# McDonald's mystery **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 24, 2017, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380 "2017-05-24T23:26:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/21 "2017-05-25T11:30:27Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > How soon after you eat the meal are you experiencing these symptoms? About a hour letting me know it’s that time. But I don’t like doing that at work so I was trying my best to make it go away. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/22 "2017-05-25T12:09:28Z")
> [@mmkt](#): > > Tacos at Taco Bell > > Nuggets at Wendy’s > > Chicken at Popeye’s > > Nuggets/Fries at Burger King I doubt you’re eating anything unique at McDonalds. This could all be in your head, you may be remembering the first time you had this reaction to McDs food, possibly you are even seeking this reaction subconsciously. Since you keep going to McDonalds and eating the same food anyway it seems quite plausible that you are actually seeking and fulfilling some urge. ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/23 "2017-05-25T12:23:09Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I doubt you’re eating anything unique at McDonalds. This could all be in your head, you may be remembering the first time you had this reaction to McDs food, possibly you are even seeking this reaction subconsciously. Since you keep going to McDonalds and eating the same food anyway it seems quite plausible that you are actually seeking and fulfilling some urge. What happened was a coworker said she was going out to lunch and I asked her where that’s when she said Wendy’s or McDonald’s. I was expecting her to come back with Wendy’s but she had a McDonald’s bag when she came back. So it was a unexpected meal from McDonald’s ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/24 "2017-05-25T12:28:52Z")
> [@mmkt](#): > > What happened was a coworker said she was going out to lunch and I asked her where that’s when she said Wendy’s or McDonald’s. I was expecting her to come back with Wendy’s but she had a McDonald’s bag when she came back. > > So it was a unexpected meal from McDonald’s Do you mean the first time? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/25 "2017-05-25T12:32:52Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I doubt you’re eating anything unique at McDonalds I agree - everyone seems to want to discover that some fast food chain or other is doing horrific, Lovecraftian evil to the food they serve (I recall for example, myths about McDs farming worms for their burgers, and KFC breeding spherical, headless, boneless chickens that could just be sliced directly into boneless fillets) In actual fact, the horror is just: It’s made in huge bulk from cheap ingredients, and those criteria (cheap/bulk) are significant driving forces in the industry. Sure, it contains ingredients that might surprise you (sugar in the buns, salt in the milkshakes - whatever), but there’s generally nothing extraordinarily weird in there, because typically, ‘extraordinarily weird’ = expensive and difficult to produce in bulk. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/26 "2017-05-25T12:35:30Z")
You might be sensitive to the anti-foaming agent added to the fryer oil (you won’t find this in canola or peanut or whatever oil you buy at the grocery). It’s usually dimethylpolysiloxane. This is the active ingredient in Gas-X, which (contrary to what some might think) makes you pass gas more rapidly. In some people, increased flatulence=increased overall gut motility. 🙂 This is probably present in fryer oil at, say Arby’s, as well as McDonald’s, but you’re getting a double whammy if you are eating both fried chicken nuggets (which are little grease sponges anyway) and french fries in one sitting, as opposed to a sandwich and a few curly fries. Now, the FDA regs I’ve cited below give the acceptable quantities of the substance in PPM–I don’t know how much smaller it is compared to a therapeutic dose in mg. However, this is basically a mechanical effect we’re talking about here, so it’s plausible that a smaller dose is sufficient to do its duty in your GI tract. Ask me about the time I accidentally ingested a few drops of mineral oil… :o (My husband has bad IBS so I’m used to looking out for things like this; I’m not a food police kind of guy.) [Anti-foaming oil in McDonald’s](https://yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca/answer/why-is-there-dimethylpolysiloxane-and-tbhq-in-your-cooking-oil/) [FDA Guidelines on dimethylpolysiloxane and other goodies](https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=173.340) [Gas-X info from Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simethicone#Side_effects) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/27 "2017-05-25T12:44:08Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I think I’ve heard rumors that McDonalds has special breeds of animals that are born without legs, allowing them to cram more together in the same space. Maybe you are “lack toes” intolerant. :groan: ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/28 "2017-05-25T12:44:15Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Um, it’s cheap garbage maybe? An easy slam, but price and GI sensitivity aren’t particularly related. McDonald’s doesn’t screw up my gut, neither does Wendy’s or numerous other fast food restaurants - but the two occasions I ate at an In-N-Out both afflicted me with acute and severe diarrhea shortly after each meal. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/29 "2017-05-25T12:47:03Z")
