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Comment by yongjik | Hacker News Reader

> What is the reason Koreans think it's bad for health?

Pretty much the same reason why Americans think it's bad for health. It has a scary-sounding name (it's also called "MSG" in Korea), it sounds like a "chemical", and you can find it in ingredient lists of all popular junk foods - most notably instant ramen, which is basically an MSG+salt solution masquerading as noodles.

Give something in food an exotic name, and people will invent reason to fear it, like all those people demanding gluten-free bread.

Besides, if "racism" is the explanation behind it, how are you going to explain the immense popularity of Chinese food everywhere in America?

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> Besides, if "racism" is the explanation behind it, how are you going to explain the immense popularity of Chinese food everywhere in America?

Probably in the same way that one could explain how the existence of Taco Bell does not preclude racism towards Mexicans.

“Chinese food” is not analogous to Taco Bell. Panda Express might be your Taco Bell equivalent.. maybe.

Americanized Chinese food would probably make up most of what Americans are eating as Chinese food, so the Taco Bell comparison is apt.

American Chinese food is a lot sweeter, thicker, and more soy sauce based.

It’s still not an appropriate comparison. Taco Bell is junk food. Americanized Chinese food (or Mexican food) is not at the same level unless you’re intentionally using that term as a pejorative.

Your equivalent statement about Mexican food would be that you assume Taco Bell is what most Americans are eating as Mexican food. That doesn’t seem a valid assumption at all - maybe for a certain demographic (e.g. young) that’s true, but I’m very skeptical that such a claim would stand up to scrutiny.

Similarly, you cannot group the corner store (nominally) Chinese restaurant owned by a Chinese (or as likely in much of US, Korean) family as being in the class of highly processed, pre-made food as Taco Bell. Sorry but no.

You might be onto something with the name theory. In JP it’s commonly called “flavor salt”, and there is no sign of anti-MSG anywhere

The silly thing about this is that in Korea (as in Japan) seaweed/kelp based stock is incredibly common, and that's the historical origin of MSG as we know it today.

> In JP it’s commonly called “flavor salt”

In China, 味精, "essence of flavor".

I think that’s because the original brand of MSG anywhere is Ajinomoto 味の素 which means essence of flavor. 味塩 is the same thing but comes mixed with salt.

> instant ramen, which is basically an MSG+salt solution masquerading

Non-instant ramen is also essentially salt + oil + glutamate flavoring + noodles.

If you like you can take instant ramen and add a soft-boiled egg, some vegetables, and some fatty pork, or whatever other set of toppings you prefer.

In fact, if you want to eat ramen at home it’s the most practical (at least for the soup.) Actual ramen broth takes a lot of time to make from scratch.

I've heard that before, that many people like to buy Top Ramen (I think, IIRC it's considered better than Maruchan, but I may have it backwards) and then toss the noodles and keep the powdered soup pack. Much easier than the real thing, and respectably good given where it comes from.

Not sure what noodles to source, tho.

Personally, I much prefer any of the Korean Nongshim brand for instant. (Shin Ramyun, etc.) The noodles have a better texture.

And for slightly more goodness, Asian marts will generally carry ready made broths and alkaline noodles. And one can whip up a broth from box stock if one wants something better.

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