Why Do Fried Foods Make Me Sick?

When you think of a healthy diet, chances are that a plate of fried food doesn’t come to mind. The breading and oils involved in fried foods are generally high in sodium and saturated fat, and are low in important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Still, most people don’t have trouble digesting the occasional chicken nugget or serving of French fries. Some, however, find that these foods — even eaten sparingly — cause digestive upset in the form of stomach pain, acid reflux, or diarrhea. Different people may be sensitive to fried foods for various reasons. Here are a few possibilities.

• A burning sensation in the chest, which may be worse at night or when lying down
• A sour taste or food backwash in the throat
• Pain in the chest or upper belly
• Difficulty swallowing

After a meal of fried foods, dyspepsia, aka digestive discomfort, can arise from reasons other than reflux, though symptoms may be similar. According to Kristen White, RDN, of Springfield, Missouri, dyspepsia after eating fried foods may stem from food sensitivities. A food sensitivity is different from a food allergy.

White says that sensitivities don’t typically involve the immune system the way allergies do. Rather, having a sensitivity simply means you have difficulty digesting certain foods.

While it’s possible to be sensitive to breadings and seasonings, the oils used in fried foods are the more likely culprit. “Fat naturally slows stomach emptying and requires healthy bile production and pancreatic enzymes to break down properly,” White says. “When your digestive system can’t keep up, whether due to stress, gut imbalance, or simply eating too large of a portion, fried foods can trigger [symptoms].”

• A feeling of uncomfortable fullness or bloating
• Pain, especially in the upper belly
• A burning sensation in the upper belly or chest
  

If your symptoms don’t go away or get steadily worse, it’s best to consult your doctor. Progressive dyspepsia — the kind that worsens over time — may be a sign of something more serious. “Conditions like chronic pancreatitis, gallbladder removal or dysfunction, liver disease, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and certain intestinal surgeries can all make it harder to digest fatty meals,” White says. “In these situations, fried foods are often one of the first triggers people notice.”

It’s not typical to be allergic to all fried foods, since frying is a cooking method rather than a food category. “But it is possible to be allergic to something within the fried food, such as the breading, egg, or dairy in the batter; wheat flour; soy; or even the food being fried, like fish or shellfish,” says White.

Though you may know you have an allergy to a certain food, it can be difficult to identify without careful label reading or asking questions at a restaurant. “For people with food allergies, shared fryers can also be an issue because proteins from one food can contaminate the oil and transfer onto another food,” White says.

• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Hives or itchy skin
• Swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue
• Difficulty swallowing
• Wheezing

• Chronic diarrhea
• Abnormal stools
• Unintentional weight loss
• Gas or bloating

• Celiac disease
• Lactose intolerance (in severe cases)
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Parasitic infection
• Whipple’s disease

When it functions properly, your stomach breaks down food and moves it into the small intestine. Gastroparesis, or stomach paralysis, occurs when the normal movement of the stomach slows or stops. It’s triggered by eating high-fat foods like fried meat, French fries, or onion rings and can cause indigestion.

• Diabetes
• Infection
• Hypothyroidism
• Eating disorders
• Some autoimmune conditions
• Radiation treatment and chemotherapy
• Upper intestinal tract surgery

If you are diagnosed with gastroparesis, your doctor will advise you on the best diet to follow to minimize your symptoms. This may include avoiding high-fat foods, chewing food thoroughly or blending it to a fine consistency, and consuming soft or liquid foods like nutritional shakes. In serious cases, your doctor may recommend a feeding tube or other procedures to treat the condition.

• Digestive discomfort after eating fried food can present stomach pain, acid reflux, diarrhea, bloating, and more.
• GERD, food sensitivities or allergies, fat malabsorption, and decreased stomach motility can make it difficult to digest fried foods.
• If you have indigestion that gets worse over time or have symptoms of gastroparesis, consult your doctor.