Nutrition expert reveals why you should NEVER eat while flying…even in first class

Many travelers have a love-hate relationship with airplane food.

But a fitness and nutrition expert says he would never eat while flying, even when traveling first class with restaurant-worthy meals.

In a recent podcast, Michael Sheedy, 31, warned that the pressure and elevation of the cabin make it difficult for food to move through the body.

This change in air pressure, along with the movement of the plane, means that digested food cannot move efficiently into the small intestine. This can cause stomach pain, bloating, gas and make it difficult to do number two.

For this reason, passengers with IBS might see their symptoms pile up.

Backing up his claims, New York gastroenterologist Dr. Elena Ivanina told DailyMail.com that “jet belly is actually a real phenomenon” and that it’s best not to eat in the air.

Michael Sheedy, 31, a business and fitness coach based in Las Vegas, never touches food on planes because it could cause gastrointestinal inflammation.

She explains, “Not only does travel and the associated time changes, disrupted sleep, and altered meal times and food choices disrupt digestion, but the actual act of flying also changes digestion because of cabin pressure.

“Gas in the bowel can expand when air pressure decreases at higher altitudes and can lead to bloating, distention and an urge to pass gas.

“In fact, studies have shown that in astronauts going into space, they had an abnormal decrease in stomach motility after eating in the first few days of spaceflight.”

Being inactive for long periods of time in a confined space can also contribute to gas formation, as well as making it harder for digested food to move into the small intestine.

So Dr. Ivanina says it’s best to eat before and after flying if possible.

This applies especially to passengers with pre-existing digestive problems, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, as eating in the air can increase their discomfort.

This is because slower digestion and constipation are more likely in the pressurized environment.

New York gastroenterologist Dr. Elena Ivanina says it’s best to eat before and after flying if possible

And when it comes to drinks, Dr. Ivanina advises staying away from alcohol and carbonated drinks and sticking to “water and soft non-carbonated teas.”

Mr. Sheedy, the fitness influencer, does just that. He revealed his flight rituals on the Wealthy Way podcast.

“So when you eat on a plane, your food doesn’t digest as well and could cause gastrointestinal inflammation.

‘So what I do every time I fly, even if it’s an earlier flight, I’ll wake up, I won’t eat.

“I’ll just do coffee, water and electrolytes on the plane.

“Even in first class I say no to the meal. Usually (the food) isn’t great by any means.

Even at the airport, Mr Sheedy says it’s “difficult” to find healthy food, so he chooses to fast throughout his journey until he reaches his final destination and can finally eat.

He concludes, “You know, this not only makes my body composition look good, but it makes me feel better.

“And when I land, I can eat whatever I want.”

To avoid gas and bloating, Turkish Airlines also advises passengers to go to the bathroom before boarding a flight and, on long journeys, to walk around the cabin every two hours.

And if you do decide to eat during a flight, the airline recommends doing so “slowly,” as “air enters the digestive system every time you swallow… swallowing too much air can cause bloating.”