Additionally, our bodies might run on caloric intake, but they’re not calorimeters. Vinegar affects blood-sugar – and by proxy, the feeling of satiety – despite the fact that it is not high-calorie. Free glutamates also affect how satisfying a food might taste. I believe there is a hypothesis proposed that artificial sweeteners might go against brain chemistry by causing the body to expect sugar to be entering the bloodstream – but when no sugar enters it, the craving for sugar (*actual* sugar) remains.

I like my food simple and I like being able to pronounce the ingredients. I’m not necessarily opposed to MSG being used in food, but I question why the food product might need MSG in the *first* place. Is it not sufficiently delicious on its own, without chemical enhancement?

I recently discovered at the salad bar that rather than use the bottled dressing (which I never really liked that much anyway, nor used much of) I can make my own dressing combining olive oil, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, and a little salt, oregano, and black pepper. It tastes much better, compliments the food better, and doesn’t contain extra sugar, chemicals, or sodium. (Much of that sodium comes from preservative chemicals and not even for affecting the flavor of the food.)

I do eat some “processed foods;” don’t get me wrong. But I also believe that you are what you eat and try to reflect that in my diet.