5% off your order, KnowMSG, and Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

 

MSG is everywhere.

What is MSG? In 1908, Japanese scientist Dr. Kikunae Ikeda was interested in what made dashi, a seaweed broth common in Japanese cuisine, so tasty. Ikeda studied the broth and in 1907 successfully isolated the chemical that is responsible for its umami flavor, which is monosodium glutamate. Umami- enhancer MSG, looks and acts like salt, but has two-thirds less sodium than table salt. Glutamate is an amino acid, not a gluten, and not a protein. (Proteins are the cause of food allergies.)  MSG is common in processed foods like ketchup, mayonnaise, ranch dressing, canned soup and vegetables, KFC fried chicken, Doritos, Fritos, potato chips, hot dogs, beef jerky— high umami foods. MSG can also be found in non-processed foods like tomatoes, grapes, clams and even breast milk.  Though you may feel you've overdosed on MSG while eating Chinese food, we at Rainbow, know exactly what is going into our dishes. We control how a dish is seasoned from start to finish. Rainbow uses raw, real-food ingredients, not "food-like substances" that are pre-made, pre-packaged and pre-seasoned. The sauces, the soup broth, the breaded chicken/beef/shrimp, the wontons, dumplings and egg rolls are all made from scratch, on-site.

⭐5-SPICE CALAMARI 🌶️ GF $11.00

While MSG is not one of the spices in traditional Chinese 5-spice, Rainbow's 5-Spice Calamari wouldn't have the same savory flavor without it. (Squid actually has no flavor on its own!) With its garlic, ginger, 5-spice seasoning and scallions, it's a mega-dose of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant goodness.

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The origin of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome was a $10 bet.

In the late 1960s, a letter written to the New England Journal of Medicine regarding Chinese Restaurant Syndrome was submitted as part of a bet between two doctors— or so the story goes. The letter was uncovered to be a hoax, but the myth remains.  National Public Radio's, This American Life covers the origins of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome and the doctors Ho Man Kwok and Howard Steel, the men responsible for the letter. Was the letter a fabrication in jest of medical journalism, or a true exposé by a concerned fan of Chinese food? You'll have to listen to the whole story here: "The Long Fuse" or read the entire transcript here. Dr. Howard Steel talks about the about the letter to the New England Journal of Medicine.

5 % April 9th & 10th, Get 5% off when you use coupon code KNOWMSG Use the code below when you pay KNOWMSG The reward expires on April 11, 2021. No cash value. Valid in-store or via Square Online, if applicable. May be canceled at any time.

Recently, the leading maker of MSG, Ajinomoto, started a push to ask Merriam-Webster to change its definition of the term, first added in 1993. They coined #KNOWMSG, a campaign to build MSG awareness.

The letter, the author, the syndrome.

Link to the New York Times Article above: 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' Puzzles Doctors', May 19, 1968. Featuring Ho Man Kwok. A link to a more recent, NYT article, attempting to correct the stigma created in the previous article: 'The Campaign to Redefine ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’. (You may need a subscription to read the articles.)

"You know what causes Chinese restaurant syndrome? Racism." -Chef Anthony Bourdain

While we want to imagine that xenophobia was a thing of the past, we have to acknowledge that current events have put people in a heightened state of restlessness and fear. Is it any coincidence that the birth of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome coincides with the arrival of immigrants fleeing the anarchy of the Cultural Revolution of 1966? Or that recent hate crimes targeting Asians are in response to the misinformation that Corona Virus was created in China? The best we can do is be informed with legitimate information, and speak out when we encounter wrong doing and experience maltreatment.

Learn more about MSG:

Harvard: Fact or Fiction? The MSG Controversy (PDF) Science Friday: Is MSG Bad For Your Health? (audio) New York Times: The Campaign to Redefine ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’  CNN.com: 'MSG in Chinese food isn't unhealthy -- you're just racist' The Oxford Academic Journal of Nutrition: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) study: The Safety Evaluation of Monosodium Glutamate  Runners World: Forget Everything You Know About MSG—Here’s Why Monosodium Glutamate Is Not Actually Bad for You FDA/Food & Drug Administration: Questions and Answers on Monosodium glutamate (MSG) MSG Facts: Clearing Up Common MSG Myths & Misconceptions NEJM: If you have a subscription to the New England Journal of Medicine, you can read the original letter here: Chinese-restaurant syndrome MSGdish: a huge collection of links to more information about MSG, Glutamate and Umami

Picking up your order:

Our parking lot on the SOUTH side of the building is now open for pick up orders. If you opted in to Order Updates, you can let us know you've arrived by responding to your order confirmation. You can also call us to let us know you are here by calling us or ringing the doorbell. We often only have one person at the desk, so please have patience when you call us or pick up your order.