Traveling with Dietary Restrictions

People with diabetes, high blood cholesterol or food allergies might feel some trepidation about traveling overseas and sampling native dishes in exotic countries. The issues are simple:
  • Can you get enough of the food you need (such as fresh fruits and vegetables)?
  • Can you avoid foods that are particularly bad for you (e.g. sugar and other carbohydrates for diabetics, fat for those with heart disease, wheat products or dairy products for people with allergies to those products)?
  • Can you avoid life-threatening hidden ingredients (peanuts or seafood, for example)?
  • Will you be able to communicate your needs and restrictions?
  • Will you have enough to eat if you avoid the things you simply can't eat?
The answer to all these questions, in most situations, is "Of course!" Remember, many travelers are picky eaters and they travel quite happily, even without dietary restrictions. You can have people respect your dietary needs and provide alternatives if you communicate clearly and occasionally let them know in advance what you can and can't eat.

Good Nutrition Overseas: Fat-Free and Low Carb Diets

SushiYou've probably read that rice is the mainstay of many Asian countries, or that Italian meals include a pasta course. You might assume that low fat or low carb diets are almost impossible to maintain.

You may have to change your thinking a bit and do some research before you go. You'll find that people with diabetes eat very well almost everywhere in the world. Just don't expect to find grocery stores stocked with low-carb ice cream or candies, or frozen diet meals with clever substitutes for sugar or flour. However, you'll find that few Asian countries, for example, have diets laden with the refined carbohydrates that we try to avoid. High-fiber breads and rice and unrefined flour are diet staples. As long as you control portions and supplement your diet with fruits and vegetables, you should have little trouble sticking to a healthy regimen.

You'll have a hard time finding fast-food outlets in some countries. Think of it this way: Resisting the temptation to load up on sugary soft drinks and biggie fries will be a cinch!

Avoid Culprits in Hiding

One of the challenges of eating in foreign countries is finding out what ingredients have been used in food preparations. Picture yourself at a wedding in Ecuador, being served a large bowl of some kind of stew. Is that chicken or goat meat? Has someone added peanuts or shellfish to the stew? Is danger lurking within? While it's best to ask, you might not have the language skills to do so. So what do you do?

To be truly safe, you'll have to avoid unknown concoctions altogether whenever you're unsure of ingredients. After all, you can't afford to take chances, particularly in areas where emergency medical care isn't likely to be nearby. Enlist the help of a native speaker who can explain why you're not partaking. Avoid banquets and festivals where your avoidance would be a great insult, and don't take anyone's word that the food is perfectly safe unless you fully trust that no dangerous ingredient is present. Everyone means well, but you don't need a sudden encounter with anaphylaxis to make your point.

How will you eat if you can't sample the local cuisine? Consider taking along a food supply that you know is safe. Freeze-dried foods such as military MREs (meals ready to eat) may be less than appealing, but they won't kill you. Supplement the meals with treats like dried fruit or soup packets. Pack drink mixes that you can dissolve in bottled water.