Allergic to MSG? | Are organic eggs better?

Allergic to MSG?

I think I may be allergic to MSG – how do I know which foods it is in?
Rosemary Clarke, Cambridge

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is in a wide number of foods and this has lead to some health concerns, as a number of people do seem to have a reaction to it. Some symptoms include headaches, nausea and rapid heartbeat. MSG is frequently used in Asian foods, or Chinese food, although some restaurants now offer MSG free meals. However, it may be that it is the glutamate alone that is causing the problem and this can be found in many other foods, so do see a health professional to find out if this is the case first.

Are organic eggs better?

Are organic eggs really any better than battery hens’ eggs?
Steven Ketler, Peterborough

Organic eggs will probably contain more of the healthy omega-3 fats that we need in our diet than non-organic eggs, purely because of the organic hens’ foraging diets.