> [@mmkt](#): > > What is about the food or how it’s prepared that always causes me to run to the bathroom after I eat a meal from that place? > > This has been the case for over 20 years. I’m going to suggest this one weird trick: Stop eating at McDonalds. ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/30 "2017-05-25T13:28:50Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Do you mean the first time? I’m not sure I understand ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/31 "2017-05-25T13:29:16Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > An easy slam, but price and GI sensitivity aren’t particularly related. McDonald’s doesn’t screw up my gut, neither does Wendy’s or numerous other fast food restaurants - but the two occasions I ate at an In-N-Out both afflicted me with acute and severe diarrhea shortly after each meal. I find if I eat a particular food type after not having eaten it for a while, things get “unsettled.” For example, there have been times where I’ve been traveling, extremely busy, or just at the mercy of the food available, and subsisted for a while on junky food like pizza, burgers, etc. then if I get back to routine and have a sizable salad (with real greens) the first one is likely to run straight through me. Probably the sudden fiber/water intake. ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/32 "2017-05-25T13:32:44Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I’m going to suggest this one weird trick: > > Stop eating at McDonalds. Yes I think that was my last meal from there this year. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/33 "2017-05-25T13:37:21Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > An easy slam, but price and GI sensitivity aren’t particularly related. McDonald’s doesn’t screw up my gut, neither does Wendy’s or numerous other fast food restaurants - but the two occasions I ate at an In-N-Out both afflicted me with acute and severe diarrhea shortly after each meal. In-N-Out is inexpensive, too, but I suspect the problem for you with them is that they do use a very high percentage fat ground beef ([Serious Eats estimates as high as 60-40](http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/07/the-burger-lab-how-to-make-an-in-n-out-double-double-animal-style.html)), so that may be your problem there. I eat at McDonald’s with fair regularity (at least once a month) and never had an issue, though I’m not usually a chicken nuggets & fries guy. The only chain I’ve ever experienced some discomfort from is White Castle’s (although I still regularly eat from them), but I chalk those experiences up to having a belly full of beer and the onions in those burgers. And, in my inebriated state, consuming more than I normally would. You do not want to be around me after that combination. Eaten during more sober parts of the day, I have not had the issue. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/34 "2017-05-25T13:41:23Z")
I will say that I eat from McDonald’s regularly and don’t have the OP’s issue. However, give me a Baconater from Wendy’s and it’s a different story. Also, fried chicken. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/35 "2017-05-25T13:48:39Z")
Are we missing something positive here? One could make the case that Quarter Pounders are keeping one’s colon healthy and functioning. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/36 "2017-05-25T13:52:18Z")
> [@mmkt](#): > > I’m not sure I understand Was the first time you ate McDonalds food the unexpected meal? If not I have no idea why you mentioned that. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/37 "2017-05-25T13:53:11Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > You might be sensitive to the anti-foaming agent added to the fryer oil (you won’t find this in canola or peanut or whatever oil you buy at the grocery). It’s usually dimethylpolysiloxane. This is the active ingredient in Gas-X, which (contrary to what some might think) makes you pass gas more rapidly. In some people, increased flatulence=increased overall gut motility. 🙂 > > This is probably present in fryer oil at, say Arby’s, as well as McDonald’s, but you’re getting a double whammy if you are eating both fried chicken nuggets (which are little grease sponges anyway) and french fries in one sitting, as opposed to a sandwich and a few curly fries. Now, the FDA regs I’ve cited below give the acceptable quantities of the substance in PPM–I don’t know how much smaller it is compared to a therapeutic dose in mg. However, this is basically a mechanical effect we’re talking about here, so it’s plausible that a smaller dose is sufficient to do its duty in your GI tract. Ask me about the time I accidentally ingested a few drops of mineral oil… :o > > (My husband has bad IBS so I’m used to looking out for things like this; I’m not a food police kind of guy.) > > [Anti-foaming oil in McDonald’s](https://yourquestions.mcdonalds.ca/answer/why-is-there-dimethylpolysiloxane-and-tbhq-in-your-cooking-oil/) > > [FDA Guidelines on dimethylpolysiloxane and other goodies](https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=173.340) > > [Gas-X info from Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simethicone#Side_effects) Nice answer! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/38 "2017-05-25T13:55:12Z")
Since this involves medical advice, let’s move it to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![mmkt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@mmkt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmkt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/39 "2017-05-25T14:26:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Was the first time you ate McDonalds food the unexpected meal? If not I have no idea why you mentioned that. No I was saying I assumed she was going to Wendy’s but she came back with McDonald’s which made the meal unexpected but i ate it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380/40 "2017-05-25T15:50:04Z")
> [@mmkt](#): > > No I was saying I assumed she was going to Wendy’s but she came back with McDonald’s which made the meal unexpected but i ate it anyway. Ok, I guess you’re saying that was the last time you ate McDs. It probably doesn’t matter what the cause is anyway. I think someone already suggested antacids, maybe you’ve got some general digestive troubles that you only notice are a problem after eating the particular cheap garbage McDonalds serves, so focusing on the problem instead of the source might be what you need to in that case. But if it’s just McDs then not eating there is the simplest solution to your problem. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-mystery/787380.md?page=3)