You already knew it was delicious but did you know that the food options at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) represent some of the healthiest choices found at any major airport in the United States? That was the major finding of a study conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). The study found that IAH ranked third nationally, when evaluating the food options of the 15 busiest airports. The results are even more impressive when you consider the fact that IAH had been ranked at #10 on the list just two years ago. “We’re happy to be one of the industry leaders in regards to offering healthy food,” says Janet Schafer, Assistant Director of Properties at IAH. The study examined the menu offerings of the nation’s busiest airports from June to October 2008. Each airport’s score was determined by dividing the number of restaurants offering at least one healthful food option by the total number of restaurants available to customers. A restaurant was rated as “healthful” if it served at least one low-fat, high-fiber, cholesterol-free breakfast, lunch or dinner option. Using this formula, IAH scored incredibly well overall with 50 of the airport’s 60 restaurants earning an overall ranking of “healthful.”

© Houston Airport System Restaurants at IAH give passengers healthy eating options.

The study gave specific praise to “Charley’s Grilled Sub’s” (Terminal E) for their “grilled veggie delight” and “Burrito Del Sol” (Terminal C) received high marks for its made-to-order vegetarian taco salad and burritos. “Ruby’s Diner” (Terminal E) also got a thumbs-up for its veggie burger.

Overall, the study found plenty of good news in regards to the overall shift towards healthy menu options in our nation’s busiest airports. For example, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport represented the lowest ranked facility in the ’08 study but also posted the largest percentage gain in offering passengers healthy menu options when comparing results from last year.

Susan Levin, a dietitian with the PCRM says that this overall shift towards a healthy focus could be the best news for passengers looking to maintain a healthy diet.

“I think it is especially important for travelers to feel energized from their food, as flying and standing and waiting can be quite taxing on the system,” says Levin. “Why exasperate the strain with high-fat, low-nutrient food choices?”

Those within the Houston Airport System asked that same question years ago and since then, they’ve come up with one of the most impressive list of answers found anywhere in the country.

Copyright © 2008 - Houston Airport System