FOLLOW THE SCIENCE: A single letter in 1968 ruined MSG’s reputation. Science is finally clearing its name. “So how did a completely natural flavor enhancer become one of the most misunderstood ingredients in modern history? It’s a recipe that calls for a bit of bad science, a dash of cultural bias, and a single letter written to a medical journal. In 1968, a doctor wrote a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine about several symptoms he was experiencing. He reported numbness and even heart palpitations after eating at local Chinese restaurants. This physician’s observation led him to a hypothesis: could MSG be the cause? This single query did not immediately prompt the medical community to conduct a peer-reviewed study. Instead, the media ran wild with the story. Local papers and news broadcasts associated MSG with the dubious term ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.’ And just like that, a safe food additive used around the globe became a culinary villain. And the stigma has stuck around ever since. . . . When FDA scientists finally put MSG to the test in the ’90s, the “syndrome” myth quickly crumbled. Research shows that consuming MSG in normal amounts causes no adverse symptoms.”

It’s amazing how many medical “facts” have similarly shaky roots.