Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Danger of Bragg Liquid Aminos

Bragg Liquid Aminos: History Repeats Itself

Every so often the following group of articles enjoys a resurgence of airtime in the raw-food community. Since we've noticed them on a few email groups recetly, we thought it would make a good addition to our daily digest:
Bragg Liquid Aminos: Poison
by David Klein, 1997

http://www.livingnutrition.com
Below is information I received from an associate on the saltiness of Bragg Liquid Aminos. Below is the text from her letter. Before I get to it, I'll give some background information on her, so you'll know where she is coming from.
Griselda Blazey has a B.S. in biology, a M.S. is biochemistry, and a Ph.D. (actually a post-doctorate) in endocrinology. She also has a degree from the now defunct College of Dietary Therapy in England. She authored a book, "Food Matters", and a workbook called, "Nutritional Transformation", and used to teach a course by that name. She has been teaching cell physiology, metabolic disorders, and nutrition at Life Chiropractic College West, in San Leandro, California for the past four years. The first time I heard her theory on the saltiness of Bragg Liquid Aminos was during a lecture she gave at a San Francisco Living Foods Support Group meeting a few years ago. Here is the text from her recent letter:
"The other topic you asked about in your letter was about how Bragg Aminos are made. Once again, here's an armchair biologist's answer, meaning that I don't know this for sure, but it's the only thing that makes scientific sense. If I were given some vegetable protein and were asked to make it into amino acids without spending a lot of money on it, I would boil it up with some hydrochloric acid. This would break it down to amino acids, but of course it would be too acidic to be palatable. So I
would then neutralize the acid with baking soda, causing the reaction mixture to look like this:

