Dr. Kestner: Healthy dining choices in Murfreesboro Asian restaurants on The Murfreesboro Post

By: DrKestner on 1/26/09
Trvlace,

You bring up a great point regarding MSG. However, the idea that MSG is an Asian or Chinese restaurant problem is an outdated stereotype. Unfortunately, there are just as many “American” restaurants that serve food loaded with MSG as any other type. This is especially true of many fast food places.

In fact, MSG is often “hidden” in many foods that you may purchase in the supermarket. MSG is called several other names and is a prominent ingredient in many food additives. Many foods that popular sit-down restaurants pull out of their freezer have abundant MSG. Even restaurants that declare “No MSG used in preparation of our food” are somewhat misleading, since the foods that are being prepared are often not free from MSG. The fact that they are not adding it on site does not account for the ingredients already present in the foods.

Many typical Chinese restaurants still use MSG as an additive unless a customer requests that it be left out. In restaurants such as the ones listed in this article, where many of the ingredients are fresh to begin with, MSG may not be already present in the food. Since you have been told to avoid Asian restaurants altogether, I’m guessing that you have not tried the ones highlighted in this article. I would encourage you to try them and ask about their use of MSG. Many contemporary Asian restaurants do not use it at all, and those that do will often be happy to comply with a diner’s request to avoid it. Because of this, it may actually be easier to avoid MSG in Asian restaurants that prepare fresh ingredients than in other restaurants where it is hidden in the pre-seasoned entrees. If you are avoiding sodium, however, be very stingy with the teriyaki and soy sauce.

I’m glad you brought this subject up, and I will provide a more comprehensive and revealing explanation in a future article. Readers will likely be surprised when they discover all the popular restaurants that depend on MSG for flavor. For now, just be aware that you and I are likely eating MSG every day.

Dr Kestner

By: justdance on 1/26/09

I have tried the above restaurants, and the food is very good at these places.

My only complaint is smelling so strongly of the cooked food when I eat at the Golden Eagle Mongolian Restaurant on Thompson Lane. Wish they would do something more with their ventilation system. I always have to make sure I am going home right after as it's kind of embarassing to be walking around smelling like fried food!

By: Trvlace on 1/26/09
I'd love to see anyone show me some healthy dining out choices as they are very few in numbers. To help out here is a site.

The following is a site that has each listed restaurants nutritional informaion. However some don't list sodium content. Use your best judgement to avoid high sodium dishes.

http://caloriecount.about.com/restaurants-mc1

What I have found is that only large national chains can afford the testing required to have a nutritional chart. Most of which serve huge over portioned dishes which are high in sodium. Avoid them.

By: sandir on 1/27/09
Bulpha is proud to say she never uses MSG in her food and I can attest to that having eaten her food since before the restuarant was ever openned. I am very sensitive to MSG. Bangkok is the very best!!!!

By: boromama on 1/28/09
I have eaten at all of the restaurants mentioned in this article. I am sensitive to MSG but have never had any problem at any of these places. The food is very different from ordinary Chinese restaurants! I am glad that Murfreesboro now has so many diverse restaurants. Bangkok is an old favorite but I also liked Thai Spice. They have some very good dishes that I had never tried. I don’t believe they use any MSG either. I have tried several sushi rolls at Sakura and Yum Yum is my favorite, too. I really like the scallops at Fuji