Let’s be honest: Filipinos love salty food. Most Pinoy dishes use generous amounts of salt, soy sauce, fish sauce, or bagoong to achieve full flavor. In addition to this, Pinoys also love salty dipping sauces or sawsawan

Outside of that, Filipinos also eat a lot of salty snacks and processed food, which increases our sodium intake. In fact, it was found that Filipinos’ average salt consumption per day is 11 grams. This is more than the recommended 5 grams of salt (or less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium) daily by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Unfortunately, excess sodium intake is one of many risk factors that commonly lead to various complications such as high blood pressure, kidney problems, and heart diseases. And so, limiting salt intake with a diet with less sodium is always a good idea. 

That is why for your home-cooked meals, Ajinomoto came up with more than 100 less sodium recipes that Filipinos can choose from. We’ve categorized these recipes by the types of dish (baked, grilled, fried, etc.) and by the ingredients (beef, chicken, egg, seafood, etc.) for easier viewing. These recipes make use of AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning as a way to reduce the sodium content.

AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning is the leading brand for monosodium glutamate (MSG). It offers the signature umami taste without the excess sodium. Compared to table salt with 39% sodium, MSG only has 12% sodium, making it a healthier alternative.

For those who would like to reduce sodium intake, you can enjoy delicious meals with the right food items and AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning to enhance the flavors of your dish.

Still not convinced? Although a diet with less sodium may sound like a bummer for those who want more flavor in their food, enjoying a diet like this is still possible. Here’s why:

You can eat healthier with less sodium

As mentioned earlier, excess sodium is one of the leading causes of several possibly life-threatening diseases. By reducing your sodium intake, you can avoid getting these conaditions, or at least alleviate the symptoms of the ones you already have.

And remember, it’s less sodium, not none. You still need sodium to balance the electrolyte and water levels in your body. A lack of it can cause fatigue, nausea, muscle weakness or spasms, headache, seizures, etc. With this diet, you still get the necessary intake without restricting yourself too much. It may not feel like it now, but when your health improves, you’ll definitely thank yourself that you cut back on sodium.

Food with less sodium can still be delicious

Who says that lessening your salt intake means sacrificing flavor? You can still eat and prepare delicious meals even while reducing your sodium consumption. Food such as fruits, vegetables, fresh meats, poultry, and fish, unsalted dairy products, and more – the sky’s the limit when it comes to getting food with less sodium. With the right products and cooking techniques, you can get that same or even better flavor of your favorite meals.

Spice up your cooking and improve the flavor of your dishes the healthy way! Use AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning for your home-cooked meals!

benefits-of-working-ajinomoto-job-openings

In this pandemic, looking for a job is now a more comprehensive process than ever. It’s not enough to just look at the job openings and descriptions alone. You also need to know your potential employer’s training methods, employee benefits, workplace culture, and more. After all, we’re not getting any younger, so you need a job where you are well-trained, well-compensated, and appreciated – a place you can see yourself lasting for a long time.

At Ajinomoto, we offer positions that allow for significant career growth. By joining our growing team of professionals, you are sure to receive adequate guidance that will help improve your skills. You’re also entitled to receive great benefits that will keep you satisfied and your family well-provided for in the long run.

Here’s what you’ll get when you join the Ajinomoto team.

Numerous and varied opportunities

Ajinomoto Philippines has various openings across different departments. General affairs, information technology, marketing, quality assurance – and that’s just at the head office! There are also lots of openings for salespeople in different areas of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. And of course, Ajinomoto’s also looking for qualified factory personnel to work at our plants. 

Monetary and insurance benefits

Ajinomoto offers various monetary and insurance benefits for every employee. We give performance bonuses to those who have exhibited outstanding work and Christmas bonuses for all employees. We also have comprehensive health and life & accident insurance to ensure you’re covered in case of any health issues or unfortunate incidents. Moreover, if any employee still has unused paid vacation or sick leaves, these are converted to cash. 

Employee recognition and appreciation

Aside from the performance bonuses, we show our appreciation for our employees in various ways. For veteran workers, we recognize their loyalty and dedication to their work with a service recognition award. We also go on regular paid holidays with the rest of the team to build trust and lasting friendships outside the workplace. Come Christmas time, an Ajinomoto Christmas package is given so that your families can eat well during the holidays. Lastly, we provide help in these trying times through monthly rice subsidies and retirement benefits.

