"Chicken or fish?" - Perhaps all air passengers have heard this question. However, few people have thought about how airplane food is actually prepared, what “magic” ingredients are put in it, and whether it is really worth eating.
FACT #1. Your food was most likely prepared the day before
Typically, most meals that will be served to airplane passengers are prepared on the ground 12 hours before the flight departs. They are then frozen and stored in huge warehouses until they are taken to the airport and loaded onto a plane.
Depending on the length of the flight and flight delays, food may be kept refrigerated on board for an additional 12 hours before cabin crew reheats it and serves it to passengers.
FACT #2. Business class food isn't all that special
If you are flying in economy class and, picking at your food with a fork, envy the “business” passengers, then we hasten to upset you. Their dishes can be almost identical. The thing is that airlines transfer their products to a number of companies that prepare airplane food.
So what you think is a luxurious dinner in business class can be prepared by the same people and with the same ingredients as in economy class. At the same time, for first class passengers, airlines order food from leading restaurants. Here it is not a sin to envy.
FACT #3. Airplane food never tastes good
Low pressure and low air humidity dry out the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, resulting in a dull sense of taste. Scientists even say that noise also affects the taste of food, so the roar of airplane engines also spoils the dining experience.
Once, the world-famous British chef Gordon Ramsay, who spent ten years consulting for Singapore Airlines, admitted that he never eats on board an airplane. "I know where the food has been, where it's going and how long it will take before it gets on board," he said.
FACT #4. Secret ingredients added to airplane food
Chefs and scientists around the world are constantly trying to make airplane food a little better. Why do you think there are packets of salt and pepper in every meal kit? It's simple: food loses its taste high above the ground, so most of us try to improve it, for which we use the supplied seasonings.
In addition, they try to add flavor to airplane food using umami. To explain it in simple words, this is the taste of protein substances, or the so-called “fifth taste”, which is traditionally used in Japan. Monosodium glutamate and other amino acids create the umami sensation. There are a lot of them in tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach, so don’t be surprised why you’re craving tomato juice on board.
FACT #5. Airplane food is high in sugar and far from the ideals of PP
We lose the ability to sense sugar at altitudes above 10,000 meters, so extra sugar is added to food. According to a study by Oxford University professor Charles Spence, during a long flight we consume an average of 3,400 calories. For comparison, the daily calorie intake for women is 2000, and for men – 2500.
And although airlines offer a choice of in-flight food options (including vegetarian and halal), we usually do not use this service and prefer to eat what is provided.
A flight attendant is one of the few professions that is still shrouded in an aura of mystery. On board, smiling young ladies politely answer even the most crazy questions. What's going on behind the curtain with the lunch carts? What questions do beauties discuss in a strict manner?
Recently, many profiles have appeared on Instagram in which flight attendants allegedly share the ins and outs of their profession. But behind the loud announcements of stories, most often you won’t learn anything new. The contract concluded with the flight attendant prohibits disclosing the specifics of the work. However, we managed to get one flight attendant to talk, and we talked with Irina, an employee of a world-class airline.
Irina is a bright, pretty blonde with a beautiful athletic figure and chiseled abs. She shows it to subscribers on her Instagram account. And the locations in the photo are different every day - France, Spain, New Zealand...
Not life, but a dream! - fans and envious people often write in the comments. But behind this beautiful life there are hours of lack of sleep, a strained smile when communicating with yet another boor on board. There is no other way, because the passenger is always right.
Confession of a flight attendant
INTERVIEW IS A WHOLE SHOW
I had an interview eight years ago and applied through a special agency. And from there they sent a list of recommended people to the international company. I was invited to an interview, which consisted of several stages.
The interview lasted the whole day, we were given many tasks. Something had to be done in a group; there was a separate English test. After each stage, people were eliminated. Like in some show: they gave us envelopes in which on a piece of paper it was written whether you were moving on or going home. I was hired at the first interview, but it was difficult. After a selection of 300 people, the company eventually employed nine. Attention is also paid to appearance, weight and age, but there are cases when the recruitment is carried out by, so to speak, unique flight attendants. It’s unclear how they got into the company because they look disgusting.
I know girls who go through interviews six times and are not accepted, but they do not despair - they follow their dreams. Many people want to become a beautiful and smiling “mistress” of the liner. In a stylish, figure-fitting shape. Everyone's work clothes are standard, with company logos. In the studio they take our measurements and periodically give us new sets to replace the worn ones.
HOW MUCH YOU FLY, SO MUCH YOU'LL GET
There is no competition with colleagues - good relations. But here you need to take into account that I work for a large airline that employs more than 15 thousand people. Often the girls and I simply don’t know each other - almost every flight you fly with new people. And then, there is a hierarchy - economy, business class, first class employees, personal service. There is simply no time to chat or intrigue.
