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It's easy to get answers about health and nutrition! Just send your question by email to [email protected] and Dr. Harlan will respond to selected questions of general interest. Answers will be posted in the Ask Dr. Gourmet newsletter (sign up now!) and archived in the Ask Dr. Gourmet section of the website.

Please note that the Ask Dr. Gourmet feature is restricted to questions regarding food and nutrition. Due to the many questions we receive, not all questions may be answered. For more specific questions about your individual health, please contact your doctor. About Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

 


 

Ask Dr. Gourmet

Dear Dr. Gourmet,

I couldn't help but notice an advertisement on your website for Campbell's Soups, most of which contain MSG. As a person who is severely allergic to MSG, what is your take on advertising such products?

Dr. Gourmet Says....

Tuna Noodle Casserole

This is always a difficult question. We do help fund our website through advertising and we work hard to monitor what ads are displayed. For example, we do not allow ads for pharmaceutical products, supplements, or fast food products, and if they do creep in we remove them as soon as they are identified.

Campbell's does have some soups that are advertised on the site through an advertising network that we use. In one recipe on the website I even use one of their products in a Tuna Noodle Casserole. This is from their Healthy Requests line and does not contain any MSG by their report.

Some of their soups do contain MSG and this can be a problem - not just from the standpoint of the amount of added sodium, but also because of issues like yours.

While I am not allergic myself, I do have what I feel are some mild reactions to too much MSG (I don't eat at very many Asian restaurants as a result). Allergies are a serious issue for some, but our allowing Campbell's to advertise is the same as allowing Planter's nuts to advertise. There are many people who are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts as well as other ingredients, but our blocking advertising for every allergy or adverse reaction is simply not practical.

Folks with true allergies are cautious about ingredients and it's great that you are paying attention to the ingredients in what you eat.

Thanks for writing,

Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS
Dr. Gourmet