Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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Just bought a seafood spice mix to go with the wild salmon that I microwaved for lunch (don't get me started!). It says: salt, spices, dehydrated garlic, paprika and dehydrated onion. What can the food companies include under "spices"?

Oh, whew! There is a box that says: All Natural, No MSG, No preservatives, Gluten Free. It's Chef Paul Prudhomme's - Magic Seasoning Blend - btw. But what if they hadn't stated that explicitly?

flag	asked Apr 14 2011 at 17:01 Dave S. 20.9k●1●11●65

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You don't actually expect Paul Prudhomme to give out his secret spice blend, do you? That spice blend has been passed down for generations deep in the bayou's of Cajun country. Based on what my Cajun friends eat, the "spice" is probably something like the musk gland from a nutria--in which case it is totally paleo. – RG73 Apr 14 2011 at 17:58

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Okay, so I now know what a nutria is. I sure hope I'm not eating it's musk gland - eeww! – Dave S. Apr 19 2011 at 16:20

Emily · Accepted Answer · 2011-04-14 17:34:10Z UTC

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Just because it says "NO MSG" doesn't mean much. It may still have ingredients which act like MSG. Anything hydrolyzed, most extracts (yeast extract, spice extract) and most natural flavors, flavorings and spices contain free glutamate- which is essentially the same as MSG. Instead of adding straight monosodium glutamate they process ingredients in such a way (hydrolyze is one way) as to create free glutamic acid to get the desired effect without labeling.

answered Apr 14 2011 at 17:34

Emily
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You beat me to it, but Bingo! Anything that says "natural flavorings" or "hydrolyzed" is the same as MSG, and the label can still claim it's MSG-free. – JansSushiBar Apr 14 2011 at 17:37

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Hear, hear! This is why I don't buy anything that has the ambiguous ingredient "spices" in it anymore. Not worth the risk. – Ziva Apr 14 2011 at 19:50

So does "Spices" qualify as something that can hide MSG? – Denis May 8 2012 at 17:34

A lot of times manufacturers will get around it by saying "no msg added", yet there is "yeast extract" and other MSG additives. – jouno53 Apr 17 at 0:55

Ingenol · Answer 2 · 2012-04-27 16:17:07Z UTC

The existing replies are correct: MSG can and often is hiding in "natural/artificial flavoring" or "hydrolyzed" anything. However, "spices" CANNOT include MSG, so your seafood spice mix should be MSG-free if those are the only listed ingredients.

Here is a nice summary: http://www.home-ec101.com/food-labels-controversy-and-msg/

Paleo Doll · Answer 3 · 2011-04-14 17:08:00Z UTC

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No. Artificial or Natural Flavorings could and usually are, though.

answered Apr 14 2011 at 17:08

Paleo Doll
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Karin · Answer 4 · 2011-04-14 17:34:39Z UTC

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I think that usually means "sugar" in some form...but best thing to do...buy your spices individually and just combine yourself ahead of time so you have them..then you ALWAYS know what's in them.Kind of a pain in the arse at first but once you've gotten them done it's wonderful!

answered Apr 14 2011 at 17:34

Karin
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Yeah. I just wanted something easy for work – Dave S. Apr 14 2011 at 18:49

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Ok, time to add some common sense: how much sugar are you realistically adding when a fraction of a spice blend may be sugar? – Matt Nov 29 2011 at 11:58

david · Answer 5 · 2012-07-05 02:23:42Z UTC

Spices contain proteins. When not consumed FRESH they most definitely contain free glutamate. This is so because as foodstuffs age they begin to breakdown into their constituent elements. It is quite difficult to find FRESH spices unless they are in whole seed form and ground as needed. The issue isn't MSG (the most palatable form of glutamate) the issue is free glutamic acid, its prevalence in foods, and its rate of absorption. I twitch and sweat whenever I have anything with "spices" added (especially if it contains tomato sauce/puree/paste as tomatoes naturally contain free glutamic acid). Think down the road a few decades and ask yourself if you want to deal with dementia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, RLS (to name a few conditions that may result from excessive dietary exposure to free glutamic acid and which are, incidentally, being treated with glutamate blockers - ALS and schizophrenia are more extreme conditions that may result from the neurotoxic effects of unbound glutamate). Glutamic acid is a non-essential amino acid (meaning that the body can produce it on its own). Exposure to excessive dietary glutamate can cause nerve cells to fire UNTIL THEY DIE.

Bobby · Answer 6 · 2011-11-29 04:20:09Z UTC

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Weber Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning - No Added MSG, "spices", got a killer migraine and panic attack - my usual symptoms from MSG.

answered Nov 29 2011 at 4:20

Bobby

community wiki

Andy Gillcash · Answer 7 · 2012-04-27 16:06:42Z UTC

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Copmliments Beans in Tomato Sauce

The label reads "Spices". More like MSG which did produce my usual hives.

answered Apr 27 2012 at 16:06

Andy Gillcash
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Chinaeskimo · Answer 8 · 2012-07-05 02:21:01Z UTC

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I wonder that too. Sometimes I look at something like a soup mix, which has NO dairy in the ingredients, but then on the bag it says "contains dairy." The only ambiguous ingredients are the "spices" so I guess it can mean anything!

answered Jul 5 at 2:21

Chinaeskimo
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Julie · Answer 9 · 2013-04-16 23:34:02Z UTC

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Yes, it is CODE for msg. No MSG means it's called something else. Natural Flavors, spice, spices etc. All mean MSG.

answered Apr 16 at 23:34

Julie
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Is “spices” a code word for nasty stuff like MSG?

9 Answers