Transportation and relocation

Because of Ajinomoto’s all-encompassing presence in the country, it’s possible to be assigned to a different area in the Philippines. While the move may be costly, Ajinomoto helps lighten the load by providing relocation assistance to you and your family. Aside from that, we also provide our salespeople with a company car to travel to potential clients with ease. With the pandemic making mobilization more difficult, Ajinomoto does its best to make it less hassle for our employees.

So there you have it! You can enjoy these benefits when you become a part of our Ajinomoto team. If you’re interested in exploring opportunities with us, check our careers page to get started!

ajinomoto-job-openings

Established on May 9, 1958, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) has continued to support Filipino households with the variety of products it holds. And leading its product line up in the Philippines is the world’s first umami seasoning – AJI-NO-MOTO®.

But AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning and other products aren’t the only reasons why APC is as successful today. The company enjoys good business due to the people behind the scene.

Ajinomoto and its goal to support Filipino households also extend to its employees. Thus, the company ensures to provide proper career growth and learning opportunities.

Interested in being a part of the Ajinomoto family? Check out our job openings, send in your application, and expect the following:

An easy application

The website will direct you to a straightforward online application form as soon as you spot a position you qualify in. Fill in the details needed and upload your resume. Don’t be shy in accomplishing the required information, as all information will be kept confidential by APC. Once done, agree to the Terms of Use and click the button “Submit Application.”

Wait for your schedule

Once submitted, rest assured that our Human Resource personnel will carefully review your submitted credentials and qualifications. Ensure to keep your communication lines open and wait for a call or an e-mail regarding your application.

Prepare for the next step

While waiting for an update, prepare necessary documents vital for your application. Print out your resume and certifications if it’s a face-to-face interview. It will also do you good to review our company profile and take a look at our initiatives and offerings. You can get a peek at how it is to work at APC through our virtual tour.

Attend the interview

After securing an interview date, the only thing you need to do is to attend it. Make sure to look professional and be on time. Answer questions regarding your experiences and qualification as best as you can. Remember, first impressions don’t always last, but they do count.

 Wait for the results

Screening applicants takes time. So while you’re waiting for your results, keep a positive attitude. As long as you give it your all, you’ll have no regrets. Our HR will get back to you as soon as possible.

 is-msg-bad-for-you

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) or commonly known as “vetsin” in the Philippines, is one of the most controversial food ingredient, because of debates surrounding it like is it high in sodium? Or does it pose various health concerns like headaches, nausea, and so on?

But before we answer these questions, did you know that MSG is produced through fermentation of natural food ingredients like corn, sugar cane, cassava, sago, sugar beet, or rice? Yes, it’s the same process done to produce soya, chocolates, vinegar, etc. Through fermentation, molasses extracted from the raw material are converted to glutamic acid, one of the most common naturally occurring amino acids. Glutamic acid is naturally found in our bodies and in various foods such as tomatoes, cheeses, mushrooms, corn, and such. So if MSG naturally occurs in our food, how did MSG gain its bad rap, begging the question – is MSG really bad for you?

Where did misconception about MSG come from?

Cooks often use MSG due to its flavor-enhancing abilities. Aside from this, it contains less sodium compared to salt. However, in 1968, misconceptions about MSG circulated due to a piece written by R.H. Kwok titled Chinese-restaurant syndrome, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This paper contains anecdotes, without scientific evidence, about Kwok’s experience of feeling lethargic, having headaches, and heart palpitations after eating in Chinese Restaurants. MSG was then singled out by the public, despite clear indications of the author that the food he ate consists of alcohol and other ingredients.

What do scientific studies say?

If we are to round up scientific evidence regarding how bad MSG is for your health, you’re bound to stumble on many unproven studies.

The extensive body of research about glutamate has been reviewed by independent scientists and regulatory authorities around the world — all have found MSG to be safe. The Food and Drug Administration in the United States and in the Philippines consider the addition of MSG to foods to be “Generally Recognized as Safe”.

In 2016, another study tried to prove the correlation between headaches and MSG. The researching bodies found none and published it in the Journal of Headache Pain.

Following this, the International Headache Society removed it from its list of headache triggers in 2018. Later that same year, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh published a review that MSG presents no harm to the human brain.

So, is MSG bad for you?

Based on all these findings, no, MSG is not bad for you.