Well That Certainly Seems Appropriate...

[dales]

Jim, you've tasted it and didn't like it. Fair play!

To the rest, my 5 yr old does this:

Him: I don't like (food x).
Me: But how do you know you don't like it? You've never tried it.
Him: I just know.

I repeat, he is 5 years old.

That is what 5 year olds do.

[loCAtek]

Children generally have very good natural instincts about what is nutritious for them. It's a shame that marketing influences both parents and children into eating 'trendy' foods like sugary cereals and greasy hamburgers. ...but, I digress.

As for marmite's appeal, it's probably because of its glutamic acid content, this is better known in its sodium form: Monosodium glutamate or MSG. I don't mind a little glutamic acid, such as in soy sauce, but that doesn't mean I would enjoy just drinking soy sauce straight.

[Sean]

Jim, you've tasted it and didn't like it. Fair play!

To the rest, my 5 yr old does this:

Him: I don't like (food x).
Me: But how do you know you don't like it? You've never tried it.
Him: I just know.

I repeat, he is 5 years old.

That is what 5 year olds do.

POO! I've tried a reasonable facsimile...

Sorry Keld, there is no reasonable facsimile. I would have to assume that you are referring to Vegemite, Promite or the Aussie version of Marmite. In that case, what you have tried was one of the poor (and nasty) relations to Marmite.

[loCAtek]

A Yank family tries Marmite;

[Rick]

Sorry Keld, there is no reasonable facsimile. I would have to assume that you are referring to Vegemite, Promite or the Aussie version of Marmite. In that case, what you have tried was one of the poor (and nasty) relations to Marmite.

Yeah right, just like the difference between a pigs butt and a cows butt.

Go beyond that and you'll have to confer with Joe...

[Lord Jim]

Two really funny things in that video:

The first is the completely appropriate juxtaposition of the Marmite jar with the picture of the roll of toilet paper on Grandpa's shirt....

And the second is the fact that even a man who by the looks of him, probably never before encountered anything that he wouldn't eat, practically gags after one bite of this toxic goo...

Gives me an idea for an advertising slogan:

" Enjoy Marmite...It's so disgusting that even a 400 pound man won't eat it!"

[dales]

Sean (or any other non-American) is there a uniquely American food which you find disgusting?

ie: Peanut Butter?

A woman I knew from Ukraine wouldn't go near the stuff.

[Sean]

Can't think of anything off hand Dales.

Mind you, there are some foods I find repulsive (sweetcorn and celery being near the top of list). I know this because I have tasted them. I do not 'decide' that I don't like something because other people say it is disgusting or (as seems to be the case with one or two here) because it seems to be a fun bandwagon to jump on to.

[loCAtek]

Me now, after having researched the Marmite in question, have decided the 'disgust' is well warranted. Particularly, because it literally is toxic in its levels of MSG. There are many doctors in the US who wonder why monosodium glutamate is even legal, in the first place, while Marmite has the strongest concentration of MSG than any other manufactured product (excluding pure MSG powder).
This isn't new research to me, as I was looking into this when I was dieting in September. At that time, I thought Muscle Milk™ might be a good meal replacement drink, since I'd found out that Slimfast™ was just so much sugar. Then, I discovered the secret to Muscle Milk™ was MSG, which was much worse! Other than the flavor enhancing, it has no nutritional value, and the 'benefits' you feel are excitotoxins AKA neurotoxins, which in the short-term feel good [like morphine] but in the long-term are potentially damaging.

So, why do folks like it so much? Probably because [like morphine] it's addictive.

I have no desire to touch that stuff.

[BoSoxGal]

Instead, crack me open another beer! *hic*

[Sean]

Me now, after having researched the Marmite in question, have decided the 'disgust' is well warranted. Particularly, because it literally is toxic in its levels of MSG. There are many doctors in the US who wonder why monosodium glutamate is even legal, in the first place, while Marmite has the strongest concentration of MSG than any other manufactured product (excluding pure MSG powder).

How I laughed to find that you copied and pasted the bold part (my bold) from a random comment on an internet blog. Very scientific research there!
LMAO - Wonderful hysteria too. MSG is an additive (E621) which means that it is ADDED to food whereas Marmite contains free glutamic acids, which are analogous (look it up) to MSG and occur naturally in yeast extract.

You also forgot to mention that Marmite contains high levels of Thiamin (17% RDA per 4mg serve), Riboflavin (18% RDA), Folic Acid (50% RDA), Vitamin B12 (40% RDA) and Niacin (36% RDA). Must've slipped your mind...

So, why do folks like it so much? Probably because [like morphine] it's addictive.

That is utter bullshit!

I have no desire to touch that stuff.

And yet a few posts ago you claimed that you have tried it. For Buddha's sake make your mind up!

[The Hen]

Are there American foods I find disgusting?

Just about most of the stuff the G-Man has sent me. (Sorry G.)

Twinkles, Hostess Bars, Hersey peanut butter cups.

It is either FAR to sweet, and tastes of nothing but sugar, or it is just vomit in chocolate.

[The Hen]

POO! I've tried a reasonable facsimile...

There is no reasonable facsimile. Are anchovies a reasonable facsimile of salmon? I think not.

So we can put you in the "I haven't tried Marmite" camp then.

