MSG in Bragg’s Liquid Aminos!

I have been doing a lot of research regarding MSG levels in Braggs Liquid Aminos and how it is created. I was waiting to write about it until I had enough information and had tried and tested healthier alternatives that I could confidently recommend.

It is funny, for years I didn’t really pay attention to various raw food chefs and raw foodists that I knew who were so against using Braggs – I just assumed that maybe it was because it wasn’t truly raw but did not realize how unnatural the product actually is. I used to hear that it was actually bad for your health and the sodium in it was the unhealthy kind and provided no significant amount of amino acids. Plus, reports from people who are sensitive to MSG have a hard time using it over time…interesting.

I am sure most of you are familiar with the Bragg’s line of products. They have been around for years and their Bragg’s Liquid Aminos has been extremely popular over the last 15 years or more. Bragg’s is simply a very salty soy sauce-type liquid that used to claim “No MSG” and “Raw” on the label. Eventually the FDA required them to remove both claims because it tested for MSG and was not raw. Next appeared on the label “No Added MSG”. This too was required to be removed from the label until no claims are presently made on the label. This is because Bragg’s does contain MSG.

MSG is naturally occurring from the isolation process that this product goes through. Isn’t that surprising? Pratricia Bragg even admits that it has small traces of MSG but that it is a natural occurrence, from everything that they do to the product during production, which is quite a bit! According to scientific understanding, the Aminos are heated most likely with hydrochloric acid. Salt and glutamic acid are created during this process – MSG is the same chemical found in glutamic acid! The MSG might be naturally occurring and not added to the Bragg’s but that doesn’t mean it is safe and healthy! Read more about MSG and how dangerous it is to the body: http://www.justgoodenergy.com/2010/04/23/ingredients-to-watch-out-for/

Even the Weston A. Price foundation confirmed this information, which is a well-trusted group that pioneers in natural health and research. For a more scientific breakdown of how Braggs is created and the process of naturally occurring MSG in Braggs click on this link: http://www.welikeitraw.com/rawfood/2005/06/bragg_liquid_am.html

What to use instead of Braggs in recipes? I have completely omitted it from my family’s diet and over the past couple of months have switched to using either Nama Shoyu (raw and fermented), Low Sodium Tamari, and Coconut Aminos by Coconut Secret which is raw, fermented and is made with a very healthy and nutritious source of sea salt! My favorite combo is to us part Nama Shoyu, which is stronger and saltier, with half Coconut Aminos, which is sweeter and less salty. It seems to work perfectly for all of my recipes that used to call for Braggs. Over the next week I will make sure to replace these products with Bragg’s with all of the recipes at my website.