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10 Foods to Avoid Before Boarding a Plane

by Fran Golden, AARP, March 24, 2013

  • A Bowl Of Beans, Foods To Avoid Before Flying
    Getty Images

    Beans

    Avoid anything that can cause excess gas to build up in your stomach. That includes the obvious suspects (beans) as well as other usually good-for-you foods such as broccoli and cabbage. Besides the embarrassment of being gaseous, you don't want to spend the flight feeling bloated.

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  • Close Of Man's Hand Opening A Can Of Soda, Foods To Avoid Before Flying
    Getty Images

    Carbonated Soft Drinks

    Soda can cause flatulence. Plus, carbonated beverages with caffeine will both keep you from napping and lead to more trips to the airplane's toilet. The carbonation might also cause you to belch or get heartburn.

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  • Close Up Of Two Bulbs Of Garlic, Foods To Avoid Before Flying
    Corbis

    Garlic

    Eating garlic can cause bad breath. Halitosis in the tight quarters of a plane is not a nice thing to share with your seatmates. As garlic is absorbed into your bloodstream, it can cause body odor — again, something those sitting near you can do without.

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  • A Plate Of French Fries With Ketchup, Foods To Avoid Before Flying
    Peter Frank/Corbis

    French Fries

    The smell of fries wafting from airport food stands might beckon, but the fats and oils in fried food can cause heartburn, which can lead to a very uncomfortable flight. Food high in trans fats and salt can also lead to fluid retention, which, in turn, can cause your feet to swell.

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  • Close Up Of A Cocktail, Foods To Avoid Before Flying
    Getty Images

    Alcohol

    You might want to calm your nerves by indulging at the airport bar, but alcohol can have a dehydrating effect. Since airplane air may also leave you dehydrated, you set yourself up for a double whammy. Plus, a stiff drink or two can leave you with bad breath.

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  • Close Up Of A Two Patty Cheeseburger, Foods To Avoid Before Flying
    Mascarucci/Corbis

    Cheeseburgers

    A lot of people have difficulty digesting meat. Indulge in a burger at the airport, and you might find yourself spending the flight with digestive issues as your body tries to process the fat. Eating meat can also lead to unpleasant body odor as it stagnates in your digestive tract.

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  • Takeaway Coffee Spilled, Foods To Avoid Before Flight
    Sagel & Kranefeld/Corbis

    Coffee

    A lot of us like to grab a pick-me-up before a flight, but it's best to avoid doing so. Besides leaving you with coffee breath, a cup of joe not only can make you jittery and dehydrated but also can irritate your bladder, making you generally uncomfortable.

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  • A Line Of Hot Peppers And One Lone Red Pepper On Bright Yellow Background, Foods To Avoid Before Flying
    Pete McArthur/Corbis

    Hot Peppers

    Spicy food can cause stomach discomfort and bladder irritation; it can also cause bad breath and leave your mouth burning. You don't want to deal with any of these things during a flight, so save the spicy treats for when you land.

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  • A Green Apple On A White Porcelain Plate, Foods To Avoid Before Flying
    Achim Sass/Westend61/Corbis

    Apples (and Other Fruits)

    Apples aren't easy to digest and, like other fibrous fruits, can leave you gassy. Avoid them before flying. Ditto orange juice. It's very acidic and likely to cause heartburn. Plus, vitamin C can make you have to urinate more, meaning more treks up and down the airplane aisle.

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  • Close Up Of Gum On Green Background, Foods To Avoid Before Flying
    Istock

    Chewing Gum

    Gum might stop your ears from popping but, as you swallow more air, gas builds up in your stomach, which can make you feel bloated. Sugar in the gum can stimulate your bladder, and artificial sweetener in the sugar-free stuff can cause flatulence.

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  • Avoid anything that can cause excess gas to build up in your stomach like beans.
    Getty Images

    Also of Interest

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