maligned, misunderstood food.

four18

Bovril
Cottage Cheese
Rhubarb

The Hill Billy

All lovely. Your point is...?

pH

Well it's not really a food, but despite the hysteria and anecdotes MSG seems to be safe and side-effect free.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate#Health_concerns

And yet people still say "I wouldn't dream of using that in my cooking" some of it I guess is because it's seen as somehow cheating, but most because of old-wives tales and rumours.

Minder

In a recent series of BBC2 - E Numbers, An Edible Adventure, Stefan Gates researched a load of E Numbers including MSG (E621). The results were that some people are intolerant of the Glutamic Acid or glutamate part of the compound. The monosodium part is a simple salt. As glutamate is a naturally occuring compound in some foods, people intolerant of glutamate show similar reactions to eating glutamate rich foods as they do to eating MSG (unsurprisingly) - nausea, headaches and irritable bowel. So maligned, maybe, but there is evidence that MSG should be avoided by some people.

pH

Minder wrote: »

So maligned, maybe, but there is evidence that MSG should be avoided by some people.

You'll need more than "some guy said it on BBC2" to call it evidence.

From my link above:

A report from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) compiled in 1995 on behalf of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that MSG is safe for most people when “eaten at customary levels”. However, it also said that, based on anecdotal reports, some people may have an MSG intolerance that causes “MSG symptom complex” and/or a worsening of asthmatic symptoms.[17] Subsequent research found that, while large doses of MSG given without food may elicit more symptoms than a placebo in individuals who believe that they react adversely to MSG, the frequency of the responses was low and the responses reported were inconsistent, not reproducible, and not observed when MSG was given with food.[18] No statistical association has been demonstrated under controlled conditions, even in studies with people convinced that they are sensitive to it.

Even if it were true - it's no worse than something like peanuts, some people have certain reactions to certain foods, that doesn't mean that there's anything wrong for the rest of us using them!

Minder

@pH

Did you even read the waffle you posted? A report from 1995. The FDA concluded it was safe for most people? What year is it NOW?

The Hill Billy

Stefan Gates is a well-respected food writer & researcher. Not "some guy" at all.

pH

Minder wrote: »

@pH

Did you even read the waffle you posted? A report from 1995. The FDA concluded it was safe for most people? What year is it NOW?

Are you saying that humans have changed physiologically since 1995 or is there later research that you're aware of that supersedes those studies?

Or maybe just more of the "I know MSG is bad for you" rubbish?

Hill Billy wrote: »

Stefan Gates is a well-respected food writer & researcher. Not "some guy" at all.

He's a TV writer/producer/presenter - "researcher" is stretching it quite a bit.

Anyway, as I said above, some people are intolerant to peanuts, it doesn't make peanuts a bad food to be avoided by those of us that aren't, the same applies to MSG.

Minder

pH wrote: »

Well it's not really a food, but despite the hysteria and anecdotes MSG seems to be safe and side-effect free.

pH wrote: »

Are you saying that humans have changed physiologically since 1995.....

Anyway, as I said above, some people are intolerant to peanuts, it doesn't make peanuts a bad food to be avoided by those of us that aren't, the same applies to MSG.

I dont know about humans changing physiologically since 1995, but you argument has changed in 24 hours. So what is it, is MSG safe and side effect free? Or should it be avoided by people who demonstrate an intolerance to it, like a peanut allergy?

Acoshla

I think brussel sprouts are one of the most misunderstood foods.

I love them, and all I ever hear from people is that they stink and "taste like farts", which just means that the people saying that have been eating overcooked sprouts, as they taste of sulphur when overcooked but are gorgeous when cooked properly, when they are just right and not smelly balls of mush.

Saw them being served as a side on Diners Drive-ins and Dives a few nights ago with garlic, butter, onions, chopped bacon and a few other bits, looked lovely, whereas most people assume they are just a horrible thing to be tolerated on Christmas Day and nothing else.

jassha

Spadina wrote: »

I think brussel sprouts are one of the most misunderstood foods.

I love them, and all I ever hear from people is that they stink and "taste like farts", which just means that the people saying that have been eating overcooked sprouts, as they taste of sulphur when overcooked but are gorgeous when cooked properly, when they are just right and not smelly balls of mush.

Saw them being served as a side on Diners Drive-ins and Dives a few nights ago with garlic, butter, onions, chopped bacon and a few other bits, looked lovely, whereas most people assume they are just a horrible thing to be tolerated on Christmas Day and nothing else.

Shredd thm and saute them in a bit of butter and add some parma ham. Delicious

Dinkie

Marmite is up there with brussels sprouts...

Nothing like marmite on toast for brekkie, marmite cheese and toast for lunch and it can be added to gravies, stews instead of stock.

I got marmite chocolate for Christmas however, that was not so great.:rolleyes:

The Sweeper

Similarly, cabbage. Cabbage is fantastic. Just don't boil it to mush.

Minder

Offal - much maligned. Calves liver, cooked pink in butter with sage leaves. Kidney in a steak and kidney pie. Or sweetbreads - lambs, breaded and fried. Delicious.

unkel

Spadina wrote: »

I think brussel sprouts are one of the most misunderstood foods.

It's such a shame all those people were fed horrible overcooked sprouts

I panfried them for the Christmas dinner in butter with generous amounts of thinly chopped bacon bits and garlic. Seasoned with pepper and salt and nothing else. I preferred them to the turkey tbh

Honey-ec

I focking LOVE sprouts.

My own vote for misunderstood & maligned would have to be bread. You'd think it was evil personified, the way some people go on.

the beer revolu

Honey-ec wrote: »

My own vote for misunderstood & maligned would have to be bread. You'd think it was evil personified, the way some people go on.

Unless you have easy access to a good baker, then most bread is evil personified.:eek::eek:

nesbitt

Fat!:)

A good marbling of fat is needed on certain cuts of beef... eg. rib beef for casseroles, sirloin steak for frying/griddling. Rib beef mince makes better homemade burgers than round steak mince, you need % fat for burgers otherwise they are dry and tasteless.

So not all fat bad for taste but may be bad for your figure!:D