With the opening of fancy restaurants and food courts at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, dining in style before boarding an airplane is quickly becoming the new fad. At present, Mr. Biggs, Village kitchen, KFC, Double 4 and Abibiz are some of the few eateries serving African and intercontinental dishes to a growing queue of customers.
While the meals and drinks on sale can be a delight to eat, avoiding them can preserve your health. If you plan on travelling via the airport, Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 Online hotel booking site has prepared a list of unhealthy food choices to steer clear from.
- KFC Chicken and chips
Although a number of eateries offer Chicken and chips at the airport, KFC is the most popular choice of all the fast food joints for travellers at the airport.
Due to its high sodium and saturated fats content, the greasy fry makes digestion at 37,000 feet problematic. No matter how strong the smell of fries wafting from airport food stands may beckon, remembering that it can lead to unnecessary fluid retention in all the wrong parts of your body, causing your feet to swell on the flight should get you running far from that food cart.
- Alcohol
It is certainly not harmful to have a little alcoholic beverage at one of the bars at the airport, especially if you have flying jitters; as long as it is kept within moderation and not taken on an empty stomach.
Apart from the fact that too much alcohol can leave you tipsy most of the way, it can also have a dehydrating effect on the body. In addition, a stiff drink or two can leave you with dragon breath. If you insist on a pre-flight drink routine, you can counter the effect of the booze by drinking plenty of water.
- Beans and other gas-inducing foods
Fizzy drinks and beans can get you to fart uncontrollably throughout your flight, leaving your embarrassed after each release and your seatmates offended.
To be on the safe side, it helps to avoid things that can lead to the build-up of excess gas in your stomach. Baked beans and porridge on the breakfast menu may look fancy on the plate but they can keep you running to the bathroom.
Other foods to watch out for include refined grains, cabbage, onions and eggs which can cause heartburns and have a diuretic effect on your system.
- Locally prepared meals (Mama Put)
Food at the airport is usually expensive and overpriced and so travellers often give in to the temptation of visiting local kiosks, popularly called bukkahs for a re-fill.
It may be convenient, but it's often risky to purchase food from street vendors who are not Nigerian Food and Drugs related Agency and Control (NAFDAC) certified. If the hygienic level of the food is not guaranteed, there is a higher chance for food poisoning. resulting in vomiting or excessive stooling which creates discomfort on the flight.
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