What can I use for a substitute for Accent? (contains MSG)

I have a salad dressing recipe which calls for 1TBSP and 1tsp of accent. Accent contains MSG and my children love this recipe and use it almost every day.

Melanie Hiniker
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  • 15 Comments

15 Comments

Ribbitt March 11, 2019
Didn't anyone stop to think that maybe she was just out of the seasoning and needed a substitute geez
 
Judy C. November 22, 2019
I can't even find a decent substitute for Accent. I'm just going to season with salt and pepper..
 
Judy C. November 22, 2019
basically, it's salt.
 
Peter S. August 18, 2018
The fear of MSG is simple a racist reaction to Chinese people. The science from earlier in the 1950 has been shown to be flawed because they didn't use a double blind test. When people don't know what is in their food they assume all food has MSG and show the same bad reactions they have heard about. When they are not told that many of American processed foods have MSG they have no symptoms. Check the ingredients on Doritos, Pringles actually any savory foods and you will see they contain monosodium glutamate (MSG). Going to include a YouTube video that you can go to and find out the truth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm8Yx-gWlMs
 
Amy B. April 9, 2019
I was interested in this string. It has NOTHING to do with racism for me. It has to do with migraines. I can tell within 20-30 minutes of consuming foods or beverages if they have MSG because, I get the most excruciating migraines. quite frankly it stinks because, it is not disclosed on menus if the recipe contains MSG. I have learned not to jump to conclusions or scream RACISM just because someone asks a simple question. Maybe this mom has health concern as well.
For those that posted helpful information...Thank you! this was very helpful.
 
vix August 22, 2019
I have the same issues as Amy B. Anyone suffering with migraine should not use MSG in any form. Nothing racist about it...just cant physically tolerate this chemical mix.
 
Elaine A. November 25, 2019
Tell that to my headache and swollen eyes. I have an allergic reaction to MSG. You think it's a racist reaction? I can't believe you would say such a thing. Shame on you.
 
Tim L. October 6, 2020
My wife gets severe migraines which require a trip to the emergency room if she consumes MSG. I have been in the ER with her during these episodes and her blood pressure was once 180/120 before they gave her anti migraine IV so this is nothing to do with racism.
 
Alexander C. October 13, 2020
Same here. I get a headache within minutes of consuming MSG, I have even been put in the hospital because of it many times
 

Voted the Best Reply!

Sam1148 February 14, 2015
Do you have a rational reason for not using MSG? It's a naturally occurring chemical (Like sodium chloride)
And formal studies have found no link to the 'Chinese restaurant syndrome' people complain about.

In fact your own body produces about 40 grams of MSG a day---about the 1/2 the size of a Accent container. http://www.lakeconews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8884:foodie-freak-in-defense-of-msg&catid=1:latest&Itemid=197

But if you're just worried about MSG. You can soak some dried mushrooms with some seaweed and use that for liquid...but I hate to break it too you; if you do that. You've just extracted MSG.

 
702551 August 18, 2018
Sam1148 is correct, MSG was originally extracted from kelp by Japanese scientists over a century ago.

A method of manufacturing MSG from vegetable sources was discovered and the Ajinomoto product line debuted in 1909. Today, the main ingredient sources are molasses and tapioca starch (per Wikipedia).

It should be noted that the Japanese have the longest lifespans of all industrialized countries on this planet. There is nothing wrong with MSG, either synthesized in your own body, from natural food sources (kelp, dried mushrooms), or high quality commercial products.
 
LeBec F. February 5, 2014
There is a neat msg-less product called Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids that you can get at Whole Foods and health food stores. Has a deep complex flavor that spikes the flavor of what you add it to (which is what Accent and other MSG products are supposed to do. My mom used to tell me tyhat when Chinese cooking entered the American mainstream cooking world, one of the TV Chinese cooking instructors used to hold up a jar of MSG to the camera and say, "MSG make watah (water) taste like Chicken Soup"!!!
 
nutcakes February 5, 2014
Also I see that Accent, while it seems to be primarily MSG and salt, also contains some seasoning:

Monosodium Glutamate, Salt, Chili Pepper, Tricalcium Phosphate (As Anticaking Agent), Spice (Cumin, Oregano), Paprika Extractives(color), Garlic Extractives, Onion Extractives, Yellow No.6 Lake, Yellow No.5 Lake.

You might add some general seasoning, Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning is pretty cheap and in most grocery stores and works well as a general seasoning and contains some of the flavors in Accent. Or a seasoning mix you like or a mix that doesn't have salt, like Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute. Penzy's makes many wonderful seasoning blends including, salt free seasonings as well as a salad seasoning I've not tried yet.
http://www.penzeys.com/

I'm really curious about your dressing and I'm always looking for a good one. I bet it is really old recipe, since it uses Accent.
 
Toni S. February 14, 2015
I have a recipe that calls for 2 tablespoons of 'Accent'. I live in the UK and it's not available here. Thanks for this information; I can make my own now and add it to my recipe! :-)
 
nutcakes February 5, 2014
Usually if you don't want to use MSG you just omit it from a recipe. Have you tried that and how was the taste? It might need a little more salt. If you can post the recipe we might be able to make suggestions that might up the flavor quotient. Like Parmesan cheese, soy sauce, miso paste, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, lemon juice, lime juice or red wine vinegar off the top of my head.
 
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