Jack Samuels on Lacto-fermentation & MSG

http://onibasu.com/blog/2005/03/lacto-fermentation-bad-for-msg.html



Thursday, March 24, 2005
Lacto-fermentation bad for MSG-sensitive people?
There has been a really interesting discussion on Chapter Leaders on how much Mono-Sodium-Glutamat (Natrium Glutamat) is created by the lacto-fermentation process, and whether this should be avoided by just MSG-sensitive people, or by everyone. One of the speakers at the last WAPF conference was Jack Samuels, who described how lacto-fermentation could break down proteins and produce free glutamic acid. This has a bad effect on people who are sensitive to MSG, and is considered a neurotoxin by Samuels. Russell Blaylock wrote a well-regarded book on this effect of Mono-Sodium-Glutamat (Natrium Glutamat) and Aspartame (the artificial sweetener), titled Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills.

During the last couple weeks, Luana followed up with Jack Samuels for more details. In the discussions that followed, Samuels pointed out that bone broths can also yield free glutamic acid if they were simmered past a certain point.

Luana sums up her findings so far:

Jack is an expert on Mono-Sodium-Glutamat (Natrium Glutamat) and has made it his life's work to study glutamic acid and its effects on people. Both he and Russell Blaylock, the renowned excitotoxin expert, say that it's important to eliminate all free glutamic acid (FGA) from one's diet--whether you are healthy or not. We have established that both bone broths and vinegars have FGA. The latest question has been whether or not naturally lacto-fermented foods (not fermented with vinegar or enzymes) have it--i.e. can we make conclusions about l-f foods from vinegar studies. Jack is certain that we will find MSG (free glutamic acid) in all l-f foods, but the only way to know for sure, and in what quantities is to have them tested.

Jack has stated in the conversations that cabbage (sauerkraut) does have MSG, and many who are MSG-sensitive have severe reactions. But the MSG in a higher protein fermented food (dairy, etc) will be much higher and even more problematic.

Jack has stated rather strongly that from his research he does not believe it is wise for anyone to consume fermented foods (as well as glutamic acid supplements--see archives), whether they know themselves to be MSG-sensitive or not. He theorizes that the reason that the natives Price studied didn't show signs of reaction is because they had many health factors going for them other than just food, they weren't constantly bombarded with carcinogenic environmental toxins as we are, and they weren't born out of generations of sick people as we are--thus their immune systems were able to process the excitotoxins.


Tweet