Photo: Toni Osmundson
Being at a high altitude does all kinds of funny things to our taste buds. The low cabin pressure makes the air really dry, sucking moisture from your mouth and nose and affecting our sensory receptors. This reduces our ability to taste sweet and salty flavours by up to 30%, making our food taste bland. At the same time, the white noise from the aircraft’s engine accentuates bitterness.
In-flight meals will be reheated and cooled many times over, leading to dried out protein and yucky texture. Hence, the pasta will turn out soggy, the chicken breasts dry and the vegetables superheated into mush (yuck!).
If you’re going on a trip soon, here are some tips to survive the flight journey.
Food to avoid
At 40 thousand feet, the air pressure is way lower than it is at sea level. This causes gas to expand, which is why your bag of chips puffs up on the plane. And, just like that bag of chips, the same thing happens to our bodies. During a flight, our body’s gas can expand up to 25%, making us feel bloated and uncomfortable.
That’s why, it’s best to avoid energy-rich carbs like pasta, bread and rice which are likely to make you bloated. Fibre-packed veggies like broccoli and kale may seem like a healthy choice, but at high altitudes, they’re something you should avoid. High-fibre foods take longer to pass through the digestive tract, increasing their chance to ferment and produce more gas.
It’s no secret that alcohol and coffee have a dehydrating effect on the body. So if you must have that drink, make sure you drink lots of water to compensate.
Best things to eat
The lightest meal choices are always the best option for flights; things like fish, soups, salads and fruits. When it comes to fluids, water is always best. That cold orange juice may look tempting, but it will just leave a bitter taste and the acidity might give you heartburn.
If you’re looking for flavour, curry dishes are the best. While most ingredients lose their intensity during a flight, some spices are more potent. Spices enhance the flavour by activating your sense of smell, converting it to taste. You can also bring a sneaky pack of sambal or hot sauce (travel-sized, of course) to liven up the blandest of inflight food.
Bring your own nibbles
Most foods are fine to bring in your carry-on as long as they’re not in liquid form. So, it’s always good to bring some good snacks in case the in-flight meals prove to be less than ideal.
If you suffer from swollen feet while flying, it’s probably because of a high sodium intake. So instead of snacking on that bag of chips, why not pack some fresh fruits or trail mix? Cut veggies, cheese and crackers or protein bars are also good options for mid-flight munchies. Save the junk food for when you’re back on the ground, it probably tastes better down there.
You might also want to bring your own teabags, as airlines usually stock only the basic kinds. Herbal teas like ginger and peppermint will help with that bloating situation, and they don’t take up much space. Most teas are fine to bring on flight as long as it is only for personal consumption and you leave them in their original packaging.
Hartwick is a content writer under Headliner by Newswav, a programme where content creators get to tell their unique stories through articles and at the same time monetise their content within the Newswav app.
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