I'm a flight attendant - this is why you should avoid aeroplane food on long-haul trips

MailOnline logo

• Kris Major, who is based in London, suggested eating before boarding it key
• Read more: Scientists think they finally have a solution for jet-lag

A flight attendant has revealed why you should skip airline food on long haul plane journeys.

Kris Major, who is based in London and has over 24 years’ experience in the skies on long haul flights, suggested eating before boarding it key.

He claimed skipping the inflight meals will make your long haul trip far more enjoyable if you are on a shorter long haul route such as London to New York.

Speaking to CNNTravel he explained: 'Most airlines don’t particularly plan their [food] service around the passenger and acclimatisation and time zones crossing.'

Kris, who who also represents European flight attendants and pilots as chair of the European Transport Workers’ Federation’s Joint Aircrew Committee, claimed getting as much sleep as possible on the plane is key.

He added: 'The seasoned travelers, after takeoff, you go down the cabin and you can see that they’re gone – they’ve covered themselves up and they’re asleep.'

As the cabin food and drink service can take up to two hours, Kris pointed out that travellers are losing valuable time to rest and won't feel as refreshed when they land.

Eating at odd times compared to your usual routine can also upset your natural sleep/wake routine and your stomach, which can lead to jet lag.

Trapped wind, constipation and bloating can be exacerbated by dehydration and being sedentary while on a plane, as well as by confusing your digestive system.

Of course, on a really long flight, it's near-impossible to avoid the food, but Kris suggested if you are being offered numerous meals, you could consider skipping one of them.

Gut health specialist Dr Laura Falvey recommended time restricted eating (TRE), telling Metro.co.uk: ‘Although it’s tempting to abandon your routine when travelling, sticking to lighter, easier to digest foods eaten at your normal times will really help to minimise any uncomfortable digestive issues.’

It comes after scientists in the US claimed beating jet lag is all about what and when you eat.

They say having a single, larger meal in the early morning for three days after landing can knock jetlag on the head, although the older you get the less likely it is to work.

The experts agree taking a walk in the sunshine is another good tip, so combining this with the new advice puts travellers on the best course for recovery.

It's already known that one of the worst things you can do for jet lag is refusing to assimilate with your new time zone, such as going to sleep during the day.

The new study was conducted by experts at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico.

'Having a larger meal in the early morning of the new time zone can help overcome jet lag,' said study author Yitong Huang at Northwestern University.

'Constantly shifting meal schedules or having a meal at night is discouraged, as it can lead to misalignment between internal clocks.'

Jetlag is caused by disruptions to the innate biological clock in humans, called the circadian rhythm, which regulates when we become sleepy and when we're more alert.

Modern research has shown that circadian clocks are present in almost every cell and tissue in the human body, and can vary from organ to organ.

For instance, the main clock in the brain is a group of about 20,000 nerve cells that form a structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which receives direct input from the eyes.

The brain's clock can be reset by exposure to sunlight, which is why jetlag sufferers are recommended to soak up daylight in their new location rather than succumbing to sleep.

Specifically, sunlight affects the production of a hormone called melatonin (produced by the pineal gland in the brain) which helps to regulate sleep.

When we're exposed to sunlight, the production of melatonin is suppressed, which helps us to stay awake during the day.

Meanwhile, peripheral organs such as the stomach and the liver have their own separate clocks that are recalibrated by food – namely, what and when we eat.

Jet lag can result when these clocks drift out of sync with each other, the research team say.

'Conflicting signals, such as warm weather during a short period of light or nighttime eating – eating when your brain is about to rest – can confuse internal clocks and cause desynchrony,' said Huang.