Feels like a hangover, but I had no alcohol? Help needed!

cramernh

either dehydration or food poisoning
and while the "chinese" food may have been "americanized crap"- I can attest to the fact that tons of msg is used in China

as for Comparing Chinese and Japanese and Korean food- Japanese food is nothing like the other two- and China is so big you can't even compare one type of Chinese food to another

as for Korean food I have had it quite a few times but am not a fan so I can not really comment on it


Actually I should say Japanese food is nothing like the two especially since I am also saying that Chinese food is so diverse...
I am, I suppose contradicting myself-

I found this to back up my real Chinese food has tons of msg claim


"The average Chinese person now eats an estimated 1.3 pounds of MSG a year, Ms. Wang said, six times as much as just a decade ago. And while most people use it as a flavor enhancer, in recent years some have even been touting its healthful effects: some food scientists here say it improves mental alertness, and it is sold in little red packets carrying images of playing children -- as a drink to fight childhood constipation."

I wasnt trying to compare anything, rather than knowing professional chefs from those cultures who just find that there is a gross misrepresentation of the americanized dishes... that is not how they truly eat. It is truly a much cleaner palate.... Dont be so quick to jump on the assumption wagon

cramernh

I'd guess the chef is a fan of MSG... Evil stuff

The problem is "local Chinese Restaurant"... they are not even real chinese recipes... its all americanized CRAP.... the REAL stuff would not contain all the MSG, high amounts of sodium... Ive studied under quite a few chinese and japanese chefs, friends with a korean chef, and even they say "its an insult to what our culture truly prepares"...

Sad, sad, sad

Agree! I worked in a restaurant with Vietnamese owners. They cooked completely different and ate completely different than what was served. Theirs looked GREAT compared to what is typically served. I often wondered why (I was a lot younger) this was the case. Now I know. I often told them "I want to eat what YOU eat!" LOL

THANK YOU - clearly someone that understands what I posted!!!!!!!!!!!!!

diadojikohei

I hadn't thought about the sodium! I have cut right back on sodium and I track it on my food page so I have about 600 to 800 usually per day! Sodium overload! No wonder I've got a banana craving today! Just about to have my 3rd, boost my potassium levels!
Thanks!

samlankford

Usually every thursday night is takeout night in the folks house, since I had to move back with them while going through divorce with d-bag POS husband we usually get chinese food, they know to get me steamed chicken with mixed vegetables... I don't eat the rice since I don't care much for white rice... I am super sensitive to MSG, I get massive headaches and vomit so where we can order from is slim...

pixtotts

all a hangover is is dehydration
so if youve had no alcohol and feel like you have a hangover chances are your dehydrated
hope you feel better soon
x

NeverGoinBack2012

MSG...it is a very toxic food additive and flavor enhancer for some people. I can't handle it. I get the worst headaches and become depressed within 24 hours. I rarely eat out for that reason. Chinese food isn't the only food that is sprinkled with this stuff. Most restaurants use it.

FitzyFitzpatrick

Since we're talking about MSG, please watch for these other ingredients which mimic usual MSG reactions -

Monosodium Glutamate
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed Protein
Hydrolyzed Plaint Protein
Plant Protein Extract
Sodium Caseinate
Calcium Casinate
Yeast Extract
Textured Protein
Autolyzed Yeast
Hydrolyzed Oat Flour

By process of elimation, my husband and I discovered we were VERY sensitive to MSG. Simply CANNOT sleep, and were left feeling anxious and antsy. Can't begin to describe how wonderful it is to be away from this chemical.

One sad part tho, once you take it out of your diet....if you accidently have some...LOOK OUT BUDDY, you can be moving for HOURS!

firstsip

While the sodium claims are good, I'm almost positive this is MSG related (hate the anecdotal "Omg I've never had a problem, you must be allergic!"). You probably have a MSG sensitivity like MANY people do. It causes headaches, sluggish feeling, sometimes even low grade fever.

It's how some people feel after they drink certain red wines--it's not really a hangover, but it's a sulfate sensitivity that seems like a hangover.

zoeluiisa

MSG, sodium, they may also have added rice wine or some kind of wine for seasoning of the chicken or the dumpling - common ingredient for chinese food, perhaps thay's why the hangover?

