[Grammar] couldn't/ wasn't able to eat

[Iryn_]

Hello, dear forum users! What do you think about this?

1. I was feeling sick yesterday. I couldn't

eat anything.
2. I feel sad. I couldn't even eat now.

1. As far as I know, talking about a specific situation/inability in the past we may use couldn't/ wasn't able to/ didn't manage to. Is it possible then to say I wasn't able to eat anything?
2. Since the sentence is about a specific situation in the present, why do we use couldn't instead of can't or am not able to?

 

[Tdol]

1 Yes.
2 Couldn't suggests the impossibility of eating- it's not even worth thinking about food.

 

[Tarheel]

I don't know why you can't say "I can't eat" if you're talking about the present. Anyhow, I would say: "I don't feel like eating."