Hello /sci/ I was involved in a conversation today that's left me with questions that Google hasn't satisfied me with. Only results being the links between Glutamate and Glutamine

For background context, my friend regularly complains about her throat becoming phlegmy after drinking Coca Cola, on a few rare instances I've felt the same and reassured her its probably just an increase in mucus production from having sugar, e.g. glucose from those drinks. She normally goes on about how she tries to keep her liquid intake to just water, normally boiled from a kettle but when in public Coke is often cheaper than bottled water, that's her excuse. Not mine.

Anyway she was telling me she was experiencing the same sensation in her throat from Chinese food and told me about something called Monosodium Glutamate and suspects it's in Coke. I personally doubt it and still believes it's caused by Glucose, so I'm here wondering if there is any relation due to the similar prefix of "Glu" in both names wondering if this means they both have some relation to sugar.