Do You React to Food Additives Like MSG, Etc?

[Christine]

I had a very strange occurrence with a Chipotle burrito this past Friday and I'm puzzled. I eat there an awful lot with no problems but I had a definite experience on Friday and it is similar to some reactions in the past. They claim to not use MSG, but this was just odd.

So, if you have, what do you experience. I'll tell what happened to me after I hear what you all go through (I want to see if the reaction is similar before I give out the details).

 

[MickeysMommy]

MSG gives me a terrible headache.

 

[Christine]

MSG gives me a terrible headache.

Do you get the headache immediately after eating, or later?

 

[NYBlue1]

MSG as well as other presevatives give me a bunch of diffrent reactions. sometimes all together sometimes standing on there own. I have had headaches , starting about 30 to 60 minutes after I eat, sometimes with that I have had an tight feeling in my chest like a belt around my lungs and a feeling of general uneasyness, like heebee geebees.

I have also had my lips, yes just my lips swell. Or just plain old hives. All symptoms can stand on their own or be a combination of LOL Oh I forgot itchy hands, just the hands LOL

 

[MAKmom]

I don't have reaction but I shun MSG. It is in everything. I bought Doretoes this weekend in a moment of weakness than realized it had it. I heard MSG makes you hungry. Be careful with season salt & all soup mixes. It also can be in the ingredients as OTHER SPICES. Ranch Dressing has it to unless you get it in the Cold section.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

MSG doesn't bother me, but there is an additive I get sick from. I honestly don't know the name of it, but some places put it on their lettuce to keep it green. I know Wendy's uses it, or at least they used to.

If anyone knows what it's called, I'd like to know.

 

[Pungodingy]

If I eat too much MSG (like chinese food) I have a terrible reaction, similar to a panic attack...headache/cant breath/shaky/dizzy....I dont eat it very often...I try to avoid it!!!

 

[cardaway]

MSG gives me a terrible headache.

Same for both me and my wife. We usually get the reaciton within the hour.

We have realized we have no choice but to avoid the stuff. It can be done, but it means reading the labels because it's strange what has it and what does not.

 

[Christine]

Okay, here's what happened to me. It sounds somewhat similar to what you all have described.

I usually go to the same Chipotle about twice a month (sometimes more). I *ALWAYS* get a Fajita Burrito with Carnitas (pork). My toppings are always the same.

This past Friday, my friend and I went and my friend went in and ordered. He made a mistake on mine and got the regular burrito (this comes with black beans versus the peppers). This is not a big deal, I've had the beans before and never a problem.

So, as I'm eating the burrito, I notice that the pork is EXTREMELY salty. The burrito was good but the pork was noticeably salty and my friend also noticed it and commented.

As I finished the last bite of the burrito, it honestly felt like a switch clicked off in my head. I had these weird feeling of "doom" come over me. I got very shaky and my heart was racing. I went to my desk and took a few deep breaths, thinking it was some type of panic attack (but it wasn't). The next thing I know, across my shoulders and collarbone, my skin had a sensation of being VERY cold. Yet, when I touched it, it felt normal. It was just a sensation.

I then went to the restroom and my legs were very shaky.

This whole weird panicky episode lasted about an hour. For the rest of Friday evening, my legs felt very shaky and I felt weak. I was extremely tired.

On Saturday morning I awoke with a fairly bad headache which lasted ALL day. I was extremely tired and when I was doing my errands, I felt like every step was an effort with my muscles. I woke up Sunday and felt much better.

I have had a few episodes like this before--all a tad different but very similar. All had to do with eating out somewhere. Once in a Chinese restaurant, once in a Thai restaurant (which claims not to use MSG), once in a restaurant where I had only eaten bread and butter, and then again when I made chicken salad from a rotisserie chicken (that I had eaten the night before with no problem).

Well, thanks for responding. I think I'm on to something.

 

[Christine]

MSG doesn't bother me, but there is an additive I get sick from. I honestly don't know the name of it, but some places put it on their lettuce to keep it green. I know Wendy's uses it, or at least they used to.

