Discover the Simple Trick for Enjoying Food on Airplanes: How Lip Balm Protects Your Taste Buds When You Fly!
Flying can be exciting but food often disappoints. Tasting food at high altitudes feels dull. Have you ever noticed that your food seems flavorless on airplanes? Studies show that being up in the sky reduces how well you taste sweet or salty flavors by up to 30%. If you fly a lot, this might sound familiar to you.
Surprisingly, lip balm could be the solution. Yes! This small product could help you enjoy your meals better during flights.
Why You Lose Taste in the Air
The air in airplane cabins is really dry. Humidity drops to about 12%, far less than the 30-50% we’re used to on the ground. Dry air affects your skin, lips, mouth, and throat. When the air gets dry your mouth dries out too, which stops you from tasting well during flights.
Travel expert Alexandra Browman says, “Lip balm can keep your taste buds active while you fly.” How? When the air dries up your mouth it becomes harder to taste.
Taste and Smell Work Together
Taste and smell are connected. Our tongues sense five basic flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. But smell helps us notice these flavors better. Dry air at high altitudes weakens our sense of smell, leading to tasteless food. Using flavored lip balm could help through its scent, allowing you to enjoy food more than you usually do on airplanes.
Why Lip Balm Could Save Your Taste
You might wonder how this small product helps you with bland food. Here are some reasons
1. Keeps Tastes Clear: The dry air on planes doesn’t just affect your lips. It also weakens your sense of smell. Using a flavored lip balm can help you sense food flavors more clearly during flights.
2. Encourages Saliva: When your mouth is dry, it produces less saliva. Saliva helps you taste food better. Lip balm may help trick your mouth into producing more saliva, improving how well you taste your meals.
3. Moisturizes: Hydrating your lips is important for tasting food. Dry lips make meals less enjoyable. Lip balm fixes this.
4. Keeps Your Mouth Moist: Applying lip balm also helps keep the rest of your mouth moist. A hydrated mouth lets you taste better.
5. Improves Meal Enjoyment: Airplane food could taste better when your mouth has enough moisture. Lip balm can help you get more flavor out of your meals.
How to Get the Best Results with Lip Balm During Flights
Want to use lip balm effectively? Alexandra Browman gives some advice on getting the most out of it
Pick Mild Flavors: Go for something simple like vanilla or mint. This helps keep your lips moisturized without overwhelming your meals.
Apply Before Eating: Put on your lip balm before your food arrives. This way, your mouth will be ready to taste.
Put It On Often: The dry air will take a toll. Apply lip balm every two to three hours to stay hydrated and keep your taste buds sharp.
Choose Natural Ingredients: Balms made with beeswax or shea butter are better for your lips. Stay away from artificial stuff that might irritate you.
Other Helpful Travel Tips
A few more things to improve your flight
Check Airline Rules: Lip balm can usually be carried in your bag, but check the rules for each airline.
Use It for More Than Lips: Lip balm can moisturize other areas like dry skin on your hands too.
[data: truely.com]
