8 Foods and Drinks to Skip Before Your Next Flight
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You’re cruising at 30,000 feet, settled into your seat, and suddenly, your stomach starts to bloat. Or maybe you’re feeling unusually tired and uncomfortable. It’s not just the altitude—what you ate before boarding could be making things worse
Cabin pressure inside a typical commercial plane is like being at 6,000 to 8,000 feet, so gases in your body, including in your stomach, expand. That soda, greasy sandwich, or heavy pasta before takeoff can increase discomfort.
In dry, low-humidity conditions, you may feel bloating, dehydration, and fatigue.
To help you fly more comfortably, let’s walk through the kinds of foods and drinks to skip—and, just as importantly, why steering clear makes such a difference.
Gas-Inducing Vegetables and Legumes
Broccoli, cauliflower, beans, Brussels sprouts—they’re all super healthy, but not so much when you’re flying. These foods contain indigestible sugars like raffinose, which our stomachs can struggle to break down, leading to gas.
Cabin pressure causes any gas in your body to expand. For example, eating a large bean salad before a flight can cause discomfort as the gas from the beans expands in your stomach. It’s best to save these healthy veggies for after you land.
Chewing Gum and Hard Candies
You may not realize it, but chewing gum or sucking on hard candies can introduce air into your stomach. That air then gets trapped, causing bloating and discomfort. If you want to avoid this, try skipping the gum before boarding—your stomach will thank you.
Carbonated Drinks (Soda and Sparkling Water)
Those bubbles in soda and sparkling water might seem refreshing, but they also mean gas. The carbon dioxide in these drinks expands at altitude, making the bloating even worse. Stick to still water to stay hydrated without the extra discomfort.
Coffee and Caffeinated Energy Drinks
Having a coffee overload could cause dehydration. In a plane cabin where the air is already dry (think less than 20% humidity), caffeine speeds up fluid loss, worsening dehydration. It also messes with your sleep patterns and can leave you feeling jittery and anxious.
Instead, opt for water or an herbal tea. Your body will stay hydrated, and you’ll avoid that mid-flight crash.
Alcoholic Beverages
Sure, that pre-flight cocktail might seem tempting, but alcohol hits harder in the air. At higher altitudes, alcohol is 2-3 times more potent, and it can severely dehydrate you.
Captain David Miller, a retired commercial pilot, warns that alcohol can impair judgment faster and contribute to dehydration, making long flights even more miserable. It’s better to save that drink for after you land.
Deep-Fried and Fatty Foods
Fried foods like French fries, doughnuts, or a greasy burger might feel comforting before a flight, but they’ll make digestion more difficult.
Fatty foods take longer to digest, which means your digestive system will have to work harder while you’re sitting still for hours. The result? You’ll feel sluggish, and that could lead to heartburn. So, save the fries for when you’re back on solid ground.
Spicy Foods
Hot wings, curries, or any super-spicy dishes are best avoided before flying. Spices can irritate your stomach lining, and when you’re sitting still in a pressurized cabin, that irritation can quickly turn into heartburn or reflux.
You definitely don’t want to be struggling with acid reflux when you’re stuck in a tiny seat with no relief in sight.
Risky Raw or Poorly Handled Foods (Sushi and Oysters)
Sushi and oysters might seem like a tasty option, but raw seafood can be risky when you’re flying. If it isn’t stored or handled properly, it could cause foodborne illness. The last thing you want during a flight is an upset stomach or food poisoning. It’s safer to choose cooked foods before you travel.
Key Takeaways
Making better choices before you board can really help. You don’t have to avoid everything. Just keep it simple: pick water over soda, lean proteins over fried foods, and skip caffeine and alcohol.
These small changes can make your flight more comfortable and help you feel better during and after your trip. Before your next trip, think about what you eat and drink. Small changes can make a big difference in how you feel when you arrive.
