CLEAN FOOD AND GOOD EATING HABITS

 

 

 

 

 

It is a well known fact that the food consumed by travelers and their eating habits is the most common source of gut troubles and indigestion faced by tourists in a foreign country. Eating the correct way will keep you healthy. Use this eating guide to keep you healthy in your travel. Always eat healthy food and fresh food because this will indirectly keep away illness. While it is difficult to tell you what to avoid in each different situation because of the many possible scenarios but a guideline is stated below to help travelers to be aware of what is likely to be less safe and therefore be avoided if necessary:-

  • When eating, it is important to know that how the food is being prepared is more important than where it is being prepared. For example, food cooked in front of you in a steaming hot wok in a street stall is likely to be safer for consumption than cooked food left out on display in a restaurant.

  • Eating hot food is advisable because food that is served hot is likely to contain less germs than lukewarm or cold food that has been sitting around for some time. It is a common knowledge that heating kills germs.

  • It is safer to eat fruits and vegetables that are peeled or cooked because they may be contaminated from where they are grown and also they are less likely to be cleaned beforehand.

  • Travelers must always eat well-cooked meat and seafood because raw or lightly cooked meat and seafood can be a source of parasites. Always keep in mind that steaming does not make shellfish any safer for eating.

  • Consuming tinned food is usually safe. Checking the 'expiry dates' is a must.

  • Eating all forms of breads and cakes are usually safe but avoid the cream-filled types if possible since microorganisms are known to grow on cream.

  • Always go to popular eating places because the food served will be fresher due to the high turnover and also safer to main its name and also to keep customers returning.

  • Never eat food which you are unsure about and but if you have to, always eat only a very small portion because your stomach's natural defenses (mainly acid) should be able to cope with small amounts of contaminated food.

Apart from the above mentioned healthy tips on the types of food to be consumed, knowing these additional safety rules may also reduces the risk of travelers falling sick:-

  • Dirty dishes or cutlery may contaminate good food especially the blenders used for making fruit juices.

  • It it wrong to believe that hot spices make food much more safer for eating.

  • It is advised to avoid salads because they are hard to clean adequately and are often contaminated with bug-containing dirt.

  • Fruit juices should be avoided if possible as they may be diluted with unsafe water.

  • Especially in rural areas, unpasteurised and unboiled milk and dairy products should be avoided because they are likely to transmit diseases like tuberculosis (TB) and salmonella. Always boil the unpasteurised milk before drinking.

  • Food that has been kept frozen for some time should be avoided as they may have thawed and been refrozen.

Since eating is a must for all travelers at any place they may be, knowing the correct way of eating or eating correctly and to avoid the less safe food will reduce the risk of them from falling sick.

   

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Last updated : 03 November, 2008