What not to eat and drink on the plane – especially if you’re over 50!

Let’s start with the basics: a flight is stressful for the body, and if after that you don’t feel well, that’s completely normal. Do you want to make the problem worse? Here’s what experts say you shouldn’t eat or drink while traveling.

As nutritionist Megan Lyons explains, we can react differently to the same foods on the ground and in the air. “The pressure in the cabin is high and the air humidity is very low: according to some studies, it is even drier than in the Sahara. This environment negatively affects our body,” says Megan.

A bottle of beer or a glass of wine, which until then only improved your mood, on a plane can lead to dehydration, gastrointestinal problems or a hangover. You run the risk of experiencing these “side effects”, even if there were no difficulties before – after all, with age, it is more difficult for the body to cope with stress.

On an airplane, we sometimes have to sit for several hours at a stretch with almost no movement – in ordinary life we ​​don’t do this, even if we work in an office. The result is not encouraging – for some passengers it all ends with swelling of the legs. As you may have already guessed, salty foods can trigger swelling and should therefore be avoided. By the way, the same rule applies to tomato juice – it also contains a lot of salt.

Are you watching your weight and not drinking sugary drinks? Then it’s better to switch to water during the flight: as Lyons explains, some sweeteners aren’t completely digested in the small intestine, leading to gas and bloating, and you don’t want that to happen. occur in a closed room.

Studies show that 20% of people with diabetes are unaware of their condition, and in the case of prediabetes, that number rises to 80%. If you do not monitor your health for this problem, it is better to refrain from sugary drinks: the level of glucose in the blood rises at lightning speed, and in the air this can lead to disaster.

Have you heard that flight attendants don’t drink hot water on planes? It’s not a question of temperature, but of quality: as international airline checks show, in one out of ten cases, dangerous bacteria and E. coli are found in the water. Food poisoning on the ground is a dubious pleasure, but even worse, meeting it on an airplane.

Read also: Why Models Never Eat on Planes: A Life Hack Worth Noting