2HCl + Na2CO3 ===> 2NaCl + CO2 + H2O

So the salt gets made by mistake as it were. Now someone (I forget who) followed up on this and contacted the Bragg company to ask if this was how they did it, and they denied it. However, they didn't disclose how they do actually do it, so in the absence of correct information, and with an extremely salty taste in their product, I still consider the above process to play at least some part in their procedure."
That's it. We don't know for sure. All I know is that Griselda has an impressive mind for original theoretical scientific thought, and I sure felt awful after having a bit of Bragg a several years ago.
Hope you find her theory interesting and worthy of second-thinking the inclusion of the Bragg product in recipes.
* * *
From the http://www.living-foods.com forum
Subject: RE: Bragg liquid aminos IS POISON
Author: Dave Klein, board moderator
Date: 08-06-1999 14:34
It looks like we finally got some proof from the Bragg company that the liquid aminos product is heat processed and made with hydrochloric acid. Salt apparently forms in its processing, plus
glutamic acid which is the same poison which is in MSG. Many many raw fooders have apparently been lied to and duped by the Bragg who have until recently stated that the product is all raw
and not processed with heat or chemicals. And many many folks like myself become ill very soon after ingesting the crap. Sea salt is less deadly than Bragg Liquid Aminos, but then I prefer
tomatoes to get minerals salts in my diet when I want to enjoy salty flavors. Try adding sun
dried tomatoes to salads too.
* * *
From the http://www.living-foods.com Forum
"My point" by Michael
18/06/99 05:59:17
After reading the speculations about Bragg Liquid Aminos posted on this forum and hearing horror stories from others (my sister talked with a man who said he quit using it because it gave him nightmares) I decided to just jump right out and ask the Bragg company themselves.
Decide for yourself if you feel like using it.
1. Is hydrochloric acid used at any time in the production of Bragg Liquid Aminos? I have been told that it is used to separate the aminos from the soybeans (like isolated soy protein) and gives it the salty flavor.
Yes, our product is hydrolized in the process.
2. Are you aware of the dangerous effects of glutamic acid within the human body? Do you plan on taking measures to remove glutamic acid from Bragg Liquid Aminos?
The glutamic acid is naturally occurring and cannot be isolated to remove it as an individual amino acid. In our laboratory results analyses show that the Liquid Aminos contain no monosodium
glutamate.
3. If BLA is neither heat processed nor fermented, could you please explain why it does not turn rancid at room temperature as opposed to requiring refrigeration?
Our liquid aminos does go rancid if kept out of the cupboard or out of the refrigerator. We suggest storing in a cupboard or the refrigerator. It is the same reason ketchup or soy sauce, or jam,
or peanut butter do not go bad if kept in the cupboard. Eventually they will all go bad.
* * *
A group e-mail message:
November 2, 1998
Hi all:
A while back we were had chatted here and questioned whether above has msg or not and Patricia Bragg said NO.
We'll here's some info. that says yes, and FDA had her remove her NO MSG label. You can check on the documentation self. A friend sent this is who a researcher. I don't have his permission
to release his name, but this should ans. the question on YES, above has MSG per FDA.
"MSG-sensitive people react to any glutamic acid that has been freed from protein through a manufacturing process providing that they ingest an amount that exceeds their individual tolerance
for the substance. Consequently, consumers refer to all processed free glutamic acid as MSG. This fact was acknowledged by the FDA in the "FDA Backgrounder" dated August 31, 1995.
Under Section 403 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act it is deceptive and misleading to say "No MSG" or "No MSG added" on a processed food label that contains free glutamic acid. It is for this reason that the FDA forced Live Products, manufacturer of Bragg Liquid Aminos, to remove the words "No MSG" from the product's label."
Hugs,
Carol, CO
***
Some "Salty" Advice by Art Baker
Forget the Bragg Liquid Aminos and try this: Dehydrate celery and lemon. As the celery dries out it hardens and becomes thin like floss. Place both in a coffee grinder and pulverize into powder. The powder is very salty, with a slight celery flavor, making it a great addition to guacamole, salsa, raw soups, crackers, etc.
***
Subject: bragg's
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2002 23:07:58 -0800
From: "Ruth Wilner" <rwilner@newspress.com>
To: dave@livingnutrition.com.
Dear Dave, Was there an article in your publication about Bragg's Liquid Aminos being made with hydrocloric acid and therefore a dead-food, not a live food like Patricia Bragg claims? I am asking because I used to work for Patricia and I know the truth about the liquid aminos. I am considering telling it all and need to know if there is anyone in the health food field that would like to know if I spill the beans. Thanks for your help.
Ruth Wilner.
* * *
Subject: bragg's
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2002 16:16:51 -0800
From: "Ruth Wilner" <rwilner@newspress.com>
To: dave@livingnutrition.com
Dave, I did get your reply and I thank you. I replied to your email and suggested that I will let you know when I am ready to procede. People are telling me that I might be under a law about trade secrets or something and I am looking into that. I did buy a website called notbragg.com however, I haven't done anything with it yet. I will get back to you, I promise. Ruth
* * *
From: konajack@webtv.net (K J)
To: dave@livingnutrition.com
Dave - I've just gotten up to and finished reading Volume 9 of the back issues. I just saw the 'warning' you posted on Bragg's Aminos. I, too, was a victim of this crap. I used it liberally for at
least two years and upon fasting, what I noticed was the smell of this substance coming out of my body whereupon I knew that whatever it was, it wasn't a substance the body was able to use contrary to what the bottle has printed on it. I broke that particular fast at 10 days even
though I knew I needed to go longer as the smell was still coming out. That's the good news. The bad news is that I now have noticeable varicose veins on the back of my left thigh, right back knee cap and in both calves theveins stick out also. I know it was the Braggs as my diet other than that was pretty clean and I observe all the other tenets of NH. That stuff hardened up my veins and arteries. I was playing volleyball 2 1/2 years ago and went up to hit the ball and felt something snap in the back of my left thigh. My tissues was so ossified, I snapped a tendon or some muscle tissue and crawled off the court. It took two weeks in bed and off my legs and another two weeks of walking like a cripple before I regained the ability to walk normally.
I did a 15 day fast last September and could smell the Braggs coming out again but this time I got it all. Unfortunately the varicosed veins are still there. I don't think there's anything short of surgical removal that will disappear them. Have you heard of anyone disappearing them hygienically or otherwise non-surgically? Just thought I'd share my experience with Braggs in case that will help others you may choose to share same with.
Aloha,
Jack
Jack M. Ebner, Ph.D.
Biophysiology
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
* * *
Subject: Re: bragg's
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 21:35:57 -0700
From: Ruth Wilner <rwilner@newspress.com>
To: <dave@livingnutrition.com>
Dave,
The factory that makes the liquid aminos is named Walker Foods and it is in LA somewhere. I think that the recipe is a trade secret and they will not divulge how it is made...but I don't think
they can deny the hydrocloric acid.
I did NOT work at Walker Foods. I worked for Patricia Bragg at her headquarters in Goleta, California. I was aware of the process by which liquid aminos was made, but never witnessed
it being made.
I heard it through reliable sources that the soybean slurry (collected from soybean left-overs) is covered with hydrocloric acid in vats and left to "digest" .
The beans and acid mixture produces it's own heat, Patricia denies that it is heated beyond 98° and I tend to believe that.
I think Patricia tells people it is simply made with beans in barrels of water for obvious reasons. She is a self-proclaimed health crusader and I think she really wants to believe that it is made with pure distilled water only. She also doesn't want to loose her customers, or credibility with her health followers. She will not even listen to others who tell her that mislabeling a product is not honest, nor legal.
If you think about it, hydrocloric acid is a natural product, produced by our bodies every second of everyday we live. It is what digests our food and supplies nutrition to our bodies. There is nothing unhealthy about hydrocloric acid. What is unhealthy is the addition of the base to nutralize the acid...this is what gives the beans the salty flavor...I believe it to be something on the
order of baking soda, another product that is not inherently bad for us in small quantities.
Bragg does not isolate any of the proteins released by the hydrocloric bath. The liquid that rises to the surface in the procedure is skimmed off, nutralized and bottled, making it concentrated protien.
So, is this bad? I believe that the product is not unhealthy. It is salty tasting but tests at only 10% of table salt. It tests with no msg detected at all except for a trace of glutamic acid (an amino
acid.) Why then does Bragg deny the addition of hydrocloric acid and the base to nutralize it? I am at a loss to explain that.
I hope this helps you with your questions. Please get back to me with your thoughts. Ruth
* * *
From: Madelyn Hill
Subject: LABELING LAWS DON'T 'BRAG' ABOUT HIDING MSG IN
AMINO ACIDS
MSG is the sodium salt of the AMINO ACID glutamic acid and a form of glutamate. Read on and you will see how the labeling laws permit it to be hidden in everything from soap to vitamins to condiments to food. Hydrolyzed proteins or protein hydrolysates are acid treated or enzymatically treated which contain salts of free AMINO ACIDS.
MSG can aggravate existing conditions or cause burning sensations, rapid heartbeat, asthma and neurological damage. That's just within 3 hours of use. Becomes less safe depending on quantities ingested or applied and condition of one's health.
Overextended periods of time, studies show it can cause cancer, MS, MSG symptom complex, brain lesions, nerve cell damage, gastrointestinal problems and so on. The body uses glutamate as a nerve impulse transmitter with glutamate response tissues inothers parts of the body as well. Abnormal function of glutamate receptors have been linked to most every type of neurological disease including Alzheimers, Huntington's chorea.
The level of other vitamins in your system (including B6) can also determine the impact it can have.
MSG goes under many names including monosodium glutamate. Do you know what glutamate is? AN AMINO ACID.
MSG is only one type of free glutamate, so foods stating no MSG or no added MSG can be misleading, as hydrolyzed protein is a form of free glutamate.
Monosodium glutamate goes under the name of glutamate, AMINO ACID, monosodium glutamate, glutamic acid, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, gelatin, textured protein, hydrolyzed protein, yeast extract. Most of the time, containing MSG are malt, barley malt, boullion, stock, carrageenan,
maltodextrin, whey protein, pectin (anything enzyme modified). NATURAL FLAVORS, protein fortified, soy protein.
The following can be used to create MSG: protease enzymes, fungal protease.
MSG can be used in soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners. The most common hiding places are in ingredients called 'hydrolyzed proteins and, amino acids.
Aspartic acid found in aspartame and nutra sweet causes MSG reactions.
Binders and fillers for medications, nutrients and supplements may contain MSG.
* * *
Dave Klein
Living Nutrition
http://www.livingnutrition.com
Raw Passion Productions
http://www.raw-passion.com
Healthful Living International
http://www.naturalhygiene.info

