Avoiding MSG in Pregnancy

Pregnancy cravings can be instant and while ‘gherkins and ice-cream’ were never on my list of desirable foods when I was pregnant, the urgent need to eat often had me circling a food court looking for healthy options.

By the time you eliminate the fried food, the ‘sitting in the bain-marie all day’ food, the listeria-risky food (which unfortunately includes pre prepared salads and even nori rolls) there only seemed to be one option: an Asian style soup.

Most of the time my requests for MSG free soups were met, but I learnt an important lesson one day when my ‘soup-nazi’ explained to me that to be absolutely sure there was no MSG, I would need to avoid meats such as chicken, beef or pork in my order.

These meats are mass produced in commercial settings using MSG before being shipped into Asian style eateries across Australia to be added to what should be a healthy lunch alternative. So the answer is always ask; don’t assume a soup is MSG free and choose a meat-free alternative if you really want to be sure.

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Lindy Schneider is a writer and researcher with a keen interest in health, wellbeing and natural childcare. She is an advocator of a chemical-free lifestyle in the best interests of her family, the community and a sustainable world. She lives in the Yarra Valley with her partner and two young children.