  See Blaylock, Russell M.D.
_Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills_ ISBN: 0-929173-14-7 (synopsis at
http://www.lauralee.com/blaylock.htm) His book describes excitotoxins,
where they are found, and how they react in the body. Blaylock, a
neurosurgeon, presents the latest research findings to demonstrate how
exposure to excitotoxins will damage nerve cells in the brain. The use
of aspartame, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and monosodium glutamate in
prepared foods and beverages continues to increase on a yearly basis.
Dr. Blaylock clearly demonstrates that the neurotoxic potential of
excitotoxins such as MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins and aspartame
(NUTRASWEET) is so overwhelming that it can no longer be ignored.

Bob C