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I was doing some reading re: MSG and I was surprised to find out that the original ingredient for MSG was kombu. Knowing that MSG is very harmful to the body, I am concerned about consuming kombu, the raw material for MSG. Is Kombu really safe to eat? (considering that kombu is a favorite ingredient for macrobiotic recipes). What makes it safe when it is the ingredient for MSG?
sua721,
Maybe we can see MSG as a form of refined kombu, like white sugar, white flour, or refined salt, it's missing the complete ingredients that kombu or laminaria provides.
No one as far as I can tell has ever had a bad experience from eating kombu but many people have had negative reactions from MSG.
Whenever I eat out at a Chinese, Thai, or Korean restaurant, I ask that they hold the MSG and sugar.
In macrobiotic cooking, we usually rinse off the glutamic salts with spring or filtered water and then soak it in a container of the same kind of water.
Just remember that the latest macrobiotic research has determined that using large pieces of sea vegetables to season or enhance cooking, such as a kinpira, or beans is too yang, and small pieces of kombu the size of a postage stamp are all that is needed.
Also, using sea vegetables like wakame or alaria, it has been determined that ising a small piece soaked and then snipped or sliced into fine small ribbons is all that is needed to make a balanced miso soup.
If you feel that you want more sea vegetables in your diet, then try preparing them ocassionally as a side dish mixed with thinly sliced vegetables such as onions, carrots, and or daikon.
Thank you, very much.
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Bruce Paine
Bruce,
Thanks for your reply - it is both enlightening and very reassuring. I noted that you said that large portions of seaweed can be too yang. Lately, (past 2 weeks), I've felt lacking in energy - and I noted that this was the period that I'd have large portions of seaweed daily. I also had tofu cheese (cooked) 2x a week. Is that probably the reason for my feeling of weakness? Sometimes I feel a trembling sensation beneath my skin - and I think this is related to fatigue. Also I thought that this was part of my body's discharging the MSG that I took last month. I was also absent of exercise for months. I've started doing brisk walking every night for 10 to 20 minutes.
What can I eat to give me back my energy? I eat nishime but only once a week. What else can I do to get my energy back?
thanks.
Post Script to Reply to Bruce:
As a backgrounder, I've been on macrobiotics for a little over a year only. I felt a great improvement in my mental sharpness, and aside from the occassional discharges, I have nothing to complain about. Except for my lack in energy. Could this be due to my change in diet, ie from a voracious carnivore, I am now a vegetarian - fish eater, with whole grains? Also, since I am quite new, my diet is also limited, so I tend to get bored with my diet.
I hope you can help me.
thanks!