In addition, you may also feel sick, because these food are full of oil , fats, spring rolls are fried, noodles are stir fried, dumpling - pork (I presume). HIgh fats contents makes you feel bloated and sick at times if you are not used to it. In addition, noodles - especially yellow noodles, somehow, its more difficult to digest. I always get gastric when I take too much yellow noodles even though I'm chinese.

MSG aside, I thought Chinese food was pretty healthy? Chinese people are rarely overweight. Stir-frying isn't like deep-frying, it uses only the tiniest bit of oil and the veg are cooked super-fast so they retain most of their nutrients.

dmpizza

Dehydration. No question about it.

nitepagan

I don't think salt will make you feel hung over, but I think MSG will. I eat at chinese restaurants quite often, but am selective on which restaurants I choose. Chinese restaurants have been known to take a lot of shortcuts. The restaurants are frequently family owned and run, so if the are doing something that is not kosher, it is kept in the family and no one will talk about it. If you add soy sauce to your food, you are upping the salt threshold.

JeninBelgium

I'd guess the chef is a fan of MSG... Evil stuff

The problem is "local Chinese Restaurant"... they are not even real chinese recipes... its all americanized CRAP.... the REAL stuff would not contain all the MSG, high amounts of sodium... Ive studied under quite a few chinese and japanese chefs, friends with a korean chef, and even they say "its an insult to what our culture truly prepares"...

Sad, sad, sad

Agree! I worked in a restaurant with Vietnamese owners. They cooked completely different and ate completely different than what was served. Theirs looked GREAT compared to what is typically served. I often wondered why (I was a lot younger) this was the case. Now I know. I often told them "I want to eat what YOU eat!" LOL

THANK YOU - clearly someone that understands what I posted!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But you also assumed that the poster is in the US- I don't know the poster so I don't know where they are located, I, for example, am American, but currently live in Belgium - where the "Chinese" food is completely different (and worse even) than the American "Chinese" food - (actually here they use a lot of Indonesian names in the food because the Dutch colonized Indonesia and thus practically all Asian food has some Indonesia words in it here) -My husband and/ or I have also lived/had lengthy stays in the UK, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Singapore, South Africa and Madagascar- and in all of those locations MSG was prevalent in the local or so-called Chinese food and while my hubby longs for a good pho and I would love some street food from Taiwan- no of us found any of it to be overly healthy because of the salt content (fish sauce overload)

cramernh

I'd guess the chef is a fan of MSG... Evil stuff

The problem is "local Chinese Restaurant"... they are not even real chinese recipes... its all americanized CRAP.... the REAL stuff would not contain all the MSG, high amounts of sodium... Ive studied under quite a few chinese and japanese chefs, friends with a korean chef, and even they say "its an insult to what our culture truly prepares"...

Sad, sad, sad

Agree! I worked in a restaurant with Vietnamese owners. They cooked completely different and ate completely different than what was served. Theirs looked GREAT compared to what is typically served. I often wondered why (I was a lot younger) this was the case. Now I know. I often told them "I want to eat what YOU eat!" LOL

THANK YOU - clearly someone that understands what I posted!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But you also assumed that the poster is in the US- I don't know the poster so I don't know where they are located, I, for example, am American, but currently live in Belgium - where the "Chinese" food is completely different (and worse even) than the American "Chinese" food - (actually here they use a lot of Indonesian names in the food because the Dutch colonized Indonesia and thus practically all Asian food has some Indonesia words in it here) -My husband and/ or I have also lived/had lengthy stays in the UK, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Singapore, South Africa and Madagascar- and in all of those locations MSG was prevalent in the local or so-called Chinese food and while my hubby longs for a good pho and I would love some street food from Taiwan- no of us found any of it to be overly healthy because of the salt content (fish sauce overload)

The number one indicator to determine if a person actually consumed real, fresh foods versus traditional 'take-out' is the signs and symptoms one indicates. The OP clearly indicated the symptoms of consuming the americanized version of chinese take-out. Its not an assumption, its a culinary fact. If you read my last post where I indicated that I have previously studied under chefs from China, Japan and Korea, I shared information that stated even they wouldnt dare consider preparing the foods that way because its not a true representation of their cuisine.

