Comparing E621 - Monosodium glutamate vs E641 - Leucine

Synonyms
E621
Monosodium glutamate
monosodium l-glutamate
Sodium glutamate
L-Glutamic acid‚ monosodium salt
MSG
E641
Leucine
L-Leucine
Products

Found in 9,893 products

Found in 180 products

Search rank & volume
#2195.5K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
#8029.9K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

×2.89
over-aware

×23.65
over-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 5 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Interest over time for 3 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Popular questions
  1. Is msg bad for you?

    No—MSG (E621) is generally recognized as safe by the FDA and permitted in the EU within limits; most people don’t experience adverse effects at typical food levels. A small subset may have short-lived symptoms (like headache or flushing) after large bolus intakes, and it contributes some sodium.

  2. What is msg in food?

    MSG is monosodium glutamate, the sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid, used as a flavor enhancer to add umami and intensify savory taste. It’s the same form of glutamate found naturally in foods like tomatoes and cheese.

  3. What is msg made of?

    It’s the sodium salt of L-glutamic acid, typically produced by fermenting plant sugars (e.g., sugarcane, sugar beet, or corn starch) with microbes, then neutralizing the glutamic acid with sodium. The result is purified crystals of monosodium glutamate.

  4. Why is msg bad for you?

    It isn’t considered “bad” at normal intakes—regulators deem it safe, and EFSA set a group ADI for glutamates of 30 mg/kg body weight/day to limit high exposures. Some people may experience transient symptoms after large doses, and it can add to overall sodium intake if overused.

  5. Is msg bad?

    No—MSG (E621) is considered safe at normal food levels (FDA GRAS; EFSA sets an acceptable daily intake of 30 mg/kg body weight/day), and well-controlled studies haven’t shown consistent harms. A small subset of people may get brief symptoms like headache or flushing after large doses, especially on an empty stomach, and it does add some sodium, but typical culinary use is fine for most.

  1. How much leucine per day to build muscle?

    Aim for about 2–3 g of leucine per meal (roughly what’s in 20–30 g of high‑quality protein) to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis, totaling ~6–9 g/day across 3–4 protein-rich meals.

  2. How much leucine per day?

    Adult requirement is about 39 mg/kg/day (≈2.7 g/day for a 70 kg adult), typically met by normal protein intake; there’s no established upper limit, but large supplemental doses may cause stomach upset.

  3. What does leucine do?

    Leucine is an essential branched‑chain amino acid that activates mTOR to trigger muscle protein synthesis and support tissue repair; as E641 in foods, it can function as a flavor enhancer.

  4. What food is highest in leucine?

    Whey protein and hard cheeses (e.g., Parmesan) are among the highest, with lean meats (beef, chicken), fish (tuna), and soy protein isolate also very rich.

  5. What foods have leucine?

    Most protein-rich foods: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, soy products (tofu/tempeh), legumes (beans/lentils), nuts, seeds, and whole grains.