Lay's Magic Masala

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of the common amino acid i.e. Glutamic acid, popular for its usage as flavouring agent in Asian Cooking. 

This glutamate salt is also found naturally in various foods such as tomatoes and cheese as well as ingredients such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolysed groundnut protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, yeast extract, soy extracts, and protein isolate. 

Some people are sensitive to MSG having adverse effects such as headache, depression, etc. on regular consumption of this salt. Indian law requires that foods containing Added MSG list it in the ingredient panel on the packaging with the warning that it should not be consumed by infants below 12 months. However, if ingredients that have naturally occurring MSG, are added to the product then the product may not specify in regards to its presence. 

Pregnant & Lactating women & Infants should avoid Products containing MSG .

Black salt offers some health benefits but remember its primary content is sodium chloride like the table salt.

Manufacturers use distinctive qualities of the many varieties of salts mainly to enhance the flavors and finish of foods. Raw salts like black salt is also recommended for many health issues such as constipation, indigestion, heartburn, bloating, flatulence, goiter, hysteria, poor vision, anemia. 

The Natural Black salt contains minerals like sulfates, sulfides, iron and magnesium. 

Additives are added to the packaged foods for different reasons varying from increasing shelf life, to provide flavour and texture, increasing nutrition quality or required to manufacture some types of food. 

One of the ways to determine the degree of Processing is the number of additives you find in the ingredient list. The higher the number of additives greater is the degree of processing. Additives can be identified by looking for ingredients that begin with 'E' and have a number in them. 

It is generally recommended that food that is closer to nature is better hence it is better to choose food products with lesser number of additives.

Energy available from a food is based on Carbohydrate, Fat and Protein present in it. The ideal ratio of energy obtained from these components is 65% from Carbohydrates, 20% from Fat and 15% from protein. 

More than 30% of energy available in this product is from FAT, which is 50% more than the ideal amount. Foods with High Fat are often loaded with Saturated Fat and Trans Fat both of which contribute to life style diseases including diabetes, obesity or Cardiovascular. 

Again, one should not go on the other extreme of having low fat diet as some amount of fat is required for various bodily functions like storing of energy, absorption of fat soluble vitamins such Vitamin A, D, E and K, insulate us and protect vital organs besides synthesis of specific hormones and cell membrane formation.

Thus, it is important to eat food which has each nutrient in the right quantity and limit food products that give too much of one nutrient.