There is certainly a lot of you in that camp that are stamping their little feet and pretending you know what you are talking about. So far it looks like only two of you have tried it. One hates it, one loves it.

Go figure.

[Lord Jim]

is there a uniquely American food which you find disgusting?

I see Strop didn't have time to take a whack at that, so I believe I can safely answer for him:

"All of them".....

[loCAtek]

Instead, crack me open another beer! *hic*

Yup, beer would be better for you; that's one reason why the Egyptians invented it, it was a way of preserving grain as a form of 'liquid bread'. Some archeologists also think part of the reason early man, took to drinking alcohol, was because it helped the digestion combat the microorganisms that were present in many of the water supplies.

You know, you can even wash your hair with beer? Gives it great shine.

[Rick]

There is no reasonable facsimile. Are anchovies a reasonable facsimile of salmon? I think not.

I don't have to try every fish in the ocean to know I don't like fish.

I do like fish.

Here in the US we use brewery by-products as animal feed.

Move along little dogies move along...

[loCAtek]

Yeast extract is hidden source of MSG in your food: Here's where its found


(NaturalNews) Just about everyone who visits Natural News knows that MSG should be avoided. But crafty food processing firms have found ways to disguise MSG's most active ingredient -- free glutamate. There are several ingredients and names used. And they all contain some free glutamate. Free glutamate is the active ingredient of mono-sodium glutamate, or MSG.

Loopholes and Deceptions

A loophole is provided by the legislated labeling laws. It's within a section that says if the free glutamate or glutamic acid is less than 78% of an additive, it doesn't have to be labeled MSG. So if you're getting a flavoring ingredient that's 75% glutamic acid, it can be labeled solely by whatever form in which it appears. [such as yeast extract]Then the MSG term won't be on the label to push concerned consumers away.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033560_yeast ... z1i1jXQI00

From a link on the above page;

Names of ingredients that contain processed free glutamic acid (MSG)1

(Last updated February, 2011)


Names of ingredients that always contain processed free glutamic acid:

Glutamic acid (E 620)2, Glutamate (E 620)

Monosodium glutamate (E 621)

Monopotassium glutamate (E 622)

Calcium glutamate (E 623)

Monoammonium glutamate (E 624)

Magnesium glutamate (E 625)

Natrium glutamate

Yeast extract

Anything “hydrolyzed”

Any “hydrolyzed protein”

Calcium caseinate, Sodium caseinate

Yeast food, Yeast nutrient

Autolyzed yeast

Gelatin

Textured protein

Soy protein, soy protein concentrate

Soy protein isolate

Whey protein, whey protein concentrate

Whey protein isolate

Anything “…protein”

Vetsin

Ajinomoto

Marmite is primarily yeast extract, it says so right on the bottle. So, exactly how much free glutamic acid (MSG) is in Marmite;

Wiki says; 1960 Free glutamate (mg/100 g) Please, click the link for the whole chart.
The highest levels of free glutamate occur in human processed foods, and while some may argue that glutamate is found in natural foods the percentage is much lower such as in Grape juice, which has only 258 Free glutamate (mg/100 g)

[loCAtek]

MSG is classified as an additive, not a nutrient.

MSG and Addiction

Glutamate is intimately linked to addictive behaviors. See the following link about how brain neurotransmitters like Glutamate and Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) are affected by alcohol and other drugs linked to substance abuse:

http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/add ... thways.cfm

Glutamate in its free state - as found in MSG, stimulates the NMDA (N-Methyl D-Aspartate) receptors in the brain. These receptors are currently being investigated for their role in Long Term Depression.

Glutamate and GABA are yin and yang when it comes to brain neurotransmitters. They must be in balance for things to work properly. The body has a chemical feedback loop to make sure of this. GABA, is created from excess glutamate in the body, by the enzyme Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (GAD). GABA has the opposite effect of MSG and glutamate. It is calming. GABA fits the same receptors in the brain as valium and so may have an addictive effect. GABA is the body's natural version of valium. Excess excitatory glutamate SHOULD be turned into calming GABA, however, in some individuals, an imbalance compels them to act to swing the balance back. That means seeking out substances that have the same effect as GABA.

Not everyone can easily get rid of excess Glutamate from MSG and these folks may be at risk of addictive behaviors due to a GABA deficiency. It should be noted that Type I diabetics often have antibodies against GAD, so they are already at risk of not being able to make GABA properly.
Taurine, made from the amino acid cysteine, which is adversely affected by glutamate, has shown some promise in treating drug addiction. Taurine is also a neurotransmitter that has a CNS-calming effect like GABA.

Why is MSG added to our foods?

To make us eat more. The MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their products. It is like nicotine in our food. It makes people chose their product over another and eat more of their product than if it didn’t have MSG in it. Thus, MSG causes obesity and it is addictive! MSG is being added in larger and larger doses to prepackaged meals, soups, snacks and fast foods to make us eat more.

Dr. Royce Bailey M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.C.

[loCAtek]

And yet a few posts ago you claimed that you have tried it.

It's already been pointed out that that was Vegemite. Are you reversing your claim that Vegemite and Marmite aren't the same thing?

[loCAtek]

Back to beer, 'cause it's so slow today;

Glutamic acid content

Generic Regular Beer 0.047g Value per 100 grams


Diet bites