Know more about the airlines that have the healthiest in-flight meals

Alaska Airlines and Air Canada tied for the first place when we talk about the carriers who serve its passengers with the healthiest in-flight meals. This result came from the 2019-2020 Airline Food Study initiated by DietDetective.com and the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center. After deliberation, we would like to congratulate Alaska Airlines on receiving the title of having the healthiest food in the sky.

Before declaring such conclusion, the group gave each airline company an Overall Health Score based on the food’s total calorie counts including its levels of sodium, nutrients, whether or not the airline offers meals during flights of two hours or more, environmental initiatives such as placing plastic straws, stirrers, and cup with sustainable and eco-friendly approach. Also, their Airline Water Safety scores. The group then noted its findings.

The foremost thing that sets Alaska Airlines apart is its effort to minimize environmental impact. To give you an idea, it was the first carrier to replace plastic straws with paper ones and never failed to continue to look for eco-friendly substitutions.

On the other hand, Hawaiian Airlines received the Shame on You Awards for not providing all their nutritional information needed for the said study and to the EPA as well for not being able to provide penalty information on galley water violations as per request.

The said study also explained why passengers may notice higher sodium levels in food content on various planes. Sodium is being used by the majority of food providers to boost flavor especially in the air where senses are expected to be dulled. On average, an airline meal contains more than 800g of sodium. To give you an idea, it is 40% more than the daily limit of 2000mg set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Sodium can also make the passenger feel and look bloated because it retains extra water. That’s basically the reason to watch out for high levels of sodium throughout the airline menus.

In order to combat the negative effects of high sodium intake of passengers in the air, it is suggested to opt for mini meals rather than simply eating a ton of snacks. And as always, be sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated for the whole duration of flights. Always choose a healthy meal. And if you want to avoid guessing the nutrient content of a certain in-flight meal, you may opt to pack the flight-approved snacks instead.