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  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    I have very mixed feelings about the Bragg family now.

    On the one hand, I am very grateful. On the other hand, i feel totally betrayed.

    When i was desperately sick 15 years ago, I discovered the book "The Miracle of Fasting", and it literally saved my life. I have used fasting to cleanse and purify myself ever since and have achieved a level of health that would have otherwise been impossible. It was as if i was reborn and a had a new lease on life - perfect health.

    In all of Bragg's books, they touted their Liquid Aminos as a type of health product that helped you build muscle. I tried it and was instanly hooked. For the past 15 years, I have been using it on just about everything.

    Over the past many years, my health gradually began to deteriorate again. I dont smoke, drink, or have any other bad health habits. I eat very healthy. But something was wrong and i couldnt put my finger on it.

    Every time i fasted in the past 5 years, i became very ill - even after 9 days when the bulk of the toxins should have already been released for someone with a healthy diet like mine. During the fasts, i could tell a horrible substance was trying to be released, but I couldnt remain on the fast long enough to cleanse myself of it completely. The smell was horrible.

    During a recent fast, i discovered this and other information that made me research Liquid Aminos more and discovered that this was not a health product at all. It was literally poisoning me. I truly believe that.

    I stopped using it completely, and have gradually begun to feel my health return.

    I cannot believe that Bragg's would do this to the public that trusts them with their lives as I did. I hope they come to their senses and pull this product ASAP.
  • You a FKN liar your Anonymous comments are crap...You were desperatly ill for 15 years then reborn, using the Braggs products helped now they are killing you.....Bla Bla Bla
  • Dear mikejones2920,
    Wow, are you just an angry retard that can't read? Or write? (You a FKN liar your Anonymous comments are crap) Get some rest. You'll feel better in the morning.
  • I didnt say i was sick for 15 years. I said i was sick 15 years ago. And i didnt say that Bragg "products" made me get better. I said it was their books and the knowledge of how to purify my body through fasting that saved my life. Try reading my post again with a bit more brain power, and then try replying in English. I believe Paul Bragg Sr was a good man and wrote many excellent books on clean living that can truly help people find health. Im sure he truly believed that his liquid aminos product was a healthy replacement for salt. However, new science has proven that Liquid Aminos is NOT good for you at all. The Bragg family of today seems to be more interested in profit than making people healthy. This product should be pulled immediately.
  • Dear Anonymous,
    You are correct. This product should be pulled immediately. Full disclosure should be made. Thank you for sharing your story.
  • I too feel betrayed by the Bragg family for allowing this dirty secret to smear their good name. It is poison--I have experiencial knowledge of it and the Braggs do wrong to themselves and to their customers to run from this problem. Dear Braggs, I have known you for 29 years. I have read all your books and have lived well by them. But this Bragg Aminos is against nature. It is wrong. It is poison. By not doing the right thing on this you hurt all the good you have done for so many years and so many people.
    Sincerely,
    Valerie Cordova
  • Interesting - A recent thread on GITMR brought about the discussion of MSG. I posted a list of products containing MSG: http://msgmyth.com/hidename.ht... & was really surprised to see BraggsLA among those products listed. I've been using BraggsLA for years & am not aware of any negative reactions to it.
    I - personally - find it difficult to believe that the lovely Patricia Bragg has been, intentionally, trying to poison folks all these years. :o)
  • It's the "lovely" ones that will kill you! Wahahaha
  • Msg is nasty poisonous sh*tt. Google Dr Russell Blaylock. Check out some of his speeches on youtube. Then let's see what the naysayers here think.
  • I always intuitively knew there was something wrong with Bragg's. I'm so glad to be validated!
  • Mickele Bragg 1 year ago
    I always intuitively knew there was something wrong with Bragg's. I'm so glad to be validated!
  • I can't vouch for accuracy, but this is taken from Wikipedia:

