Jigsaw Article - MSG

1. Individually, read an article of your choice.

a. https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/msg-isnt-bad-for-you-according-to-sci
ence
b. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/03/20/why-americans-still-
avoid-msg-even-though-its-health-effects-have-been-debunked/
c. https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/the-rise-and-fall-and-rise-again-of-msg
2. Answer the questions below.

In general, outstanding notes ("A" quality) demonstrate clear understanding of concepts, refer to
specific points in the reading or presentation, evidence depth of reflection, are written clearly
and logically and overall demonstrate knowledge and insight you've gained through this article.

1. Citation (APA) of the article

Nemo, L. (2020, December 30). Msg isn't bad for you, according to science. Retrieved
from
https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/msg-isnt-bad-for-you-according-to-science

2. Clear statement (1-2 sentences) summarizing the central claim and focus of the author

They focus on describing what msg is and what people believe its side effects are, how it
causes headaches, sweating, nausea and chest pain but there was lack of evidence to prove it
was true.

3. Key terms and definitions (list and define them in your own words OR paraphrase/quote
the article)

Umami - a food taste group (in addition to sweet, sour, salt, and bitter) that corresponds to the
flavor of glutamates, especially monosodium glutamate.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) - a flavor enhancer that exists naturally as a breakdown
product of proteins and is used in food (although itself tasteless). It was initially derived from
seaweed but is now mostly made from bean and cereal protein.

4. Discussion or evidence most convincing to you (summarize, paraphrase, or quote)

“MSG combines an element and a compound that our bodies know well. The first,
sodium, is one of two ions that make up table salt. The second, glutamate, is an
amino acid that gets put to work in all kinds of physical systems. It helps deliver
 messages in the nervous system, it functions as one of the many building blocks we
rely on to create proteins, and it interacts with taste receptors in our mouths.”

5. Implications you see for your health or for society

I don’t believe that msg is a hazard to my health since, based on the article, there is a lack of
evidence proving that msg does harm to us.

6. Evaluation of the article (Are they biased? Is the claim well-supported by evidence? Is
there something the author could have added to make it more clear?)

I don’t believe that the author is biased, they stated the pros and cons of msg and did not once
input their own opinion on the matter. I do believe that the claim is well supported by
evidence. I don’t think there is anything the author could've added, I believe that the article
was well put and informative.

3. After you have finished the worksheet, you will briefly get together with others who read
the same article to discuss what you read (Breakout round 1).
4. You will then be put into a group with others who did NOT read the same article as you
to share what you learned from your article with them (Breakout round 2).
5. Fill out the second chart below:

STUDENT NAME 1 STUDENT NAME 2

Clear statement (1-2

sentences) summarizing
the central claim and
focus of the author

Discussion or evidence
most convincing to you
(summarize,
paraphrase, or quote)

Evaluation of the
article (Are they
biased? Is the claim
well-supported by
evidence? Is there
something the author
could have added to
make it more clear?)

Additional (future) resources

Sarah E. Tracy
@umamiPhD
Tells stories about edible tech. Working on Delicious: A History of Monosodium Glutamate and
The Fifth Taste, Umami (Coming in 2022, U California Press)
https://sarahetracy.com/book/