Getting Sick from Restaurants

[HappyHiker]

We just ate out last night after a hiatus from restaurant meals of several weeks. I seemed to have some kind of reaction to the meal--a bit of gastric upset, nervous insomnia, and aches, pains and muscular twinges where I didn't have them before.

I'm wondering if this sense of malaise is a reaction to MSG or other additives in the meal I ate--could it be?

I mostly prepare and eat "clean" whole foods--mostly scratch cooking--at home and this vague feeling of being off and achy made me wonder if commercial cooking is harmful to our health? I sure hope not, for I do like the social aspects of eating out on occasion.

Any tips or thoughts on eating foods in restaurants that are less likely to have mega MSG or additives?

[pony mom]

A few years ago I had a veggieburger at Friday's. At that time, if I ate something "out", it was usually pizza :) Whatever they added to the veggieburger made my stomach really upset later on. I believe MSG is added to food in places like this to make them tastier. I thought I'd be safe with a veggieburger. Same thing happened to me after eating grilled chicken from Outback Steakhouse.

I enjoy eating at diners--something there for everyone! Never had a problem, but then I usually eat kinda simple food, like chicken, turkey, etc. I think the more exotic-flavored meals are a bit risky.

[boss mare]

After watching episodes of Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen and Restaurant Impossible I can tell you that DH and I have really cut down our eating out... Alot.....
There is a "restaurant" that is/ was a very popular place for alot of the horse organizations in my area to hold their meetings, The place has been around since the 1970's the owners were horse people and there was a back area that the groups would reserve I know of at least 4 other horse clubs hold their monthly meetings there other than ours
A few years ago it was starting to look a little rough around the edges Then there was a fire and we hoped that they would remodel the place . They just fixed that one area. This last year it has really gone down hill in terms of the appearence and the food . THe place was never a 5 star restuarant but it has gotten so bad that at our last meeting, there was a motion made, seconded and passed on to look into a new meeting place . We have meeting there since 1975. Most horse people that I know are a pretty tough lot but the place has gotten that scary :~) I don't know if the others groups have moved on or not I actually went on line to see that it takes to have a restaurant be on one of those shows You have to either work at or own the place>8)

[pinkytoe]

More often than not, when we eat out, I too experience some side-effects. In particular, I sometimes have a nervous type of insomnia after eating out. Almost as if I have had ten cups of coffee. I can only concur that it is some additive that acts like a stimulant or at least that is how it affects me. It seems to occur most often if it is a spicy dish. A lot of restaurants use what we call Sysco ingredients, ie corporate factory food, so who knows what is in that stuff - things like flavor enhancers, etc.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I doubt it is a simple as "MSG is added". Oh yea a little bottle of MSG is just shaken on. I think it's more processed foods will generally have MSG and yea if a restaurant is buying processed food (sysco products or whatever) then yea that's probably the case. But honestly most people probably don't avoid MSG as is. It is in almost all processed food - hydrolized protein - that's MSG, "spices" on a food label that can indicate msg (unless they specifically say what the spices are), "natural flavors" could be msg, etc.. So you either need to be extremely diligent about reading labels or make *everything* from scratch (no canned goods etc.). So that's why I'm skeptical it's the MSG just because MSG is *SO* prevalent. Still noone needs it.

Sometimes I think it's just sheer plain old SODIUM content that is to blame. Ok, I don't follow a low sodium diet, I don't have any reason to, salt is my friend, I shake it on most savory foods. But the crazy intense thirst after restaurant meals indicate a level of sodium far exceeding what you can sprinkle on.

Coloring and artificial flavoring and so on are probably also more suspicious than MSG (and yes these things are in processed foods!)

I do have reactions to restaurant foods. Nervousness, fearfulness (these trigger very old emotions of fear in me, I don't need this), sometimes it disturbs my sleep. It's not that intense though really, but to a mild degree all this happens.

I do absolutely believe restaurant food is unhealthy HOWEVER I really subscribe to an "all things in moderation" view. Yes restaurant food is unhealthy. But you know what else is unhealthy? Turning down all social invitations, living in fear of ever leaving my house, lest some restaurant food passes my lips. In fact that is way more unhealthy. So sometimes I'll be celebrating with people at a restaurant for all it's worth, enjoying the food, not a care on my mind. Because if I was queen all food would be Micheal Pollan pure, but we live in a pretty unhealthy society (yes even compared to other countries), and I can avoid it for most meals, but don't even wish to avoid the society I live in entirely.