    Many cheaper brands of soy sauces are made from hydrolyzed soy protein instead of brewed from natural bacterial and fungal cultures. They are derogatorily called Chemical Soy Sauce ("化學醬油" in Chinese), but despite this name are the most widely used type because they are cheap. Similar products are also sold as "liquid aminos" in the US and Canada.

    Some artificial soy sauces pose potential health risks due to their content of the chloropropanols carcinogens 3-MCPD (3-chloro-1,2-propanediol) and all artificial soy sauces came under scrutiny for possible health risks due to the unregulated 1,3-DCP (1,3-dichloro-2-propanol) which are minor byproducts of the hydrochloric acid hydrolysis.

    In 2001 the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency found in tests of various low-grade soy sauces (those made from hydrolyzed soy protein, rather than being naturally fermented) that some 22% of samples contained a chemical called 3-MCPD (3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol) at levels considerably higher than those deemed safe by the European Union. About two-thirds of these samples also contained a second chemical called 1,3-DCP (1,3-dichloropropane-2-ol) which experts advise should not be present at any levels in food. Both chemicals have the potential to cause cancer and the Agency recommended that the affected products be withdrawn from shelves and avoided. Furthermore, the latter unregulated chemical can cause genetic damage to be passed on to offspring who never consumed the sauces.

    ______________________

    Those guys at Braggs are pretty clever. Create a super cheap liquid, call it Liquid Amino so that everyone thinks it's good for them, and sell it at a high price. No wonder they are keeping schtum.

  • fcline 1 year ago
    What a bunch of psychotic nut cases! Just because you suffered some ill effects after eating Bragg's doesn't mean it was the Bragg's that made you sick - it could have been the lettuce that you ate that came out of a field irrigated with RAW sewage!
  • Thanks to everyone for posting their experiences. I have to agree that for MSG sensitive people, Braggs is a no-no. I didnt discover my severe intolerance to MSG until i started living in China. I ate out for all of my meals, had digestive problems and always felt lethargic. To make a long story short, after many hospital visits and examinations, i discovered the reaction on my own. I cut MSG out of my diet and starting feeling great. This was years ago. Recently i went to a health food store and purchased a spray bottle of Braggs. Since i am vegetarian, i thought it would be a convenient way to incorporate more aminos into my diet. This past week, i was spraying it onto soups, stir-fries, and rice. At the same time i started feeling lethargic and confused (brain-fog is the best way to describe it). I was convinced that i had come down with something. Then i made the connection to Braggs. I stopped eating it, and feel clear and healthy again. It may sound crazy to those who can tolerate higher amounts of MSG (by the way, everyone will react to MSG in high enough quantities), but for MSG sensitive people, anything containing MSG is like a poison! Braggs tastes good, but i personally cannot eat it. MSG reactions are strange. I am hoping one day we will discover why some people can tolerate it and some cannot. It is a shame that there are many who are not aware of the relationship between what they consume and how they feel. I do encourage everyone to educate themselves, to observe their bodies and at the same time, not succumb to paranoia.
  • Claire 1 year ago
    Kalyn (whose food blog is www.KalynsKitchen.com) likes Spike Seasoning. In the comments to her post on Spike there are various comments about the fact that hydrolyzed vegetable protein is a type of glutamine of the MSG variety. From her post on Spike is also a link to a BlogHer post on MSG, talking about naturally formed glutamates and savory tastes, with a number of additional links. http://kalynskitchen.blogspot....
  • can anyone tell me if this is true: I've read that oriental MSG is derived naturally from seaweed, and the MSG used in American foods is synthetic. I also read that there are two forms of amino acids, L and R. The L form comprises all that is living (but that is not what the L stands for), and the R is not. If in an amino acid chain just one R form molecule is introduced the chain breaks. So is Braggs L or R amino acid. Is it a natural process as has been proven in the Orient, or a synthetically produced product as so many are in America.

    I actually also read that the aged cheese taste and smell is being recreated synthetically so producers could make a cheese in one day and add the chemical to fake the aging process.

    well, that is an aside, is Braggs made naturally? Or is it a synthetic? Is American MSG made through a mad doctor's chemistry set and synthetic, or is MSG made naturally as in the Orient.
  • Bud Gallant 1 year ago
    Braggs is turning me into a Frankenstein.
    If I knew my veins would be popping out, and feel like I am on speed, I never would have taken this junk.

