We almost never drink it except when it is offered to us in flight. And there is a good reason for that.
In flight, alongside apple and orange juice, did you notice that tomato juice was systematically offered? And that strangely, this drink was much more popular in the air than on Earth? “Tomato juice is very popular and is in high demand on board.”confirms Claudia Javaud, a flight attendant at Air France. In 2010, the airline Lufthansa was already interested in understanding why tomato juice flowed so quickly during its flights: it then served it more than 1.7 million liters per year ! For this, it commissions theFraunhofer Society Institutespecializing in applied science research
The researchers placed participants in a flight simulator, perfectly imitating real-life conditions. The results show that the participants all found tomato juice much better in the flight simulator than in a normal environment. On the ground, the taste of this drink is judged to be “earthy” while at altitude it becomes “refreshing” and this is why they prefer it to other drinks. The perception of the taste of this drink is therefore different in the air and on the ground. This does not come from the tomatoes but from a disturbance of our senses. According to the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Institute, the dry environment of the plane is the cause: while the humidity level is between 45 and 65% in a home, in a plane, it can drop to 10%. “This would dry out the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, and thus reduce the sense of taste, particularly salty and acidic flavours.”says Dr. Monique Quillard, general practitioner. We drink tomato juice to quench our thirst. But that is not the only reason.
According to one American study This time, the noise in the plane also plays a role. Between the voices of the passengers and the noise of the reactors, the decibels can reach up to 85 decibels in a plane. However, noise also has an impact on the taste of food. As a result, while the taste of tomato juice is unpleasant when your feet touch the ground, in the air your palate feels more the 5th flavor, called Umami, present in tomatoes. In addition, Claudia Javaud specifies that “As this juice is thick, it is a healthy drink that fills you up and some people prefer to consume it instead of the tray provided on board. It is also lighter on the waistline.”
Tomato juice is a wealth of health and fitness benefits. “It contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent the development of diseases such as cardiovascular disorders and cancers.”says Dr. Quillard. It is also a source of potassium, a mineral involved in good heart health. Rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, it strengthens the immune system. “However, be careful not to overdo it because tomato juice is salty and can cause water retention, which is already aggravated by the atmospheric pressure in the plane.”recommends the expert.