Can't eat greasy food anymore

[Bobby_Jo]

I used to be the world's biggest junk food junkie -- potato chips, doritos, ice cream, french fries, every snack food you could think of, I loved it. And then I became vegetarian about 3 years ago -- originally for health reasons (high cholesterol), but eventually it just seemed like the right ethical choice for me as well.

Fast forward to now -- I eat a lot healthier than I used to -- my junk food intake has gone down substantially. The thing I've been finding now is that I can't even eat certain junk foods, even if I wanted to -- they make me violently ill. Last night I bought a bag of Lay's potato chips (first time in about 4 months), and was horribly sick throughout the night after eating some. Other greasy foods I have issues with are anything fried, like french fries, onion rings, etc. Papa John's pizza really does a number on me, for some reason. And forget fair food -- I had a funnel cake last year at the local fair, and that was a big mistake.

On one hand, this isn't a bad thing -- I shouldn't be eating this crap anyway :) But you know how sometimes you just want to eat some salty, bad for you potato chips on a rare occasion? Or split a pizza when you're over at a friend's house? I can't do that anymore :( I'm not saying I want to pig down on this stuff every day, but it certainly is a bummer that I can't eat any of it at all anymore. Has anyone else run into this? Is it just because I'm eating so much healthier now, and my body can't handle the bad stuff at all anymore?

On the upside, I can still eat chocolate. If that gets taken away from me, I will be devastated.

[Peaches]

Hi, cute avatar by the way.

I have noticed this too. It's almost as if my body has put a tolerance up for junk food. I too was a HEAVY potato chip eater and please don't even mention chocolate. :) I think since going vegan my taste for these foods has dimensioned considerably.

[Shajen]

I have this problem with doughnuts. A coworker brought some in around Easter and I had one and was sick for hours afterward--headache, queasy stomach, weird racing/jittery/hopped-up-on-cold-medicine feeling. I still eat some junk--no fast food, but tortilla chips and ice cream and such on occasion, and I definitely have my fair share of chocolate. I'm not sure if it's an intolerance to greasy/processed foods or just me getting older, though.

[SomebodyElse]

It sounds very much like your gallbladder may be having some issues. Most of these symptoms that occur after eating high fat foods are caused by gallstones that partially block bile from entering the digestive system to digest the fats you eat. Either that, or your bile composition has changed and can't do the job anymore.

[Bobby_Jo]

You made me a little worried there, but I don't have any of the symptoms other than severe stomach upset and bad gas after eating greasy foods. I read some lists of foods to avoid if you have gallbladder issues, and none of that stuff affects me, except for the greasy stuff. It sounds like most people who have gallbladder issues are overweight, too, and that's definitely not me. I've never had heartburn, chest pain, back pain, or any of the other symptoms. Just tummy upset :( I'll talk about it with my doctor next time I see her, but it just doesn't seem very likely to me.

[SomebodyElse]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you! Over 60% of the population in the US have gallstones, but most of them are asymptomatic, so its not necessarily something to worry about. But not being able to digest fat is usually an indication of some sort of bile insufficiency, since bile is what breaks up dietary fat into digestible particles. Somehow or other the bile is not doing its job on the fat you eat, especially when you eat too much.

[rabid_child]

I can't eat greasy/fried foods either. It hurts my belly and makes my bowels a little.. shall we say.. overactive. I am ok with homemade alternatives though, like baked oven fries (with fresh herbs... mmm dill oven fries) or homemade pizza with nondairy cheese. They both satisfy the cravings without the unfortunate side effects.

[broccolichick]

I have always been big into really greasy things, but in the weeks before I decided to become a vegetarian (for non-ethical, non-political reasons) I found myself unable to stomach the breakfast pork sausage that I had routine consumed because the grease was making me nauseous.