What -IS- MSG?

Factual Questions
1

Me: “I think I’ll eat a large amount of Chinese food now.”

(three hours later)

My Stomach: “Grrrrrr! Food!”

I’ve been told that the MSG in Chinese food is an appetite enhancer, which in turn causes me to get hungry a few hours after eating.

Does anyone else experience this? Am I just wacko? And what the hell -IS- MSG, anyway?

2

click here

3

and here

4

Lies! Dirty dirty lies!

Ah well, I suppose I’m a wacko, afterall.

5

ok, here too

6

There are many myths regarding MSG and we had some threads in the past:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=153527
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=141443
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=129841

7

Generally, I like the comparison of msg to fries without ketchup and salt: may be (marginally) better for you, but damn, they just don’t taste the same.