Don’t break your diet. Here are 7 ways to eat healthy while travelling

Do you travel often? Whether it’s for work or personal reasons, travelling usually leads to a few cheat days in your diet. But it’s easy stick to healthy food. Here’s how.

Okay, so it may not always be possible to get wholesome food while you’re on the go. But travelling doesn’t mean you completely let go and binge on junk food. With a little planning and effort, you can arm yourself with nutritious snacks. Chaahat Jain, founder, CJ’s Fresh, and chef Sarah Todd show you how:

* Carry a stainless-steel water bottle for water. When dehydrated, especially while flying, we tend to confuse being thirsty with hunger pangs. It’s extremely important to stay hydrated during the flight.

Try to drink two litres of water every day and stay away from tea and coffee. Don’t stop once you have landed. It is essential that you keep up the fluid intake over the next few days. Pack some herbal tea bags and ask your flight attendant for some boiling water or simply ask for some freshly sliced lemon and ginger or a fresh chai at the hotel.

* Take fresh nuts and dried fruits, canned fish, peanut butter, and anything local and healthy. Fresh fruit and vegetables can be cut up in your room and dunked in some hummus or any local dip. Carrots, cucumbers, capsicums, organic yogurt and unsweetened almond milk can be eaten anytime.

* If you need a chocolate fix, buy a couple of bars of 70-85 per cent dark chocolate.

* Limit alcohol intake. It is high on calories and it dehydrates your body.

* Opt for ginger and peppermint tea as it aids digestion and great immune booster. Chamomile helps you calm down and lemon and ginger act as a cleansers and immune boosters.

* Consuming healthy snacks at the right time and in the right proportion is the key to getting the most from your snacking habits. It’s better to eat small portions from a plate or bowl than snack directly out of a box or bag.

By snacking directly from the bag, you risk overeating and gaining extra kilos. Serving small portions also gives you better control over the quantity of food you consume.

* Try to choose brown rice over white rice or try to have quinoa, barley or oats if possible.