Re: "Chinese Food Syndrome" - Causes?

LOL - yes, I know that fast food is basically junk, and it seems that the problem has grown worse over the years (the quality of the food has deteriorated due to rampant profit-mongering - not that fast food had ever been known for its quality and healthfulness). Who really knows what all is in the food? I wish I had the resources and the "know-how" to determine every ingredient that is included.

Unfortunately, since my energy-levels don't match my good-intentions/ambition - I end up eating more fast food than I'd like. I just haven't been able to function well enough to do a lot of cooking. But if I'm going to be victimized by my own dysfunction - I'd at least like to be better-informed about what, exactly, is in these foods that causes the physiological response that I described.

I know for the Trader Joe's entrees (and not every Trader Joe's pre-prepared dinner causes this reaction, but several have) - I have suspected monosodium-glutamate and its close relatives that are included in the meals - presumably for the purposes of "enhancing flavor". A lot of the Trader Joe's meals have ingredients like "yeast extract" included; "yeast extract" is supposedly Mono-Sodium-Glutamat (Natrium Glutamat) under a different name.

And I'd like to make special mention of Taco Bell's steak Cantina bowls, and steak taco salads. Taco Bell takes steak - a meat that is normally pretty filling and contributes to satiety - and makes it about as filling as a single Rice Krispie kernel. How do they adulterate the steak to make this happen? Obviously, the steak probably isn't of the highest grade/quality - but it seems as though that is not the whole story...