Plural of glutamate; salts or esters of glutamic acid, especially the neurotransmitter that excites nerve cells in the brain.
From glutamic acid (discovered in wheat gluten) plus -ate, a chemistry suffix for salts. Glutamic acid comes from gluten + amino acid structure.
Glutamates are the brain's primary 'go' signal—they make neurons fire—and MSG (monosodium glutamate) is just salt added to this naturally-occurring molecule, which is why it tastes savory and why some people react to it, connecting chemistry, cooking, and neuroscience!
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