Maggi Nutri-licious Pazzta Tomato twist

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 .

Some Food Products mask the amount of Added Sugar by using multiple forms of sugar and avoid displaying Sugar as one of the first ingredient. All Ingredient list are in descending order by their weight, so the position of sugar and its aliases can give an indication of the amount of 'Added Sugar'.

Though the Nutrition Fact label on the food product gives you the Total Sugar, the regulation does not require the break up between natural and added sugar to be given. Thus, it is important to know the different sources of sugar that may be present in a food product to get an idea of added sugar. 

At the same time it is important to understand that the body does not distinguish between natural and added sugar, so take note of the Total Sugar in the Nutritional Fact label.

Read more about the many different sources of sugar which includes Dextrose, Invert Syrup, Maltodextrin, Honey...