Do not Make Stupid, Mecin Turns Nourishing

Do not Make Stupid, Mecin Turns Nourishing

During this MSG or popularly called mecin is considered to have adverse health effects. Mecin called can make stupid, cause cancer, and various other negative impacts.

But, did you know that based on some research, mecin did not give the bad effect as many people feared. The use of mecin remains safe to use and can even provide healthful benefits.

The use of mecin as a part of cooking spice can not be separated from the discovery of umami taste or savory by a Japanese professor, Ikeida. From boiled seaweed, Ikeida discovers a new flavor that is not a sweet and salty mixture, salty and sour, or a blend of four flavors.

Once examined, it turns out that seaweed contains glutamate that gives the umami's taste. Glutamate itself also has a historical journey behind it before it is discovered.

Glutamate through the research of a German professor, Ritthausen, in which he discovered the protein in wheat. The protein is then isolated and is known to have amino acids derived from gluten. This is the origin of the protein called glutamate. However, at that time Ritthausen did not tell the taste of glutamate until it was discovered by Ikeida.

Nutritionist and Professor of Community Nutrition Department Faculty of Human Ecology IPB, Prof. Hardinsyah, MS, PhD explained, in mecin it turns out there are three nutrients.

"First is the sodium that is important for muscle contraction, the muscle will work if enough sodium, if the little sodium will be weak, so many say that suffocate enough electrolytes because one of the electrolyte content is sodium," said Hardinsyah in a media meeting in Kebon Sirih, Jakarta, Tuesday, January 23, 2018.

However, too much sodium is also not good because it can cause hypertension or high blood pressure. In addition, muscle contraction will also be disrupted.

Other nutrients contained in mecin is an amino acid that reaches 80 percent and water. Both are also important nutrients for the body.

Another advantage of mecin is its sodium content which is only 12 percent, compared with the salt of the kitchen that reaches 36-39 percent. Therefore, eating salt is more at risk of causing high sodium intake in the body.