    Why are so many recipes calling for it? I have been fooled for the last time by this. Next time I want to drink hydrochloric acid and baking soda, I'll make it myself with tap water instead of spending valuable fiat dollars on it.
  • wow...I was just wondering if this stuff was raw or not...I have a bottle of it, and am on a raw food 30-day challenge and was looking forward to the salty taste....looks like I won't be touching the stuff!!!!
  • Steven 1 year ago
    I know there is a lot of controversy about MSG in Braggs Amino's. I have a very definate allergy to MSG and have too be very careful what I eat...I have been using Bragg aminos for 20+ years and have never had a reaction.
  • Basically, the problem with this stuff is that people using 'too much' of it. Believing it is 'healthy' and 'made out of raw (or not) product' doesn't really mean that you can pour over any food! The liquid amino has 'too much flavor' in it. In my opinion, you should not get yourself used to such strong flavoring masking all the original subtle flavors of ingredients. You'd lose the good sense of tasting veggies' own flavors. Curve spices, salts, etc. If you'd sprinkle just a bit of each, it's so much better. I don't really want to generalize but I tend to notice many Americans tend to use too much soy sauce (tamari, low-sodium, whatever-kind...) and do the same with the 'Bragg's.' Honestly, I feel like 'overwhelmed' by the excess flavoring - just as MSG-dosed food. I'd say... use the spray to the least. (and do not splash too much!)
  • I have no control when I buy prepared raw foods at raw restaurants or at Whole Foods. It's already in there, so the portions of Bragg's is being decided for me.

    Who wants a neurotoxin on their healthy raw food anyway?
  • My wife had Braggs last night in some Gespatcho soup with a salad. She had trouble sleeping, developed nausea, a severe migraine and numerous aches and pains. She is very sensitive to MSG. She has food allergies to eggs and citrus. She is also lactose intolerant. No more Braggs for her!

    I appreciate the comments from CC that Braggs can emulate MSG problems in sensitive people.
  • SmarterThanAllOfYou 2 years ago
    If any of this paranoid crap were true, then your own body produces the same kind of thing when you consume soy. After all, your stomach is chock full of HYDROCHLORIC ACID.
  • Any time I eat something prepared with Bragg's I get extremely hyper. The exact same response I get when I've eaten something with loads of MSG. I didn't understand why until I read on the net about free glutamic acid. I DO NOT get the symptoms after eating soy -- and I've been vegetarian/vegan for 20 years.

    Bragg's makes me jittery, shaky and then I crash with a very low heartrate. In my book it's a fake health food and always will be.
  • I have begun my raw food diet - i eat poptarts right out of the box now instead of tosting them, and i only microwave my popcorn for half the recommended time so thats considered raw right?

    i used Bragg amino acids on a bag of pork rinds and got really sick! i wont use those aminos anymore!
  • Essence 2 years ago
    Today was my first day of taking BLA and actually, I felt rather well after ingesting it. I am not entirely on a “raw” food diet and I do not eat as much protein as would be best for me – so I bought some BLA to supplement my body. As I was surfing through some info on liquid amino’s, I ran across some discrepancies with Bragg and the “quality” of their product. My confusion here is; are the discrepancies concerning it not being a “raw” food, the way that it is processed, or the actual content?
    Many people have been negating BLA because they consider it not to be a “raw” food, but in what context do you consider something raw? It is in my studies the specific difference in raw foods vs. processed food is the amount of LIVE enzymes. If you are considering that to be part of the discrepancy- be aware that Amino Acids are NOT enzymes to begin with. These ACIDS are used by the body to PRODUCE enzymes.
    If your main concern is about the process of BLA; 1) Hydrochloric Acid is one of the NATURAL acids pumped into the stomach to assist in digesting PROTEINS (and it stimulates the release of certain digestive enzymes). HCL is what helps break down proteins into Amino Acids….So the process of using HCL to soak the soybeans in to break them into the specific individual acids are akin to your own digestive process in your own body. Also – the use of baking soda in it’s moderation to neutralize the “acids” are highly beneficial and are needed to make it consumable.
    Now if the issue is of the actual “content” of BLA – There have been medical studies that show that soybeans have a high effective rate of suppressing the Thyroid. People who are Hypothyroid might be affected by consumption of soybeans, but on the flip-side, if people suffer from Adrenal Fatigue (or low Adrenal production) – consuming soybeans in moderation boost Adrenal functions.
    All in all – the breakdown of what Braggs Liquid Amino Acids are – they are a form of non-brewed soy sauce. You can web search this type of soy sauce and you will find the process is identical.

    I also want to warn people who are concerned with what they are ingesting – to NOT be sucked into the power of AUTOSUGGESTION. It is far too easy for people to blame any negative side effect they have experienced on this product and call it a “poison and a danger”. All this does is freak people out and cause them to subconsciously act upon the “so called dangers”. (E.G. psychologically make themselves ill because someone else told them it would!) If you really want to know the truth about what you eat – then take the time to do your own medical and nutritional research and not let someone else effect you with their own fears….
  • Amen! The person who blames bragg's for the ending of their relationship should read this and get back in touch with reality.

