Nutrition Facts with Dr. Greger Health Effects of Food Additives
Dec 18, 2025
Dr. Christine Dennis, a Senior Research Scientist at Nutrition Facts, dives into the world of food additives, focusing on the controversies surrounding monosodium glutamate (MSG). She highlights MSG's potential to lower sodium intake and presents research showing that reactions to high doses are rare, primarily occurring without food. The discussion shifts to phosphate additives, revealing their links to serious health risks such as accelerated aging and increased mortality. The use of phosphates in food industries raises significant concerns for consumers, particularly those with kidney issues.
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Use MSG To Lower Sodium
- Substitute some table salt with MSG to reduce overall sodium in recipes because MSG contains about one-third the sodium of table salt.
- Use caution with single large doses without food since high single doses caused transient symptoms in a few sensitive individuals.
Most MSG Reactions Aren't Reproducible
- Double-blind trials found only 2 of 130 self-reported MSG-sensitive people reacted more than placebo when blinded with capsules.
- Most reported MSG reactions likely reflect taste or expectation effects rather than true physiological sensitivity.
EFSA Limit On Glutamate Is Controversial
- The European Food Safety Authority set an intake limit of 30 mg/kg/day based on an old rat study, a level most people routinely exceed.
- The original study's author questioned the strength of the neurodevelopmental findings underlying that limit.