Long-haul flights aren’t always the most fun, and the one thing that can really make or break your experience is the meal you get served onboard. Historically, plane food was notoriously bad, but things have improved a lot and there are some quite tasty options nowadays.
However, one flight attendant with years of flying experience has shared the reason why she tends to bring her own snacks on the plane. Kamila Jakubjakova, a flight attendant for over three years, spoke to the travel experts at eShores to share some of her top tips for flying. She says there’s a reason why food tastes different on a plane, and it’s not what you think.
When you’re eating a meal on a plane, there’s a good reason it’s been salted a lot more than it should be – but you might not even notice that this is the case.
Kamila explained: “Due to different air pressure and dry air inside the airplane, our sense of smell reduces roughly by 20%, and so does the sensitivity of our taste buds, making the food taste blander. Therefore, the aircraft food is often oversalted. For this reason, I prefer to bring my own snacks when I fly.”
According to the health pros at Equinox, this extra sodium could be the culprit for another major issue for flyers – the post-flight bloat. They said: “In an airplane’s dry conditions, eating too much salt is more likely to cause bloating and dehydration.”
Saltiness and sweetness are the two major flavours that are most impacted by the change in conditions when we fly. Interestingly, umami flavours are the only ones that remain strong at high altitudes, and they can even taste even better.
This is why tomato juice and other umami-rich flavours are popular choices on inflight menus, since they are the least likely to taste bland or dull.
To help combat a lower sense of taste and smell while you fly, one thing that really makes a difference is staying hydrated. The experts at Akbar Travels say this will keep your mouth and nose moist, helping your food to break down and ultimately taste better.
Although it’s tempting on a plane, aiming to avoid caffeine or alcohol can also help, as these both dehydrate you – especially when you fly.
And if you have to eat on a plane, try to choose curries, tomato-based dishes, and Asian meals, which usually fare better at altitude.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
