MSG: Toxic or Simply Sneaky Food Additive? Part 2

MSG is found virtually everywhere, and almost no kind of food seems to be immune to its presence. For example, Erb says that MSG is found in some Starbucks coffee, soups, salad dressings, ready-make meals like Ramen and Hamburger Helper, frozen t.v. dinners, and potato chips like Lay's and Doritos brands.
And it doesn't stop there. Both fast-food and sit-down places (Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, and even fancier places like TGI Friday's, Chili's, AppleBee's, Denny's, and Kentucky Fried Chicken) contain unabashed amounts of MSG in many of their foods. And apparently KFC is the worst offender of them all, serving foods loaded with MSG; everything from their chicken, salad dressings, and gravy.
Eeeek! It's everywhere!
So, why is it added to virtually everything we eat? Is it a preservative? Does it give our bodies a necessary nutrient? The answer is....Um, NO!
John Erb states that MSG is added to food because of the addictive effect it has on the body. Yes, even the propaganda website he visited, sponsored by the food manufacturers' lobbyist group supporting MSG, says that the reason they add it to so many foods is to make people eat more. Food manufacturers admit that MSG makes people addicted to their foods. And because of how it affects your taste buds, their food tastes better, which increases the likelihood that you will choose to eat their brand of food, as opposed to choosing another brand.
Wow, they've got us; hook, line, and sinker!
Here's an article my brother-in-law found, detailing the negative effects of MSG on humans: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/health/nutrition/26nutr.html
I think the vote is still out when it comes to the negativity of MSG. But I sure don't like how it's in most everything we eat, and that we are feeding our children this stuff that is proven to cause obesity and attention disorders! Whether it really is toxic to our bodies, or a sneaky food additive that addicts us to a certain product, the bottom line for me is that MSG is a man-made, chemical food additive that has no business being in our bodies or our food.
So the final decision is up to you. If you want more info about MSG, read John Erb's book, read the above article, and become informed! Do if for the health of you and your children!