9 Superfoods That Will Keep You Healthy While Traveling

Travel puts our bodies through a lot, whether we’re stifling our circulation on long flights or shocking our digestive systems with new foods. Staying healthy isn’t just about avoiding junk food (though that helps). Certain foods known as “superfoods” are packed with vitamins and other health benefits that can prevent some of the worst travel symptoms. Incorporating any of these superfoods into your diet before and during travel will ensure that you’ll have a healthier and happier trip—and keep you feeling good between vacations, too.

Lemons

Nothing ruins a trip like getting sick, which is why you’ll want to get in the habit of asking for water with lemon. Because lemons are rich in vitamin C, they act as an immune booster that can help you ward off fevers and colds.

Beets

Anyone who’s spent a long day sightseeing while simultaneously fighting jet lag after a transatlantic flight with no sleep knows how tiring traveling can be. To prepare for long and exhausting travel days, you can fill up on beets to boost your stamina.

Tart Cherries

If you have trouble falling asleep on planes, tart cherries are the perfect mid-flight snack. They are a wonderful natural source of melatonin, which helps you fall asleep.

Cantaloupe

When you’re perusing the hotel fruit salad, make sure you don’t skip the cantaloupe. This super fruit is rich in vitamin C to boost your immune system as well as adenosine, which may help reduce the effect of altitude sickness.

Ginger

Ginger reduces inflammation, helps with digestion, and fights nausea. Whether you incorporate ginger into your meals or just treat yourself to a cup of tea before bed, keeping this super root around is a good idea.

Peppermint

If you’re feeling nauseous or suffering from digestion troubles, peppermint is a great way to fight back. Like ginger you can drink it as tea, or you can take peppermint oil capsules to relieve nausea. Bonus: Peppermint can freshen your breath as well.

Yogurt

When you’re trying a lot of new and foreign foods, indigestion is never far away, which is why yogurt is a useful food to combat an unhappy stomach. Yogurt is filled with good bacteria that supports a healthy digestive system.

Goji Berries

These tart little berries are the perfect snack to keep in your travel bag, especially when you have some long days ahead of you. Goji berries are a natural source of energy and also help ward off sickness by boosting your immune system.

Turmeric

Related to the ginger plant, it’s no surprise that turmeric is a healthy and powerful spice. It not only supports your immune system, but also can help with arthritis pain. Consider drinking it as a tea or adding the spice to your meals.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 8 Foods You Should Never Eat Before Flying
• The 10 Best Regional Foods in America
• 15 Tiny Travel Products to Keep You Healthy on Vacation

Jamie Ditaranto is a writer and photographer who is always looking for her next adventure. Follow her on Twitter @jamieditaranto.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2016. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.