[Rosemary]

Excess sodium in restaurant food definitely affects me. If you look at restaurant "nutritional" info, you'll find that a meal easily has a day's worth of sodium. Since I don't add much salt to our home-cooked food, and since we cook everything from scratch, that's probably almost 2 days' worth for me. I still like to eat out, but I choose my foods carefully. I avoid restaurant soups, and if I get a salad, I only use a small amount of dressing (lots of sodium in dressings, gravies, etc). Also, I avoid the bread, both because I don't need the calories/carb load and because it's also another sodium-hiding place.

[CathyA]

Ditto to what Rosemary said. Too much salt really affects me.........my GI tract, my joints, my muscles, etc. If you have to eat out, be sure to drink lots of water afterwards. I can't believe the amount of salt that restaurants think they have to use. I guess it makes customers think the food has flavor, when all it really has is salt.

[peggy]

happy hiker, what did you have at the restaurant?

[HappyHiker]

My meal was liver and onions served with garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables which were mostly yellow squash and carrots.

[CathyA]

Maybe the liver was filled with toxins?? Unfortunately, unless its a totally organic cow, the liver is a catch-all for all the antibiotics, etc. that the cow has had to detoxify. (Plus the toxins of daily living, since the liver is one big filter). Maybe the garlic in the mashed potatoes had MSG?
Also, time will tell, but maybe you're just coming down with a virus that you picked up before you even ate out?

[mtnlaurel]

Fridays - JUST DON'T GO THERE!!!!
That place.... I spent an evening doubled over in pain after having the spinach-artichoke dip before a grueling cross-country travel day the next day.
Which I've never seen a spinach-artichoke dip that I didn't adore.

I am allergic to MSG or something in a lot of Corporate Chain Food (fridays is the greatest offender to me, followed by chilis, then applebys, the list goes on)
I have the symptoms of OP above plus I occasionally have a 'sizzling' sensation on my lips.
(I am also allergic to fish, and the Sizzling Lips is the first defense of my body saying Please Stop Eating This!)

I haven't gotten a confirmation from an allergist about MSG allergy, but my body is letting me know something loud & clear (by a loudly rumbling tummy).

It's a shame too b/c sometimes you need a 'please everyone' spot for work friends, etc.... too bad many chain restaurants feel the need to rely on the crutches of salt, MSG, ridiculous amts of butter and whatever else.

RubyTuesday's is classic of a good thing gone WAY bad!
The original restaurant was great before it went national -- it has been 'focus group studied' into the dirt and totally blows now!

You know how these Corp. places grasp onto the latest food crazes --- little hearts by the Heart Healthy selections, a Veggie Icon by some stuff.....
What they need is a Toilet Icon by whatever will keep you up in agony that night!

One thing nice about more smart phones coming on the scene... you can use yelp.com or opentable.com or whatever to find a good independent restaurant in an area you don't know.




I do absolutely believe restaurant food is unhealthy HOWEVER I really subscribe to an "all things in moderation" view. Yes restaurant food is unhealthy. But you know what else is unhealthy? Turning down all social invitations, living in fear of ever leaving my house, lest some restaurant food passes my lips. In fact that is way more unhealthy. So sometimes I'll be celebrating with people at a restaurant for all it's worth, enjoying the food, not a care on my mind. Because if I was queen all food would be Micheal Pollan pure, but we live in a pretty unhealthy society (yes even compared to other countries), and I can avoid it for most meals, but don't even wish to avoid the society I live in entirely.

Amen to that ApatheticNoMore!


I wonder if just ordering a nice simple salad at these chain places and asking for oil and vinegar is the way to go when you have to eat there ???

The list of restaurants I will no longer go to grows longer and longer.
(like ANM, I wouldn't turn down a potentially good visit with friends at my Hell No, Not Again List)

[HappyHiker]

Maybe it was the liver, but no flu so far. Last year I had a rather dramatic/scary reaction after eating a bacon wrapped scallop appetizer as my light entree. I woke during the night with a pounding pulse, rapid heartbeat, sweat pouring off me, and when I took my BP, it was way elevated. It was scary--I'd never had anything like that happen before. Thought maybe I was having a heart attack.

