Why you should order a glass of tomato juice on your next flight

Have you ever wondered why you crave tomato juice while you’re a few thousand feet up in the air? Well, there’s a good reason for it and it comes down to science.

According to research conducted by New York’s Cornell University, passengers crave certain types of food because the loud noise of the cabin can actually affect passengers’ tastebuds. 

According to the study, passengers would actually crave foods like tomato juice over other drinks because of the savoury flavour, which is intensified in noisy environments, while sweeter tastes become less intense and dull.

But it’s not just the tomato juice that’s going to taste better up in the air, other savoury food options that are high in the umami taste also have a more rich and delicious flavour than they would on the ground.

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These umami foods include beef, chicken, some cheeses, roasted vegetables, soy sauce and, for breastfeeding mothers, breastmilk is high in umami, too, so babies are likely to be particularly happy with their inflight meals.

Guillaume De Syon, aviation historian and a professor at Albright College, has another theory why people love a glass of tomato juice during a flight, and it comes down to nostalgia and habit. 

Before inflight entertainment was available, people would pass the time with the free drinks available on board. These free drinks were later faded out, but tomato juice stayed firmly on the menu.

So, if you’re wondering what to have to drink on your next flight, why not ask for a glass of tomato juice. Not only can you be a bit nostalgic about your drink of choice, but it might just taste a whole lot more delicious, too.

Do you love to order tomato juice when you fly? Let us know in the comments section below.