Grass fed/finished meat makes me sick

[Judee]

I've had this happen 3-4 times now where I eat grass fed/finished meat and within a very short time I get severe stomach cramps and nausea. Last night I ate what I thought was Step 1 pork(Whole Foods term for humanely treated meat) but I wonder if there was a mixup and we got Step 4 (grass fed/finished) instead. I got very ill within the hour and stayed that way all night.

The first time this happened was with co-op meat also labeled grass fed/grass finished. It's more expensive and I had never tried it before so we bought some just to try. Big mistake.

The next day my mom finished the leftovers but while I was heating them I started sneezing again and again.

Has anyone heard of this? I originally thought it was because I am allergic to grass pollen but I can eat meat that has had some grass feed. Plus, sitting on grass or mowing it (haven't for a long time) hasn't ever set off a bad reaction.

They say grass fed/finished meat has a higher omega 3 fatty acid content. I tried to search and see if there is a genetic defect in processing fatty acids but didn't find anything related to explain this.

Any ideas?

It's kinda worrying to me because so many producers of the quality meat are going to all grass fed so it's like my choices will eventually be antibiotic (and who knows what else) fed grocery store meat or grass fed only. We already cannot find liver that isn't one or the other.

Also it has happened with beef and pork now so I don't think it's meat specific.

Help.

 

[Celandine]

Could be the meat not the grass-fed aspect. Alpha-gal syndrome--
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alpha-gal-syndrome/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20428705

 

[Judee]

Thank you, @Celandine. I'm sorry I wasn't very clear in my post. I am able to eat regular and organic antibiotic-free meat that is mostly grain fed without any issues at all.

In fact, because I have so many food allergies I have to rely on those for part of my daily diet. So I don't think it is that syndrome though I have heard of it and fear getting it because what would I eat then??

Another forum member did find this website where another person mentions a grass allergy so I am wondering if it is that especially since the PR member also pointed out I also sneeze when heating the meat. http://www.mygutsy.com/allergic-to-grass-fed-beef/

 

[Rufous McKinney]

a grass allergy

It just would seem those are pollen or dust-related type allergies...so it seems odd to me. Why would the meat- contain pollen?

I do have a friend swears beef- generally-makes both her and her daughter sick and her daughter's rheumatoid artrhritis improved when they stopped eating it. Maybe it is the thing Celandine mentioned above.

Processing? packaging?

 

[Gingergrrl]

@Judee Does the freshness of the meat matter? If you ate it the same night that you purchased from Whole Foods vs. cooking it and re-heating it as leftovers (so there is much more histamine build-up)? Also, does this happen if you eat chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, or any other animal proteins?

 

[Judee]

Does the freshness of the meat matter? If you ate it the same night that you purchased from Whole Foods vs. cooking it and re-heating it as leftovers (so there is much more histamine build-up)? Also, does this happen if you eat chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, or any other animal proteins?

In all of the cases, I immediately froze the raw meat once we brought it home from the store and then when we did thaw it, we cooked and ate it the same night with the exception of those leftovers the first time.

I have really sensitive taste and smell so I can usually tell if meat is bad--even just starting to go bad--say at day 5 of it being in the refrigerator. (None of these meats were stored that long.)

So far it has only happened on beef and pork. I have some grass fed chicken livers in the freezer but now I'm really afraid to try them.

It's just such a weird situation and even that lady in the the link I posted above said people tend not to believe her. Her's also only lasted a short time but this keeps happening to me.

I placed an order tonight through Whole Food's website and put in the notes to make sure the meat is Step 1 just in case.

Well, as I said more and more producers are going to grass fed/finished products only so maybe more cases will pop up and someone will figure out what is happening. That was a good thought though. I forgot that aged meat has more histamine in it.

Thanks, @Gingergrrl.

 

[Gingergrrl]

So far it has only happened on beef and pork. I have some grass fed chicken livers in the freezer but now I'm really afraid to try them.

I would be curious if it happens with the chicken as well (once you try it).

I placed an order tonight through Whole Food's website and put in the notes to make sure the meat is Step 1 just in case.

Is there any chance that the delivery order is sitting out for a few hours (on either end) so the meat is building up more histamine?

Well, as I said more and more producers are going to grass fed/finished products only so maybe more cases will pop up and someone will figure out what is happening. That was a good thought though. I forgot that aged meat has more histamine in it. Thanks, @Gingergrrl.

Aged meat (as well as meat that is not fresh or frozen and then cooked & eaten) definitely has more histamine. I was also curious what happens if you take an H1 anti-histamine before eating the meat? Do you still get the same symptoms? It wouldn't tell you exactly what is going on but it would help clarify if the histamine in the meat is part of the issue.

 

[Judee]

Is there any chance that the delivery order is sitting out for a few hours (on either end) so the meat is building up more histamine?

Actually that order I just placed was left out about an hour and half. (I forgot I had ordered it so it was sitting on the porch that long before I remembered.) However, we ate it last night and today again and no bad reaction. ???

I would be curious if it happens with the chicken as well (once you try it).

I was also curious what happens if you take an H1 anti-histamine before eating the meat?

At this point, I'm too afraid to try the chicken livers or try to experiment with an antihistamine before eating some grass fed/finished meat. For me, avoidance seems best. However, if I accidently get Step 4 again without realizing it, I can try the antihistamine then possibly to head off the reaction some.

 

[BeADocToGoTo1]

Beef and pork are generally more fatty meat and harder to digest than chicken or fish. Is it possible you have a hard time digesting fat? What did you prepare it in? Butter? If butter, are you lactose intolerant as that can also cause cramps and nausea.

 

[Judee]

Beef and pork are generally more fatty meat and harder to digest than chicken or fish. Is it possible you have a hard time digesting fat? What did you prepare it in? Butter? If butter, are you lactose intolerant as that can also cause cramps and nausea.

Sorry, I took so long to reply. No, I'm able to digest fat just fine. I don't usually cook in butter (or goat butter in our house) but even if I do, I don't react badly at all. I even eat the fat on the chicken because fat calories are suppose to give us energy better than carbs.