That morning I went to the doctor. The doctor found my heart okay, and possibly attributed the episode to a reaction to the bacon-wrapped scallops. Everything went back to normal within 12 hours.

Come to think of it, the liver/onions came with some bacon, too. Maybe the nitrates in the bacon were the culprit?

On the rare times I eat bacon at home, I've never had this reaction, though. Is commercial, restaurant bacon different?

And yes, many restaurant meals, soups and such are way over-salted to my taste--why can't they let the diner choose to salt or not salt?

Now here it is holiday time and I've two group get-togethers at restaurants this week and I'm wondering what to eat? Certainly not anything with bacon...

[HappyHiker]

Curious, so I just Googled MSG and reaction and found that those people who are sensitive to MSG can have these symptoms ( think this sheds light on what's going on with me and some restaurant foods. I highlighted what happened to me in the two episodes):

-- Anxiety
-- Depression
-- Migraine headaches
-- Skin rash
-- Mood swings
-- Nausea
-- Cramps
-- Chest tension
-- Dizziness
-- Confusion
-- Heart palpitations or rapid heart rate
-- Flushing
-- Burning sensations
-- Sweating
-- Numbness
-- Excessive thirst
-- Difficulty concentrating
-- Lethargy or sleepiness
-- Seizures
-- Hyperactivity
-- Swelling
-- Changes in blood pressure

[JaneV2.0]

I got a weird head rush sensation on a couple of occasions years ago at a Chinese restaurant that I'm guessing went overboard with the MSG. Other than that, I've had no problems.

[peggy]

Maybe it was the liver, but no flu so far. Last year I had a rather dramatic/scary reaction after eating a bacon wrapped scallop appetizer as my light entree. I woke during the night with a pounding pulse, rapid heartbeat, sweat pouring off me, and when I took my BP, it was way elevated. It was scary--I'd never had anything like that happen before. Thought maybe I was having a heart attack.

That morning I went to the doctor. The doctor found my heart okay, and possibly attributed the episode to a reaction to the bacon-wrapped scallops. Everything went back to normal within 12 hours.

Come to think of it, the liver/onions came with some bacon, too. Maybe the nitrates in the bacon were the culprit?

On the rare times I eat bacon at home, I've never had this reaction, though. Is commercial, restaurant bacon different?

And yes, many restaurant meals, soups and such are way over-salted to my taste--why can't they let the diner choose to salt or not salt?

Now here it is holiday time and I've two group get-togethers at restaurants this week and I'm wondering what to eat? Certainly not anything with bacon...

If you know which places you are going to gather to eat, maybe you can look at the menu ahead of time to decide what to have. A plain baked potato with maybe some grated cheese and broccoli, or plain pasta with a marinara sauce might be good choices. Stay away from the bacon!

[CathyA]

Can you ask the restaurant if they still use MSG? Many restaurants have stopped it.

Happy Hiker.........are you in perimenopause? All those symptoms you listed, I had during perimenopause! And my cardiovascular systems was much more sensitive to stuff in food.

Here's a similar story..........When I was younger, DH and I would go to this restaurant in Chicago. It was a well-known Greek restaurant.
It was maybe my second time there. Anyhow, we were eating and all of a sudden, I thought I would pass out. It was HORRIBLE. It eventually passed.
Maybe a year later we took some friends there (a couple) and I was laughing, telling them what happened to me that one time. I guess I thought it was just
my funky body. Anyhow........halfway through eating, the woman thought she was going to pass out!!!
We figured out that it was the amines in the various foods and I learned to take an NSAID before eating it, and did fine. (They block the vasodilation effects of amines). I know, I know, ........I was probably stupid for going back, but it was soooooo good!
I think women especially, with our hormones, can vasodilate fairly easily, and also have alot of other funky symptoms.

One holiday season, when my BP was a little up, I ate too much and I ate too much salt. After eating a breakfast with sausage, I had an episode of tachycardia, panic, chest pain, etc. Salt and nitrates seem to be a bad situation, especially if you're already a bit salt-overloaded.

Anyhow...........I hope you're feeling better! It can be a challenge trying to figure things out, so we can avoid them the next time.

[HappyHiker]

Thanks, Cathy, interesting observations and advice. Nope to the peri--I'm post menopausal. I've always been rather sensitive to foods and medications, though. Sugar and caffeine in the afternoon can keep me up all night. It's frustrating to have to negotiate the minefield that eating out has become for me--I hate spending the hard-earned dollars and then have a reaction that makes me ill.

