Experiencing different cultures by eating various food is one of the most exciting things about travelling. Even if you’re picky when it comes to eating, though, you still need to eat when you’re travelling, and that usually means trying foods you wouldn’t normally eat.
The last thing you want is to come down with an illness while you’re experiencing another country, so be prepared to avoid eating some of your favourite foods if you want to enjoy your travels. Here are some of the foods that should be avoided during your journeys.
Berries
Berries are usually washed in water that’s either contaminated, or just not clean water as you’d expect back home. Usually, this is in Asia and some of the major European countries. If you’re going to eat any fruit, ensure it’s got a thick skin that you can peel away, like bananas and oranges.
Even apples, strawberries, and similar fruits should be avoided if you want to stay safe. This means that your favourite desserts should be overlooked in case they contain fruit like strawberries and blackberries.
Ice
Even opting for ice in your drink should be avoided at all times, especially when travelling Asia. The water you find around the world often contains harmful bacteria that could easily send you packing – so it’s always wise to be wary with what you put in your drinks just as much as what you decide to eat.
Don’t fall victim to an illness while you’re enjoying another country, stick to cold drinks out of the fridge or don’t have a cold drink at all.
Also, another very important point to consider, remember that not all bottled water is safe just because it’s bottled and it has a lid on it.
Some locals will do everything in their power to counterfeit water bottles, and they’ll do that by filling them with local tap water. Always check the labels and ensure the lid is fully attached before you consume it.
Salad
Salad is another food you should avoid eating at all costs. A similar step is taken to clean most salad dressing in terms of using contaminated water, as with most fruits.
Most salad dressing is cleaned thoroughly to remove outer bacteria and other nasty chemicals, but it doesn’t remove what’s on the inside. Don’t leave it to chance. Just avoid salad dressing and you should be fine to enjoy the other tasty foods on offer.
Eggs
Eggs can also prove costly to your health if you eat the wrong ones. In the United States, not all eggs are completely edible and in fact, half of the illnesses related to consuming eggs can be the cause of salmonella.
It’s usually not the egg shells themselves, but it’s more to do with the chickens that lay them that have diseases. You might have trouble finding good eggs in most other countries, too, so just be careful and only eat if they’ve been cooked completely.
This can be especially troublesome for those that like their eggs runny in the morning.
If in Doubt, Spice Up Your Life
Especially in Asia, you’ll always have access to some of the nicest and exotic spices the world has to offer, so why not take advantage of that when cooking your own meals?
This is especially important if you’re going to eat some of the foods that should be avoided anyway, as many spices have anti-bacterial properties that can counter bacteria altogether.
In conclusion, if a food has been cleaned in water and it’s recommended to not drink tap water in the country you’re travelling to, it’s wise to stay away from fruit and other produce that doesn’t have a thick layer of skin around it.
As a rule of thumb, avoiding tap water, ice, and salad dressing are all others that should be avoided. If you don’t, you could end up ruining your travelling experience that you’ve worked so hard to undertake in the first place.
Bio
Elena is an avid holiday blogger at shortletsmalta.com, a professional holiday flat lettings agency that gives consumers more choice when it comes to staying in Malta. She has been on the receiving end of illnesses while travelling before, so she knows all too well about what foods should or should not be considered when traveling.