    I think the other lesson we should take from this is to listen to our own bodies. If our bodies tell us that bragg's is not a good idea, don't eat bragg's (but get aminos in a different way). If our bodies tell us it's not a problem, or even that it makes us feel good, then we're probably benefiting from it's effects. But the key is everything in moderation.
  • LOL, the person who "broke up with girlfriend" is trying to be ironic, he's just goofing on the fact that people blame all their problems on the world, being a victim because they have no power. Other posters correctly suggest that one should look inward, examine/ understand your own internal issues, emotions etc. This world is samsara, it's just a reflection of your inner perceptions and beliefs. That's why people eat raw, they want to purify and clense to achieve clarity of mind body spirit. The raw path is an excellent start to self awareness and realization. But there are many paths on our journey, addressing our physical bodies is a responsible and mindful beginning. Eat to enjoy life & Love to all!
  • Well now I'm confused , the bottle of BLA that I had listed the sodium as 150mg per 1/2 teaspoon . And yes my numbers where wrong, should be 900mg per Tablespoon.

    But now I have found Nutritional labels that are different , one lists sodium content as 100mg per 1/2 teaspoon and one lists it at 110mg per teaspoon. Still it has a lot of sodium even at 600mg per Tablespoon.I still believe they are being deceptive in their labeling to the effect of hiding the true sodium content.The use of "Bragg's has a small amount of naturally occurring sodium" No table salt is added(even if it is true) are examples.

    I have seen a brewed soy sauce from Trader Joe's that has 460mg per Tablespoon plus I have seen others

    Bragg's liquid amino's
    Nutrition Facts
    Serving Size: 1/2 teaspoon (2.5mL)
    Amount per Serving
    Calories 0 Calories from Fat 0
    % Daily Value *
    Total Fat 0g 0%
    Saturated Fat 0g 0%
    Sodium 150mg 6%
    Total Carbohydrate 0.1g 0%
    Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
    Protein 0%
    Est. Percent of Calories from:
    Fat 0.0% Carbs 0.0%
    Protein 0.0%

    Bragg's liquid amino's
    Nutrition Facts
    Serving size: 0.5 tsp
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 0
    Calories from Fat 0
    Amount Per Serving and/or % Daily Value*
    Total Fat 0g (0%)
    Saturated Fat 0g (0%)
    Cholesterol 0mg (0%)
    Sodium 100mg (5%)
    Total Carbohydrate 100mg (0%)
    Protein 290mg
    Amount Per Serving and/or % Daily Value*
    Vitamin A 0%
    Vitamin C 0%
    Calcium 0%
    Iron 0%

    Bragg's liquid amino's
    Nutrition Facts
    Serving Size 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml)
    Servings Per Container
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 2 Calories from Fat 0
    % Daily Value*
    Total Fat 0g 0%

    Saturated Fat g
    Trans Fat N/A*g
    Cholesterol mg
    Sodium 110mg 5%
    Total Carbohydrate 50g 17%

    Dietary Fiber g

    Sugars g
    Protein 275g
    Vitamin A * Vitamin C
    Calcium * Iron 2%
    * Percent daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
  • I wonder why no has mentioned how deceptive the labeling is in regards to sodium content. This product appears to have 960mg of sodium in 1 table spoon(the serving size that is commonly listed on soy sauce). I can not tell you how many times I have seen postings that recommend Bragg's Liquid Amino's as a lower sodium replacement for soy sauce, it's simply not true.
  • Hi,
    i came accross this website as i am reading Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine, by Dr gabriel Cousens as i currently am raw for about 18 months and have adrenal stress.
    the book talks about no soy sauce, nama shoyu etc, i guess including braggs too,
    ok i cannot say braggs or the other soy products caused this, however, EVER SINCE GOING RAW (along with no illnesses and hugely better health and LOTS of positives) i have got spider veins appearing in my legs.
    i have always been sure its co-incided with going raw as i'm 37 and never noticably had this prior to raw, just never knew why and hoped i would find the reason out after sorting the adrenal stress.
    interesting, be it possibly the MSG or sodium or WHATEVER, its certainly made me think of leaving these products OUT if i care about the spider veins :-)....
  • About your veins. I think it is very possible a relationship between BLA and your condition but I advise you to work more with some disciplines such as yoga, Qigong and vigorous exercises as well as working with your emotions to get rid of the stress that prevent your body from healing as it is meant to do.
    The body is naturally self repairing but our thoughts emotions and stress prevent the healing process from happening.
    That's why children tent to heal faster than adults.
    Get better informed about raw food. BTW I'm quite surprised that you had that problem after applying the principles of the book you mentioned.
    Anyway, controlling what we eat is just one part of the equation.
    EFT is one way to work on stress as several other approaches.
    Good luck
  • I don't quite get it. Most of you are saying or inferring that glutamic acid is a poison, yet it's found naturally in most foods. Although it's not an essential amino acid, it does play an important part in our brain function and detoxification of wastes. I know that there are people who are sensitive to it, just like people are sensitive to strawberries, or anything, but it's not the same thing as MSG. If anyone has any comment about that I'd love to hear it and understand your thoughts. And I'm also curious to knwo how it's not a raw food.