My salary depends on the number of flying hours. Everyone starts in economy class. At the first stage it is about $2,300 per month. Now, after eight years with the company, I am a “supervisor,” meaning I am assigned to certain sections of the plane. My salary is now about 4000-4500 dollars a month. There are busy months and very quiet ones. The "persal", the person in charge of all sections on board, receives $5,000 or $6,000. This is the highest position we can have.
STARS SIT QUIET AND DON'T STOP OUT
Often the passenger does not know that a famous actor or athlete will fly with him on the plane. And it’s not surprising - you simply won’t notice public people on the plane. We arrive for a briefing a few hours before the flight. There they examine the appearance - are the clothes fresh, are the nails and makeup in order? Then a sheet is issued with the names of the passengers, where the VIPs are registered.
Actress Paris Hilton, comedians from the Comedy Club, TV presenter Olga Buzova, and singer Rihanna flew with me. Everything is normal and adequate. Will Smith flew with his girlfriend - he was such a bunny. Celebrities usually behave very quietly and do not show off. They travel first class, lock themselves in their cabin and don't bother anyone.
Flight attendants have a hierarchy - economy, business class, first class, personal service. Photo: Ivan MAKEEV
FLYING WITH ONE ENGINE AND SMILED
During flights, of course, there are different situations, both funny and scary. Somehow the plane was unable to take off and stopped in the middle of the runway. The worst thing: once our engine failed. It's scary - I can't put it into words. And so we fly with one engine running, and we ourselves smile at the passengers so that panic does not begin on board. There were a couple of serious turbulences when everything on the plane flew around, food carts and hand luggage overturned, and in the end I ended up at the other end of the cabin.
We also need to be prepared for the fact that a passenger may feel ill at any moment. After all, it is we who perform the role of doctors on board.
IT'S BETTER TO REFUSE CHICKEN OR FISH
Service in economy class and in business is heaven and earth. In Economy, you go out with a cart and hand out food and drinks. Then you collect the trash. All. In business, meals are more like being served in a restaurant. People choose a dish from the menu on the screens of special mobile devices. I approach, we communicate in person, I clarify the details of the order.
First, drinks with nuts are served, and these can be completely different drinks, from some fancy cocktails to elite wines and champagne. When you offer wine, you must tell what year it is and what grape variety it is. You need to know a lot of details. Then we bring snacks, hot dishes, and a bread basket. I have to know the name of every passenger in business class, because this is a different standard of service.
They say airplane food isn't very healthy, especially in economy class. This is not a myth, but the truth. Sandwiches, chicken and fish are frozen and contain a lot of preservatives. The former and the business serve food the same day it is prepared. But the dishes contain a lot of calories, oils, and sauces. I always take containers of my snacks with me from home.
SEX ON A PLANE: DISGUSTING AND DIRTY
Relationships on board are not uncommon. We have had cases where a passenger fell in love with a flight attendant. A close friend of mine got married precisely after such a meeting with the man of her dreams on board an airplane.
But sex is a separate issue. I personally haven’t had sex with anyone on board and never will – I know how unsanitary and dirty it is. But she caught passengers - the girl somehow gave the man pleasure right in the economy class cabin. They were drunk, we seated them. This is prohibited, you can call the police and it won’t be fun anymore.
YOU WANT TO MEET? BE MORE ORIGINAL!
At work, inappropriate people irritate me. There are too many of them. I didn't know before that these existed. The most popular and stupid questions to flight attendants: why raise the back of the seat, where the smoking room and ladies' room are located.
Sometimes a passenger may deliberately spill something or knock over his lunch onto the next seat. To see how we would clean up after him. But we are primarily responsible for safety on board; there is no task of serving. Therefore, such a smart guy will fly in the company of his inverted puree until the end. And the cleaning service employees will already come and restore order after arrival. Or some people are stupidly trying to get acquainted. It all starts out banal: “Aren’t you afraid of heights?”, “Give me your phone number.” Men, come up with something original.
I LOOK AT THE WORLD AS IN AN EXPRESS
Now there is a small crisis in my company - we fly a lot. They don't hire new staff, they just keep the old guys busy for hours. There are flights where you don’t even have time to go to the toilet or have a snack. In such moments of stress, when you get to the hotel, you just pass out and sleep - no strength. But I try to go out and take a walk at every “deportation”. I make lists of what I want to see in this or that country. If you often fly to the same destinations, you already have your favorite places, cafes, shops. Yes, I get to see the world. But in the express version, as if from the window of a high-speed train.
Each of us independently chooses what to eat and what foods to eat. Some like plant foods, some like meat products, some like exclusively fish and seafood, and, of course, how can we not remember poultry meat. We should not forget about the varied menus in the numerous existing cuisines of the world, because almost each of them has its own, special way of preparing one or another type of meat. That’s for sure, as many people as there are, so many preferences.