And unfortunately, I live in an area where there are few/no options for organic or natural food restaurants. Oh well, I will figure out a dining out meal or two that's simple and relatively clean. For sure, no bacon or other smoked, nitrate-rich products, no sauces, no soups, no soy sauce, and no salad dressings other than plain lemon or oil and vinegar that I mix myself.

Maybe I should just ask for a plain bowl of gruel or tepid water? lol.

[loosechickens]

I'm one who seems to be really sensitive to additives such as artificial colors (FDC yellow #5 is a particularly bad offender, causing that nervous, jittery insomnia, twitching, etc), MSG, etc. We avoid chain restaurants like the plague because of the factory food, much of which comes into the restaurant kitchen industrially prepared and frozen and is just heated in the kitchen.

And, you have to be really careful, because even when something is sounding really good on the menu, watch out when you look at the nutritional information. ]

For Thanksgiving my MIL wanted to be taken to Marie Callenders, so I looked on their website for their nutritional information, trying to think ahead to pick the "least worst" thing.

On the menu, their "traditional turkey dinner" sounded wonderful, they advertised, lucious fresh turkey, homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, etc. Well, I drilled down on the website and got the nutritional and ingredient information on that dinner, and you wouldn't BELIEVE the crap. That homemade stuffing had an ingredient list a long paragraph long, with a dozen unpronounceable chemical additives, flavor enhancers, etc. The stuff in those foods in that one dinner took up almost a page.

Luckily we didn't have to go, as MIL didn't feel well that morning, so decided she'd rather have T-Day dinner at the nursing home, so we just went over later in the day to visit her and didn't have to brave the restaurant.

When I think back at the many lucious meals we've had in Europe, with fresh ingredients, well cooked from scratch even in places where you'd expect fast food.....I still remember a wonderful seafood and spaghetti meal eaten at a little place in the Munich train station, where here in the U.S., you'd expect cardboard Sysco food. The guy was behind the country mashing fresh garlic, shucking the shellfish, chopping fresh parsley and cooking the pasta to order. Amazing. We really are NOT #1 here in the USA in the eating out in ordinary restaurants department, for sure. Here, it's crap, industrially processed and often factory prepared "food", shipped to the restaurants and heated there and called "homemade".....ugh......

[HappyHiker]

Good sleuthing, LC...it's sad, but true, that many commercially-prepared foods in the grocery stores and served to us in restaurants, read more like a chemical experiment than a food we'd want to eat.

If I had the where-withal, I'd love to help develop a new chain of eateries called "Nothing Added." Darn, sometimes I wish I could eat out and order an orange and a just-picked from an organic garden salad not sprayed with chemicals to keep it fresh.

It's a jungle out there!

[pinkytoe]

Isn't it amazing that there aren't healthier options out there? I guess the masses are still eating SAD diets because the cain places are always full. We are fortunate that we live in a city that has tons of fresh food eating out options. Yesterday we went to a little place nearby and got a large bowl of pho to share - just a nice spiced chicken broth with bowls of fresh basil, mint and cilantro to add. One can easily avoid the chain restaurants here but I worry about if when we retire and move to a smaller city that our options will be very limited. Good food will be high on the list of priorities.

[CathyA]

I've been watching "The Kim Chi Chronicles" and one episode was about South Korea's "fast food" restaurants. It looked fabulous! It was pretty much all veggies with a little meat.........all fresh.

[krystal]

One can get sick may be after eating in a restaurant but I think that all depends on what you ate.I have experience of eating in different restaurants but I never got sick.There are quite a few restaurants that offer you good food.To make your experience better you can check their recipes or you can tell them to keep spices low.Thanks for sharing. :)

[Tussiemussies]

I used to eat out every Friday night after a week of work and I would get sick after eating the meal and thought it was the food. After I quit my job I no longer had that problem so I realized it was the stress I was holding in all week long that when the weekend came it was a safe zone for me but all that pent up stress came out.

Another thing is after watching some of the food shows I realized that a lot of restaurant kitchens are filthy. Usually in privately owned places. We will only eat reputable chain restaurants now.

I agree with CathyA that I would never eat liver unless it was organic. I am vegetarian anyway...>8)

Good luck in finding your cause! Keep us posted!