If anyone knows what it's called, I'd like to know.

Sulfites?

 

[Bob Slydell]

I go into a coma after eating a whole Chipotle burrito.

Wait, no, that might just be from overeating.

 

[Christine]

I go into a coma after eating a whole Chipotle burrito.

Wait, no, that might just be from overeating.

I should have clarified. I didn't eat the whole thing. My friend and I split the burrito, so I only ate half. He was fine. But this is a person who eats leftovers that are sometimes 3 weeks old. He did note that the pork was extremely salty and it was unusual for Chipotle to be "off" in their seasonings.

 

[punkin712]

I never had any problems with MSG or any other additives, except for a few specific incidents.

The first was at a noodle shop in NYC where my co-workers and I used to grab lunch. On occasion, I would use this spice mixture that was on all the tables in my udon soup. Whenever I used it, a few hours after eating, I would feel really spacy and out of it. One day, for no particular reason, I looked at the ingredients and noticed that it contained cannabis extract! Needless to say, I stopped eating there.

The other times were at PF Chang's. I have only eaten there 3 times and each time ordered the vegetarian lettuce wraps. The morning after, I had horrific headaches that bordered on migraine intensity. Although they say they don't use MSG, I'm thinking that they may use yeast extract.

I'm hoping Chipotle isn't using cannabis extract in their burritos (although, sales near college campuses would skyrocket!), but maybe they used yeast extract and that's what caused your strange reaction.

Did you mention anything to the store manager?

 

[Christine]

I'm hoping Chipotle isn't using cannabis extract in their burritos (although, sales near college campuses would skyrocket!), but maybe they used yeast extract and that's what caused your strange reaction.

Did you mention anything to the store manager?

I've sent an e-mail off to their corporate office. Also, in poking around on the internet, I did run across people who thought they had MSG reactions from Chipotle, but when they questioned the chain they were emphatically told that they "use all natural ingredient", yada, yada, yada. So I don't expect much back. All the same, I've eaten there SO many times without a problem. This was the one and only time the pork was almost inedible due to saltiness. So there was a lot of "something" on that pork.

 

[MushyMushy]

MSG makes me feel like my skin is kind of "tight," like around my head and chest area. I also feel strange, almost like I've been drinking. Very odd.

It's not enough to keep me away from it, but I would classify it as weird.

 

[punkin712]

I've sent an e-mail off to their corporate office. Also, in poking around on the internet, I did run across people who thought they had MSG reactions from Chipotle, but when they questioned the chain they were emphatically told that they "use all natural ingredient", yada, yada, yada. So I don't expect much back. All the same, I've eaten there SO many times without a problem. This was the one and only time the pork was almost inedible due to saltiness. So there was a lot of "something" on that pork.

Interesting...that's a red flag, right there.

Here's an article that talks about "all natural" claims. That's how I found out about the yeast extract thing.

http://www.newstarget.com/021937.html

 

[Stinkerbell2007]

I'd keep insisting until you get a response. They advertise that they are the only "all natural" restaurant.. fresh ingredients, etc...

 

[Christine]

I'd keep insisting until you get a response. They advertise that they are the only "all natural" restaurant.. fresh ingredients, etc...

I know. One reason I eat there. But, you know, they do season their meat with something. Whatever that something was, it was a lot of it.

Either that or I got a panic attack from eating. Burritophobia I suppose.

 

[Iansmom]

not MSG, but I do have a reaction to Aspartame.

so many items that are Sugar-Free or No Sugar Added are made with Aspartame. I read a lot of labels.

and if I'm at a restaurant or somewhere where they cannot verify the sweetener, I have to go with the full-sugar option or without altogether.

 

[patriciaybailey]

MSG makes my tongue swell. I redeemed a free Chipotle burrito for lunch and a headache afterwards with no tongue swelling. I don't think it is MSG. If my hair starts to fall out again by the handful, then it was either an extreme food allergy or pesticide.