Everyone, without exception, knows that the human body requires protein. And meat is one of the main suppliers of protein. Also, we should not forget that meat is not only protein; meat contains iron, vitamins A and B, phosphorus and amino acids, which are not found in other foods. By eating meat, we thereby help prevent diseases such as anemia, nervous disorders, and brittle bones. But at the same time, meat is rich in saturated fats, which increase cholesterol levels - the source of many diseases. There is evidence that meat can provoke the development of asthma, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, as well as disorders of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, to obtain benefits, you should adhere to the following rules: eat properly, balanced, do not overload the body with large amounts of protein; choose lean meats such as chicken breast, turkey, rabbit, lean beef; before heat treatment, remove as much fat as possible from the raw product; and it is also necessary to arrange systematic “days off from eating meat”, i.e. fasting days.
Another source of protein is poultry. White meat is low in fat and high in protein. This is a dietary product, an excellent source of amino acids and vitamins B2, B6, B9 and B12. The most dietary part is considered to be the breast, and the most harmful is the chicken leg. It is not even recommended to cook broth from it, since the largest amount of harmful substances settles in it. And of course, nutritionists recommend avoiding eating chicken skin, which contains the maximum amount of fat. Chicken is characterized by a low content of collagen (connective tissue), so it is easily digestible. That is why such nutrition is most optimal for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diabetes and obesity.
For building muscle mass, there is no nutrient more essential than protein. It also promotes fat burning, increasing or speeding up the feeling of fullness. Protein is also used in reduced calorie meal plans. In this article, we will determine the best source of protein for muscles.
Best Source of Protein for Building Muscle
Beef, chicken, and fish are all excellent sources of protein and carbohydrates. And the more protein, the better.
All animal proteins are complete, complex, which means that your body is not able to reproduce this composition on its own - such a set of nutrients and microelements can only be obtained from the food that you “prescribe” for yourself.
However, depending on your goals, medical conditions and body type, some may be more beneficial than others. But this has more to do with fat (and calories) than the actual composition of the protein source.
1. BEEF
Beef, being a cow's meat, generally contains significantly more fat than chicken or fish. The fat content of beef depends entirely on the diet of the cow. Compared to grain feed, grass for a cow is a much less fatty product.
Just remember that natural fat has a higher percentage of omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and can seriously help build muscle and burn excess fat.
The leanest beef:
- Thigh Loin (5.4 g fat per 3.5 oz.)
- Medium Sirloin (7 grams of fat per 3.5 ounces)
- Upper Thigh Flesh (7.6 g fat per 3.5 oz.)
- Top Loin (10.6 g fat per 3.5 oz.)
- Bottom Loin (11 g fat per 3.5 oz.)
The fattest parts of the cow are pieces of meat from the pulp of the back part (37.6 g of fat) and steak from the back lumbar part of the beef carcass (25.6 g of fat).
I looked at many sites that publish nutrition data, including the USDA, and found a surprising difference in the amount of fat in filet mignon, which many consider low-fat. Fat content can range from 3 to as much as 15 grams per serving.
2. CHICKEN
White meat chicken is low in fat and high in protein. Like filet mignon, I found a wide range of fat content in chicken, ranging from 1 gram to 6 grams in 4 ounces (skinless breast).
Chicken skin is mostly fat. And if you eat skin, then you are adding unnecessary fats and calories to your daily nutrition plan.
Your best bet would be to ignore the skin and start getting your fat from healthy sources (like olive and coconut oil, nuts and avocados).
3. FISH
Fish is just about the healthiest protein choice. Fattier fish tend to contain significant amounts of cardiovascular (and muscle) healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Wild fish tend to have a more favorable fat profile than farmed fish, particularly salmon. However, high fat content (even if it's the healthy kind) means more calories, and if you're trying to lose weight, you should keep this in mind.
Some types of fish can contain high levels of toxins, particularly mercury, and you should generally avoid, or at least try to limit, your consumption of such fish. Large fish are at the top of the food chain.
These are, for example, tuna, swordfish, shark and king mackerel. They contain a significant amount of mercury.
Smaller fish, such as sardines, are loaded with protein and omega-3 fatty acids. And all this with extremely low toxin content. In addition, such fish are much cheaper, as they are bred very quickly.
If you do decide to eat canned tuna, be aware that tuna still contains less mercury than albacore.
Canned salmon is the best option, although its fat content can vary greatly depending on the type of salmon. Canned pink salmon - high in protein, low in fat and low in harmful substances. Also, it is relatively inexpensive.
4. GAME
Game meats such as venison, elk and bison are high protein meats. However, such meat is quite expensive. It's difficult to cook. Even a slight burning of such meat makes it tough and practically inedible.
However, if you ever manage to “make friends” with this source of protein, you will seriously expand your physical capabilities and improve muscle performance. This is an excellent replacement for chicken and beef.
There is no best source of protein. The best option is variety
There is no one ideal protein source for muscle nutrition. The ideal solution is variety. For example, on a low-carb meal plan, focus on proteins that are higher in fat.
If you are seriously concerned about the number of calories you consume, then you should focus on low-fat sources of protein. However, we should not forget that natural sources of fat have many benefits.
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