Working in healthcare though - I would like to see how well you try to take care of a patient who had a critical reaction to MSG and other salt derivatives associated with Americanized versions of chinese takeout... Its not fun for the patient when you have a food-related reaction on top of extreme electrolyte imbalance...

Some time, invest in some Google-time to look for authentic dishes like fermented cabbage w/pork over mung-beans. Jjamppong served with the freshest seafood, herbs, spices, and chilies w/vegetables and freshly squeezed juice of ginger. Okonomyaki made in two different styles - both incorporating fresh vegetables, seafood or chicken and fresh made tonkatsu. If you see anything with a bottle-of-this or that, its not authentic...

BerryH

Google "MSG hangover". It's a thing!

diadojikohei

Erm, hello. Original poster here.

I live in the UK, and we ate in the restaurant which is family run by Hong Kong Chinese. We go about once every 2 months because the food is always fresh, veggies are crisp and there is very little oil used. I had won tun soup, 2 pork dumpling, pak choi with oyster sauce a small bowl of chicken fried noodles, and some crispy seaweed.

It took 3 days for my eyes to become less puffy but I drank lots of water and herbal teas and felt much better. I lived in HK for several years, and have never had this reaction before, and my 20 year old son felt the same.

Thank you for your input, I found it really helpful.
I'll go back to cooking my own Chinese food- some birthday treat! lol!

cramernh

veggies are crisp and there is very little oil used. I had won tun soup, 2 pork dumpling, pak choi with oyster sauce a small bowl of chicken fried noodles, and some crispy seaweed.

It took 3 days for my eyes to become less puffy but I drank lots of water and herbal teas and felt much better. I lived in HK for several years, and have never had this reaction before, and my 20 year old son felt the same.

Thank you for your input, I found it really helpful.
I'll go back to cooking my own Chinese food- some birthday treat! lol!

The type of oil used for pan frying can make a difference.

Won Ton soup is a salt-ridden broth - you dont even have to recognize salt by taste, simply the fact that the broth features different salt components

Pork dumplings: did you have them steamed or fried? Steamed - they will still use oil. The pork filling often contains soy sauce and other sauces with salt.

While pak choi itself is fine, the oyster sauce... without knowing what brand they use, is basically a MAJOR salt-lick, MSG, etc

Chicken-fried noodles... without knowing what oil they use its hard to decipher, but fried noodles is also a heavy 'topping', the sauces they traditionally use in a restaurant also contain alot of salt.

Crispy seaweed - was it deep fried? Was it served with a dipping sauce?

Your meal is definitely a high salted menu unfortunately - and that is definitely why you felt horrible. Im so sorry you reacted the way you did!!!!

I had the opportunity to experience real korean food when my mother remarried a man who had adopted korean children. The fresh Kimchi served with boiled egg and sauteed vegetable in the morning for breakfast was AMAZING... and never once did we have a reaction because it was all made fresh....

If you are interested, I would love to share some ideas with you - in any asian culture!?

jlohcook

I just recalled that it might also be some alllergy to the soya sauce or oyster sauce, they have preservatives that may cause allergy symptoms on some people.

jazzygurl81

OMG, I had the exact same problem last night! I was SO sick, very dizzy and nauseous with a major headache!

I've been working very hard at cleaning up my diet, and have been eating clean for over the last week. Then last night I was looking through my freezer for something for dinner, I had no idea what to make. I saw some frozen leftover stir fry I made maybe 2-3 months ago or so; it was made with some seasoning/sauce packet I got from the store and I remember how good it tasted when I originally made it. I thought it would be okay to eat so I heated it up, added some more veggies to it, and started to eat it. It was saltier than I remember, but still tasted good. And then 20 minutes later, I stood up and the room started to spin. I felt absolutely TERRIBLE all night long. It really took until this afternoon for the feeling to pass. I didn't think about the sodium content beforehand...I just thought of it as "healthy" because it is stir fry. But still, I was working to eliminate the garbage from my system, then the dinner highlighted the effect of these types of non-foods.

Momjogger

A good Chinese rest. will make entrees without MSG. The appetizers are usually pre-partially cooked/prepared, as is the soup, so no help there. MSG throws me for a loop EVERY time. Yucky!