5 Foods You Should Avoid When Flying.

Right now it’s about -5C outside and that’s relatively warm for Southern Ontario at this time of the year. Chances are, if you’re not counting down the days before you leave for some sunny destination you planed months in advance, you’re wishing you did. The days will just keep getting colder as we move into February, the  month we all dread.. unless winter type sports and activities are your thing.

Couple years back we were on our way to Trinidad and Tobago for our annually Carnival pilgrimage, when one of my girls decided to order Chicken Pot Pie at one of the restaurants at the airport. We had arrived the customary 3 hrs before an international flight, but it also meant that we were up and going about 3 hrs prior to this. We were hungry and airports can be frustrating, so we decided on an early dinner before jumping onto our flight. Without trying to be disgusting, I’ll say that the pot pie made it’s way through her very quickly and almost convinced her that she may need to miss this flight.

Do you watch what you eat or drink before flying? Here are 5 things you should be avoid consuming before getting on your next flight.

• Booze! Yes, we’re all in a good mood and it’s almost normal to have a celebratory drink/s at the airport. However the dry cabin air and the consumption of alcohol can leave you dehydrated. It can also lead to headaches (red wine does it to me) and in some cases, anxiety. The same can be said about coffee, which can leave you feeling a bit jittery and have the urge to use the bathroom. Try decaffeinated coffee next time.
• Greasy / Fatty foods! Fried foods and fast foods in general (usually fatty) can lead to heartburn and other stomach issues. The high amount of salt in things such as french fries can also cause your feet to swell from retaining too much water.
• Spicy Foods. I’m guilty of being addicted to spicy foods, so yo’ll see me adding hot sauce to just about everything I eat. When you’re at 30,000 ft in the air and the discomfort wakes you up… you will regret those “Atomic” flavored Buffalo wings you consumed about an hour ago in the lounge.
• Gum. Yes, many of us need the chewing to help with popping our ears, but the constant chewing and swallowing can push a lot of air down into your stomach and leave you feeling bloated and overall gassy!
• Have you heard of jetbloat? This is caused when you eat foods like beans, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, onions, and peas. They cause you to build up gas (along with the variation in cabin pressure) in your stomach and gastrointestinal tract, which can be very uncomfortable (even painful).

Are there foods which causes you problems when flying? Please share in the comment section below.

Luckily for us we had about an hour and a half for my daughter to get a handle on the upset stomach, but to this day we still speak about that Chicken Pot Pie and the friend of hers who suggested she had to try it, at that particular airport restaurant.