    The other point I strongly agree with is what Marioques said. What you put in your body physically is only a part of the whole picture as we are not only physical beings. Hearing the anger through the words makes me question that the people with a lot of the problems are concentrating their attention on the physical. If we can get rid of cancer and other diseases by just changing your mind, we must remember to focus on the positives or we'll be taken down, no matter what we eat. Then, like some of you, when you're clear and are open to listen to your body it'll tell you what feels nourishing and not, no matter what the food or situation is.
  • Hello Portia and others. Most of us have heard the Vitamin C isolated is not the same and as beneficial as Vitamin C associated with some co-enzymes and nutrients that come with it in real food.
    The same way is about aminoacids. They are part of proteins or they can be free and the effect on health is different in each case.
    Even if we are talking about substances under the same name they are not the same depending on the molecular structure, such as when something is cook or raw. You cannot sprout a cooked lentil and you can guess that proteins and aminoacids are not the same when they are cooked of processed.
    Specifically for you to have a better idea of the difference between MSG and the glutamic acid in real unprocessed food I propose you to read this excellent article http://www.truthinlabeling.org...
    So strawberries with pesticides are not the same as the organic ones.
    I doubt for good reasons that humans can do better than nature.
    Since I put only raw mostly organic quite green unprocessed, delicious food prepared with love I thrive like never before, even 20 years ago.
    You don't have to be extreme like I am. But we try here to be aware of the consequences of our food and lifestyle choices.
    Keep enjoying life while you get to understand the nuances about our healthy choices.
    Another thing is that even if I said that being happy is much more important, the less you rush behind money, security and approval, the less likely you put cheap food in your body.
    I have a very low income and I eat like a king seriously. I look 20 years younger thanks to the way I prioritize my budget and time.
    A happy free undomesticated easy going mind doesn't tent put cheap fast food into the body.
    Have fun and eat like if you were rich and in vacations.
  • I am a raw 100% for 7 years already and my health and vitality are much better than years ago.
    The subject here is weather BLA is bad or not for your health. The main issue is depending on what you mean by health.
    From that perspective some will say BLA is not poison (because you don't go to the hospital inmediatly or you don't get a diagnostic that relates your condition to this product.
    But we "raw foodists" expect more from life than simply survival.
    I'm 49 and I don't care anymore about avoiding sicknesses as I am into rejuvenation.
    If you want to thrive you don't want to put just any "normal food" into your body. You want to put life into it.
    Sorry for those who can feel offended by my pretencion.
    I put food in my body to get health, consciousness and energy not just by habit, or wanting approval, or to avoid boredom or to cope with emotions.
    So do as you wish according to your expectations. BLA is far from being live food.
  • Uh, you're wrong. It *is* actually a poison.

    BLA is liquid MSG. MSG is an ‘excitotoxin’. Excitotoxins stimulate the brain until brain cells die. Scary stuff. Google it and you’ll see it’s true.
  • Being new to Raw, a lot of what I read recommended Bragg's. I'm very glad I came across this information (thank you Google search) so I know to avoid it. Keep up the good work.
  • Are you people idiots? Look at the sodium content on the side of the bottle of course it is bad for you if you ingest too much of it. but it is certainly not poison. It is hydrolysed protein, reduced to its constitutive amino acids. It is salty for the same reason that cheese, soy sauce, tamari and miso are salty: MSG!! which, by the way, is not bad for you! some people are sensitive to it, but just sensitive. I wouldn't go putting it in your baby's milk, but for every study that says it is harmful, there are hundreds that have shown it is not.
  • Bragg's liquid aminos ruined my life...and my relationship. At first, my girlfriend and I enjoyed braggs on everything we ate, then day by day, I noticed that my girlfiend was growing increasingly distant. She dumped me altogether last week. I now know that Bragg's Liquid Aminos is to blame for my heartbreak.

    (Obviously if you are sensitive/allergic to soy or MSG, Bragg's will affect you negatively. Having a peanut allergy and calling peanuts "poison" doesn't make any sense either. )
  • wow! You are funny : ) You know, girls like funny guys. Stick to the humor and pass on the Bragg's.
  • You are hilarious
  • I have been vegan most of my life (I am 24), and raw for the last four years. I think it is safe to say that the purer the diet the more sensitive our bodies become to processed foods. The simpler the diet, the more we are affected by foods that most people tolerate quite well. A side note: While clean bodies are more 'sensitive' to food, they are certainly more effective in cleansing and eliminating harmful toxins (that's why some people mistake the sensitivity of a raw foodist to be a weakness, when in fact that sensitivity proves the very effectiveness of the body's excellent response to toxic invasion)!

    As long as I remember I've always had a reaction to ALL soy products. Even when I was vegan I avoided soy as it would cause my face and skin to brake out quite badly. After being a raw foodist for several years I couldn't figure out why my skin didn't clear up completely. (Although there were dramatic improvements). Now I know Bragg's Aminos were to blame.

    Addicted to salty BLA I didn't care to make the connection between processed soy and liquid aminos. Now I finally recognize that all processed soy is processed food. Processed foods are not natural - I don't care what natural ingredients/chemistry are used in the manufacturing process! Our bodies are designed to eat living foods in their whole intact form. While for most (including myself) it's been a long transition from vegan to someone who eats 100% purest whole living foods, from experience I say: processed soy in all its shapes and forms is not good for my body. Just like any processed food on the market today.

