# What does straight MSG taste like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 6, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221 "2005-03-06T18:02:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/1 "2005-03-06T18:02:12Z")
I noticed that my local supermarket seells canisters of MSG along the spice racks. It’s fairly cheap too, about $1 for 4.37 oz., making it [by far] the cheapest spice available. From my primetime news and alternative medicine experience, MSG is an insidious plot by wiley Chinamen to destroy the Anglos who are merely trying to show their openmindedness with some culinary exploration. As I understand, MSG is responsible for everything from hair loss to Evil. But that little bottle full of what could be powdered sugar for all I know sits there, taunting me. I’d really like to know what a “flavor enhancer” tastes like by itself, but I’m too worried that my heart would stop, the Red Menace would pour over the borders and my name would forevermore be cursed by true Americans. But perhaps it’s really tasty. I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/2 "2005-03-06T18:05:44Z")
> [@Chairman Pow](#): > > But perhaps it’s really tasty. I dunno. Frankly, it tastes a little bit like your own saliva, only moreso. I have no idea what it’s made OF, but I’ve tasted it by itself and it doesn’t really have a flavor of its own, but it’s very mildly salty, very mildly sweet and sort of “warm-tasting,” if that makes any sense at all. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/3 "2005-03-06T18:40:50Z")
It’s quite hard to describe, as MSG actually possesses what some people call “the fifth flavor” as it is neither salty, sweet, bitter or sour. The fifth flavor has a name, which is “umami” and is generally described as “savoryness.” A short article about umami. > **[The Fifth Flavor / Elusive taste dimension can mean the difference between...](https://www.sfgate.com/recipes/article/The-Fifth-Flavor-Elusive-taste-dimension-can-3304067.php)** > > The Fifth Flavor / Elusive taste dimension can mean the difference between balance and... ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/4 "2005-03-06T19:39:38Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > Frankly, it tastes a little bit like your own saliva, only moreso. I have no idea what it’s made OF, but I’ve tasted it by itself and it doesn’t really have a flavor of its own, but it’s very mildly salty, very mildly sweet and sort of “warm-tasting,” if that makes any sense at all. Lies. No description of what straight MSG tastes like should include the word “mild”. My girlfriend bought some of this only a couple of weeks ago and I wondered the same thing: “What would these mysterious and allegedly evil granules taste like by themselves?” So naturally I dumped some in my hand and licked it. The “flavor”, to put it mildly (heh), is intense. It immediately made my face scrunch up and swallowing it had the almost instant result of pummeling my stomach into a state of extreme nausea. The taste - nearly indescribable, I’d go with “fifth flavor” - was difficult to get rid of and lingered for a good 10 to 15 minutes, despite consumption of copious amount of water. I do not reccommend you try this at home. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/5 "2005-03-06T22:23:38Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Lies. No description of what straight MSG tastes like should include the word “mild”. > > My girlfriend bought some of this only a couple of weeks ago and I wondered the same thing: “What would these mysterious and allegedly evil granules taste like by themselves?” So naturally I dumped some in my hand and licked it. > > The “flavor”, to put it mildly (heh), is intense. It immediately made my face scrunch up and swallowing it had the almost instant result of pummeling my stomach into a state of extreme nausea. > > The taste - nearly indescribable, I’d go with “fifth flavor” - was difficult to get rid of and lingered for a good 10 to 15 minutes, despite consumption of copious amount of water. > > I do not reccommend you try this at home. Good heavens, how much of it did you lick up?? I tasted a few granules of it - sounds to me like you gobbled up a tablespoon! ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/6 "2005-03-06T23:04:55Z")
I love MSG. Its good. 🙂 It does give you a shock if you take a big enough hit, but I can’t help it. Its ecstasy. Try it. (For the record, I am Asian, so my tastebuds might have washed away years ago) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/7 "2005-03-07T01:42:39Z")
When I taste raw MSG, I’m reminded of ramen soup flavor packets or bullion cubes. Its sort of a salty and faintly meatyness. I dunno about **Cisco’s** reaction. I’ve let lots of people try it and, so far, people are underwhelmed. Certainly nothing unpleasant. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/8 "2005-03-07T02:26:18Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > When I taste raw MSG, I’m reminded of ramen soup flavor packets or bullion cubes. Its sort of a salty and faintly meatyness. > > I dunno about **Cisco’s** reaction. I’ve let lots of people try it and, so far, people are underwhelmed. Certainly nothing unpleasant. What s/he said. It’s a lot like mild bullion cubes. Also excellent in peanut butter cookies - substitute it for the salt. Brings out the peanutbuttery goodness. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/9 "2005-03-07T02:51:11Z")
MSG tastes like a dozen red hot nails being hammered into my skull, then struck by lightening before the Tuba & Drum Corp come marching through the room. \<-----------------------allergic to it. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/10 "2005-03-07T04:28:34Z")
It tastes like a migraine. ---
**Author:** ![cluelessnoob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@cluelessnoob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cluelessnoob)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/11 "2005-03-07T11:22:27Z")
There was actually a SD article on this very topic: [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mumami.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mumami.html) ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-straight-msg-taste-like/293221/12 "2005-03-07T11:59:53Z")
I have a bag full at home. I sprinkle some in when I make fried rice and a couple other dishes. I always thought it just made food taste more like chinese restaurant food, for lack of a better description. If pressed, I’d say, “mildly salty, mildly bitter”. Maybe.