When cooking, adding a little bit of monosodium glutamate (MSG) can enhance the flavor of the dishes. However, if too much MSG is added accidentally, even dishes that are not supposed to be salty can make you feel thirsty. Do you know why? And what should you do if you accidentally consume excessive MSG and feel thirsty?
Why Does Excessive MSG Consumption Make You Thirsty?
MSG contains 12% sodium. Consuming excessive MSG increases the intake of sodium ions, just like when we consume too much salt, which can make us feel thirsty. However, the sodium salt in MSG does not have a salty taste, or any slight salty taste is masked by the rich umami flavor of MSG itself.
To avoid feeling thirsty from excessive MSG consumption, it is important to control the amount of MSG used in cooking. The World Health Organization recommends a maximum daily intake of 120 milligrams of MSG per kilogram of body weight for adults, which is equivalent to 6 grams of MSG for a 50-kilogram adult.
What to Do If You Feel Thirsty from Excessive MSG Consumption
If you accidentally consume excessive MSG and feel thirsty, you can try the following methods to relieve your thirst.
Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking plenty of water can help relieve thirst caused by excessive MSG consumption. Increased water intake will also increase urine output, allowing the MSG to be excreted from the body through urine.
Drink Watermelon Juice
Take 2 fresh watermelons, remove the skin, and cut them into small pieces. Put the watermelon pieces into a juicer and extract the juice. Watermelon has a diuretic effect, which can accelerate the excretion of MSG through urine.
Drink Concentrated Rice Soup
You can drink concentrated rice soup made from boiled rice, or cook the rice into a thin porridge and drink two bowls of it. Remember not to add sugar or salt to the porridge or rice soup.
Gastric Lavage
If you consume an excessive amount of MSG and experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, weakness in limbs, etc., and the above methods do not show any improvement, it is necessary to seek medical attention and consider gastric lavage to remove the excess MSG from the gastrointestinal tract.
