Listen: The scientific reason tomato juice tastes better on planes

     A few years ago, the German airline Lufthansa realized they served about 53,000 gallons of tomato juice annually. That's just shy of the 59,000 gallons of beer they serve each year. (Elana Gordon/WHYY)

    A few years ago, the German airline Lufthansa realized they served about 53,000 gallons of tomato juice annually. That's just shy of the 59,000 gallons of beer they serve each year. (Elana Gordon/WHYY)

    Ever get the urge to drink tomato juice on a flight? In a couple of minutes, we’ll tell you why.

    Ever get the urge to drink tomato juice on a flight?

    Tomato juice has a long history on planes, going back to the early days of loud, bumpy commercial air travel, when a cocktail was a practical necessity to calm the nerves. When German airline Lufthansa realized they served almost as much tomato juice annually as beer, they set out to discover why. Turns out there’s a scientific reason why people dig tomato juice at altitude.

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    Everyone has their reasons. Most likely, it’s a combination of biology and history, a bit of the unknown — and maybe a splash of Tabasco.

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