cdn86

This is something I've been wondering about since I made the move here in October 2014, and hopefully it's just a transient thing that'll pass.

I've been coming over on visits from the UK to the US since 2012, ranging from 1 to 3 weeks at a time, so I guess I've not noticed any problems before I got here on a one-way ticket (or put it down to jet-lag).

What I'm noticing is pretty severe heartburn and indigestion, and while I'm not asking for medical advice, I wondered if there are different additives or ingredients in the foods here that our British stomachs aren't accustomed to yet in the first couple of months of constant exposure to American foods? Certain sugars, flavourings, preservatives etc? Even in the same brands as the UK, sometimes there can be differences I guess.

Did any of you experience anything like this when you first got here? I'm in my fourth month now and most days I need to pop a Ranitidine or a couple Pepto-Bismol to have a comfortable day.

Edit: I might add that I'm eating the same kinds of foods, just US brands/versions of the ones I'm used to.

BubbleChog

I actually have a less severe intolerance to US milk than I did in the UK. I've been told it probably has to do with the difference between a grass diet and corn diet for the cows.
Lx

Lion in Winter

Maybe you're just eating more food? Portions in the US tend to be a lot bigger.

madmusician_uk

Can't say I had any problems when I came over, but they do use some different ingredients over here. Foods in the UK tend to be sweetened with sugar, whereas in the USA it tends to be corn syrup, often high-fructose corn syrup. And its in bloody everything!

Obviously there's different regulations between the two countries. Preservatives/additives that are illegal in the UK might be legal in the USA and vice-versa.

I've been here for 5 years now, so I'm not entirely up-to-date with the UK situation, but when I left there was very little genetically modified food in the UK. Here almost all corn and soy is GM. And most things have one or both of those in them.

Hotscot

Funnily enough, for years anytime I ate something with shrimp in it I had a severe reflux reaction. An allergy. Shrimp in Italian, Chinese, Coconut Shrimp, DimSum, BBQ..no difference.

But only in the U.S.

Anian

It's possible you have (or developed recently) an allergy to something that is common in US foods. As said above, corn syrup is in everything (even Worcestershire sauce), but there are also oils that are used a lot here, such as peanut oil.

Are you cooking for yourself or eating out? US restaurant food seems to be a lot richer - more sugar, more butter, bigger portions. You don't mention the types of foods, so it is hard to pin down. The symptoms you describe are made worse by fizzy drinks, acidic and spicy foods.

cdn86

I've definitely been taking it easy on the fizzy drinks since having the severe symptoms; I do have a penchant for Dr Pepper, and though I cut my teeth (gladly not literally) on the UK or 'heritage' version made with cane sugar, I do still like to have it around. Haven't had one for a good month almost now though.

I've noticed the high-fructose corn syrup listed in the ingredients for everything! It's crazy. We're mostly cooking at home but very occasionally go out for dinner. I don't think the volume of food I'm eating has changed - I used to pig out a lot in Britain anyway, making good on my fast metabolism while it's still young!

Touch wood - it's been okay these last few days. I wasn't eating much at all last week while I was under the weather, and the symptoms have kept at bay for a few days, so hopefully I can watch the ingredients for corn syrup and 'wipe the slate clean' as it were to try and get back to normal.

As for the types of food, I love Mexican food, but it's a killer for me. Especially the salsa, which is a travesty because I'm particularly fond of La Victoria brand. Onions are a problem, too, especially green onions/scallions/spring onions.

S Folinsky

Many stores and restaurants here in L.A. stock Mexican cokes which use cane sugar.

cdn86

I've been told to look out for a brand of Dr Pepper called Heritage which also uses cane sugar. If I remember rightly, the original recipe called for it and then had to be altered to use corn syrup later. My wife would have me stay away from the sodas all together, though. I have to admit defeat in that arena, I guess!

GeoffM

I've had IBS since my late teens and it got a lot worse since being here.

robin1234

I've learned to never drink sugary, fizzy drinks or fruit juice. Cut down radically on so called "baked goods." (If eating in a diner etc., I'll occasionally indulge in a slice of pie.)

When I bake at home, I only ever use sugar, not corn gloop or whatever, AND I reduce the sugar quantity in a recipe to 30%. Baking powder I radically reduce too.

scrubbedexpat091

Maybe see a doctor?

I started to get heart burn and acid reflux 2 years ago, just assumed it was food and drinking too much soda, but finally decided to ask the doctor, and turned out it was caused from having a hiatal hernia which other then heart burn and/or acid reflux may show no other symptoms.

Not much changed since learning about it, I just take Zantac now 2 times a day to prevent it from happening, as diet changes alone would not be sufficient.

Bnet36

Ask your doctor for a food allergy test. For me it was my skin, just patches of rash come and go. It turns out I have allergies to a lot of things but mainly soy, dairy and peanut. I did ok in the UK so not sure why it got worse here. I use organic too.

It will be good to know so you can limit those foods. Notice I didn't say avoid... I can't, I am a foodie.

kins

I have exactly the same food allergies here as I had in the UK.

However I have a birch pollen allergy, and living in Maine I am surrounded by birch trees. So during birch pollen season not only do I suffer from the pollen, but I react more to the associated foods (apples, pears, cherries, etc).

AdobePinon

I've never noticed any reactions to food, but as mentioned, there are some differences such as some form of sugar in everything. The US also tends to use different oil types and mixes in food. There's a lot of soy too. And they seem to find a way of putting dairy ingredients (milk, powdered milk, butterfat, lactose, whey, casein, etc) in all kinds of unexpected places. After more than 20 years, I still get surprised by some things. I was looking at dry roasted peanuts in the store the other week, and noticed that some varieties have gelatin in them. WTF.

I also have some non-food allergies that can mess with my digestive system and make me think I've eaten something nasty. I only realized that after my allergy shots killed off all those symptoms that I'd had on and off for years.