All countries have their own version of this.
In Indonesia thay believe swimming and playing basketball make you taller. It's even in their science textbooks.

In the UK we beleive MSG is somehow bad for you, and that a large number of the population suffer adverse affects from eating it.

Americans have creationism.

You should never point the finger at another nation, as your own will always have some farcical belief.
( The Awful Puppy Bakery is still bored, Fri 30 Sep 2011, 11:02, 2 replies)

Culture-bound syndromes
Martin Robbins from the Guardian has done some studies of these so-called "Culture-Bound Syndromes", and did an amusing presentation for the Pod Delusion podcast, Episode 51. His report is about 30 minutes in.

Edit: WARNING NSFW due to discussion of Penis Theft.
( Amish Information Systems hates misplaced, commas, Fri 30 Sep 2011, 11:10, closed)

People do have a proper bona fide reaction to MSG
but it's only because they're sensitive to glutamates in general apparently. It seems to be used rather liberally as well, so dishes e.g. chinese takeways with it added may have much higher glutamate levels than general meals.
(sailorspoon started wiping his own arse from, Fri 30 Sep 2011, 11:12, closed)

Well, off course some people do,
but you could say that of just about anything. My point was it's no worse than say bread or eggs.
( The Awful Puppy Bakery is still bored, Fri 30 Sep 2011, 11:16, closed)

Whether it's worse or not depends what your attitude to Sodium is.
If you believe the UK governmental advice on salt intake you should avoid MSG like the plague as it's a source of blood-pressure increasing sodium.
The Glutamate allergy aspect is just a small part of the reason MSG is demonised.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Fri 30 Sep 2011, 13:41, closed)

That makes no sense.
MSG is often used a salt substitute, and food containing MSG is likely to contain less sodium, as less or no sodium is added.
( The Awful Puppy Bakery is still bored, Fri 30 Sep 2011, 16:51, closed)

Erm "... used as a salt substitute ...".
Salt isn't supposed to be used in cooking as it's "Bad, hmmkay!?" -- so food laced with salt or MSG is supposed to be bad. I'm also not convinced that MSG laden food does not have any salt added?
Personally I couldn't care less as I have a cavalier attitude to salt in my food, so I'm just pointing out that it's sodium that's demonised not MSG alone.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Fri 30 Sep 2011, 17:36, closed)

MSG is monosodium glutamate - one sodium per glutamate. Even though there isn't any more salt added in the familiar form of sodium chloride, the addition of MSG necessarily means the addition of sodium.
(enervatrice, Fri 30 Sep 2011, 22:30, closed)

I understsnd MSG contains a lot of salt.
The point is it's a 'better' flavour enhancer than salt. You need less of it to make shit food taste good. As a general rule food flavoured with MSG tends to have an overall lower salt content than food that is flavoured with just salt.

Also, salt isn't all bad. It's an important part of ones diet. If you had no salt you would die.
( The Awful Puppy Bakery is still bored, Sat 1 Oct 2011, 5:02, closed)

MSG?
Some counter-examples I wouldn't have thought of. MSG might contribute to shortening your life, but a fan will kill you in your sleep. There's quite a big difference there. I have no qualms about knocking on fan death.

Also, creationism is dumb, but it isn't a gadget.
(racetraitor has an alibi for, Sun 2 Oct 2011, 4:29, closed)