Diet tips for healthy trips

Smart mapping of your food journey will take you a long way and ease your outing. To ensure you have a fresh start the next day, it is important for you to balance out your food the night before.

Eating a light meal of a sabzi like French beans, pumpkin or the gourd family (bottle gourd, ridge gourd, etc) with roti, or simply a bowl of curd rice helps you have a clean stomach the next day.

Consumption of alcohol the night before is not a clever idea as it slows down your mental alertness, thought process, reflexes, renders you lethargic and makes you dull. It’s not a smart move to be in this state before a trip.

I had recently gone on a road trip from Mumbai to Pune and I recommend starting out your day early with a glass of water as it activates the digestive system. It would be wonderful if you can clear your system before a journey. Do eat a little before your trip, not too much and not too less.

If you need a cup of tea or coffee to start of your day then I suggest you take it early in the morning preferably at least 2 hours before your trip commences.

After that please avoid caffeine as copious amount of caffeine stimulates bladder and bowel movement, which you could do without on your trip.

Try to put a low quantity of milk in your tea or coffee as at times you can frequently feel queasy and get an upset stomach. Don’t have any milkshakes as milk can easily cause an upset stomach.

So out goes cold coffee, fruit milkshakes, and any flavored milk may it be strawberry chocolate and even ice creams are a complete no-no.

I strongly recommend eating toast lightly buttered with pomegranate and apple as they have constipating properties that bind the digestive system and provide you with natural sugar plus add a few soaked almonds as it keeps you full and gives you energy for a longer time.

You should abstain from having citrus fruits like oranges, sweet limes, pineapples and any fruit juices made from these fruits as the acidity affects your bladder and would cause you to run to the restroom although you should carry small pieces of lemon and ginger to cure motion sickness by sucking on them. Fruits like an apple, pear and pomegranate should be a part of your food hamper.

If thirsty on the journey reach out for a few sips of water. However, tempting aerated or fizzy drinks may seem to you, it only gives you energy for a short time span and they act as diuretics that are something which we are trying to avoid.

It is best not to consume them before or during the journey as the bubbles can cause gas, indigestion, which can lead to nausea and abdominal pain.

It’s so easy to reach out for fried and salty snacks like pretzels, chips, nachos, etc, as they are available everywhere. Fast food like burgers, pizza and fries should be avoided as they can bring about a sloth like feeling as your body takes time to break down these foods and makes you sluggish.

Some of the other reasons I avoid the above snacks is the high salt content acts as a diuretic and its back to the restrooms. In hindsight for a bit of munching during the journey, carry nuts such as peanuts, almonds, pistachios, and grams over any kind of salty snacks.

During the journey I opt for a cucumber sandwich with a pinch of salt and pepper, stuffed ajwain paratha, gujarati thepalas and bhakris, sindhi namkeen koki as they are easy to carry and do not spoil for a couple of hours. So out goes the puri bhajji, samosa, etc. Keep a watch for the red lights in your food.

Smart choices, intelligent eating and a little bit of planning will go a long way in making your journey safe and sound. Bon Voyage!