    Are Bragg's Liquid Aminos bad for everyone? People eat worse things than braggs aminos and, well, eventually die prematurely.... but can we raw fooders afford to take chances? The food industries of our 21st century are staging arguably the deadliest experiment. Food can heal or kill - why take chances? Unless the food is a gift from mother earth, we deserve to know how the product is manufactured, and if we are denied that knowledge, the wise thing in my opinion is to simply deny that good as NO GOOD. My body was saying no to BLA way before my mind finally caught up!
  • If you treasure your brain, you'll avoid Bragg's.

    It’s liquid MSG. MSG is an ‘excitotoxin’. Excitotoxins stimulate the brain until brain cells die. Scary stuff. Not only that, Bragg’s is actually a self heated product. As it’s being made the temp rises over the raw foods ‘limit’. It’s basically made by pouring chemicals on beans. Please do your research before adding this ‘poison’ called Braggs to raw foods. Did you know the USDA made them take off “no MSG” from their label? It’s because it contains MSG. Google it and you’ll see it’s true.
  • Well said Maria - I moved into raw foods however prior to that I used Braggs because of the claims made - initially I can't really remember if I had a reaction to the BLA however I can say over time I would get extreme heartburn that even drinking water did not resolve. Before getting the scoup on BLA I did a 20 day water fast and one by one started added back the fruits and vegetables back into my diet. I had no reaction. I had a taste for kale, tomatoes, and garlic - I added BLA and as soon as I ate the kale salad I got the heartburn - I started diluting the BLA until it was almost water and I still got heartburn so I eliminated it completely and I no longer have heartburn at all. This little experniment reminded me that the food industry IS in business to make money, always has been and is supported by the FDA which is all about money at the expense of the people therefore the entire food industry and FDA cannot be trusted to make and/or provide products that are in the best interest of the people. So what is the bottom line - if you don't want problems with you body and you goal is to change you diet to improve YOUR health you will have to take complete responsibility and go completely raw and/or start growing your own fruits and vegetables or simply contend with mild to severe health challenges. You will have to decide if the taste of something is more important than your health. Whatever you decide you must take complete responsibility for all your actions given the political climate we live in.
  • louise 3 years ago
    What about the Asian culture's use of msg? They don't "believe" MSG is bad for you...they always laugh at me when I talk about it. I have worked at a restaurant that had a total asian staff. Is there any link to health ailments prevalent among the Asians? I am always hard pressed to find products without MSG in them at the Asian store I frequent.
  • I was having a salad just now and all was well until I decided to put some Braggs on some noodles that I added to the salad and now my hands have a weird sensation in them as if I had something with MSG in it. I also noticed that the label said seasoning, glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Whatever process they are using it does the same thing to me as if I had something with MSG in it which I try to avoid because this stuff keeps me up at night. No wonder I've been having problems sleeping lately. NO MORE BRAGGS FOR ME!
  • Stunned 3 years ago
    Per Ruth Wilner's comment about Patricia, I sure hope what she says is not true. There's a name for someone who lies in the face of all evidence and gives people an invented reality because he/she thinks that's what they want to hear: "sociopath".
  • Elliot Yudenfriend 3 years ago
    I have been using Bragg Liquid aminos on and off for years, and for the last 8 months have used it quite a bit, on brown rice, in beans and in other foods. I have never noticed any ill feeling from it, my body does not smell like it, I have not snapped any tendons, etc. My goodness, it sounds extremely exaggerated to say that Bragg Liquid Aminos is responsible for serious injury and crawling off the volleyball court. I did come here because I, too, have been looking for the reason why soybeans and water would taste so salty. I appreciate the answer/theory that has been presented. But I seriously doubt Bragg Liquid Aminos is going to cause anyone terribly serious problems. Raw "fanatics" may get upset about feeling they've been duped into eating something cooked that they thought was raw, and I agree that if there has been misrepresentation that it is very wrong. But no one is going to be irreparably damaged from using Bragg Liquid Aminos, in my opinion.
  • You're wrong. People who have a problem with MSG will be harmed by Bragg's. The USDA made them take off "no MSG" from their label because it's a stewed soybean product (heated via chemicals) that results in free glutamic acid/MSG.

    MSG is an excitotoxin. Excitotoxins stimulate the brain until brain cells die. Scary stuff. You can confirm this by some web research.
  • I am on a raw diet and have been for the past 2 years. I started using Bragg's Amino Acids a year ago because it is labeled raw with no salt added and no MSG.

    Last night I made lentils and added a little too much Bragg's to the mix. I woke up at 2:00 a.m. extremely thirsty and feeling dehydrated (I drink over 60 oz of pure filtered water daily). After getting a drink, I could not get back to sleep. Today I am quite bloated and still thirsty. I have also had intestinal issues all morning. That is how I ended up on this site, because besides the Bragg's laden beans, I only had my normal raw fruits and vegetables yesterday. I couldn't understand why I was having these severe symptoms today. So is Bragg's good for you?? I would say NOT!!!!!
    Alex
  • those are the lentils making you bloated, thirsty, and dehydrated too. i remember the first time i made lentils, and they just wreaked havoc on my stomach because i ate a whole pot ^_^
  • recovering-somantic 3 years ago in reply to Alex
    If you have been using Bragg's over the last year then why weren't you affected so negatively before?
  • Sodium can cause those symptoms. Whether or not it is Bragg's.