The only problem is no one seems to know exactly why.

唯一的問題是似乎沒有人知道真正的原因

These days, us consumers want to know more

現在，我們消費者希望更了解

about the food we eat, but despite the

我們吃進去的食物，但是除了

spirit of investigation, some food myths

研究的精神之外，有些食物的迷思

remain completely untouched, and the toxic,

始終沒有人解開，而味精的名聲停留在有毒

poisonous, cancerous, energy-sucking,

有害、可能致癌、讓人沒有活力

headache – inducing, reputation of MSG, is

甚至可能導致頭痛

one of the biggest lingering food myths of all.

這是有史以來受到誤解最久的食物迷思之一。

MSG, or monosodium glutamate is a flavor

味精也稱作味素，是一種提味劑

enhancer that is responsible for cranking up

用來增加

the sensational umami flavors on our tongue.

食物在我們舌尖動人的鮮味

Umami can be described as a savory flavor

鮮味是一種可口的味道

and was named after the Japanese word “Umai”

它以日文字「Umai」命名

which means delicious.

意思是好吃

The effects of MSG were first discovered

味精的影響最早在1908年

in 1908 by chemist Kikunae Ikeda,

由化學家池田菊苗發現

who began studying seaweed, which

他本來是在研究海藻

had been used for centuries by chefs

當時廚師已經好幾世紀都用海藻

to improve the flavor food.

來為食物提味

As it turned out the flavor enhancement was

這位化學家發現這個提味的功能

coming from an amino acid called L-glutamate.

來自於一種稱作「L-麩胺酸」的胺基酸

Glutamate is found in tons of common

麩胺酸可以在大多數常見

foods that are rich in protein. Meats,

富含蛋白質的食物中發現。 肉類

dairy products and vegetables all have glutamate.

奶類還有蔬菜都含有麩胺酸

In fact, our very own bodies produce glutamate

事實上，我們人體透過克氏循環

through the krebs cycle when metabolizing food.

代謝食物時就會製造麩胺酸

So in other words, glutamate is very

所以也就是說，麩胺酸是

abundant and a very common part of our diet.

我們日常飲食中非常大量且常見的部分。

Funny thing is MSG is a sodium salt form of glutamatic acid.

有趣的是，味精是麩胺酸的鈉鹽

So basically the mono sodium part just

基本上這樣小巧的鈉鹽只是

means it's easy to sprinkle on your dish.

為了讓你方便撒在食物上

Okay so here's the question,

好的，那麼還有個問題

if your body makes this compound and

如果你的身體會製造這種成分

it's so common, then how come everyone

而它又如此常見，為什麼大家

thinks this stuff is bad for you?

會認為這個東西對你有害呢？

It all started in a letter to The New

這要追溯到1968年寄到

England Journal of Medicine in 1968,

新英格蘭醫學期刊的一封信

written by a scientist to describe

這封信是一位科學家寫的

the unpleasant after effects

信中提到他吃完中國料理後

he felt after eating Chinese food.

有不舒服的副作用

He dubbed his symptoms Chinese restaurant

這位科學家把它的症狀暱稱為

syndrome which he broadly described as

中國餐廳後遺症，他大概描述了一下

a numbness in the back of the neck gradually

就是頸後的麻痺感逐漸

radiating to both arms in the back

擴散到兩臂後方

and general weakness in palpitation.

還有心跳方面的問題

This is of course after stuffing

這當然是在他

his face the Chinese food.

吃下大量中國料理之後

The journal suggested that MSG

在其後數十年，該期刊指出

was the culprit based on research

根據調查，味精是

in the decades that followed.

這些症狀的始作俑者

The scientific consensus seems to be that

科學共識似乎表明

MSG can temporarily affected select few

對某些人來說

when consumed in huge quantities on

空腹時大量攝取味精

an empty stomach but it's perfectly safe

會有副作用 但是對大多數人來說

for the vast majority people.

它還是安全無虞

And still, MSG’s bad reputation persist today.

然而味精的壞名聲至今仍屹立不搖

What's really kind remarkable is that

現在有個非常特別現象

you'll see signs and labels on foods at

你會在中國餐廳看到

Chinese restaurants that say no MSG added,

不添加味精的標示

to which most people think,

大多數人會覺得

“great, is safe for you, let's chow down.”

「很好，這樣就不用擔心了，我們來大快朵頤吧。」

Little do they realize that when they dowse

很少人會意識到，如果他們

their MSG free food with soy sauce, they’re

在無味精料理中加入醬油，

actually intensely loading it up with glutamate.

其實正在食物中加入麩胺酸

You honestly can't get away from

你真的沒辦法拋開

this stuff, but really not a problem.

這個東西，但這真的不是問題

L-glutamate acid is really one of 20 amino

L-麩胺酸是20種製造天然蛋白質的

acids that make up natural proteins and as

胺基酸中的一種

such the World Health Organization and FDA

因此世界衛生組織和美國食品藥物管理局

have Christened it completely safe to

都已為它正名，指出食用味精是安全的

ingest as with all things in moderation.

就像所有其他的東西一樣溫和

Okay so there's one fundamental lesson in

好的，這就是關於每個人都應該拋棄的

this food myth that everyone should take away.

其中一項食物迷思的重要課程

If someone tells you that something is bad

當有人跟你說某樣東西對你不好

for you and you can’t get a definitive answer

而你又無法知道確切的答案時

as to why, it's your job to dig in

你應該深入了解

and find out for yourself.

並自己找出解答

This is what science is all about,

這就是科學存在的意義

not accepting something is truth

沒有適當的證據前

without proper evidence.

不輕易承認既定的事物是正確的

Make sure to check down video description

記得看看影片下方描述欄裡的

for a link to an infographic about MSG

連結，是我們團隊製作

by our pals over Compound Interest, and

有關味精的圖表

don't forget to spread the word and subscribe.

另外不要忘了宣傳並訂閱我們的頻道！