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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – The first astronauts sucked semi-liquid pastes out of aluminum food tubes. With our goal of sending men back to the Moon to establish research outposts with the hope of eventually sending humans to Mars, we are going to need tasty meals in space. Food designed to be flown into space and eaten at zero gravity can’t be bought in your local supermarket.
Space food has to do double-duty. First, it must meet the nutrition needs of the astronauts so they stay healthy and strong to complete their mission. Second, the food must survive temperature changes during launch and acceleration into space. It can’t require refrigeration and must remain safe for months. If men eventually go to Mars, their food will need a five-year shelf life.
Over the last 45 years we’ve learned a good deal about nutrition in outer space.
We know that most astronauts lose weight in space even though they are using less energy to float around the space craft than to walk on earth. After 15 days in space most astronauts start to lose muscle mass and strength. On longer missions, such as the International Space Station, astronauts experience bone thinning. They lose calcium from bones and cannot make vitamin D because of the lack of sunlight. The food that is sent into space has to help compensate for these problems.
Another major hazard to astronauts is radiation exposure. They are also exposed to additional radiation during space walks because space suits offer minimal protection. Radiation on the surface of the Moon is more dangerous than the exposure on the Shuttle or the Space Station. Why is this important? Radiation can cause chromosome and DNA damage and creates damaging free radicals in the body. Astronauts are at greater risk of developing cataracts, altered nerve function, and changes in bone production. Food rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fats, and plant fiber can both prevent and correct the damage of radiation exposure.
Early astronauts weren’t thrilled with their food choices, but over the years that has improved significantly. Today, food systems professionals at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas begin to work with NASA astronauts on menu choices 7 months before a launch. Astronauts can pick from more than 200 beverages, snacks and entrees. Shrimp cocktail and barbecued beef are among the favorites. Variety is very important so astronauts eat enough to stay healthy. Space Station assignments can last for 5 to 7 months. Being well fed helps guarantee a successful mission. Space Station astronauts use a 10-day menu, which repeats for the duration of their stay. To keep expanding variety the NASA team in Houston develops 2 to 3 new products each year.
Maintaining the astronauts desire to eat is a challenge in space. Each food in a meal must be packaged separately. These individual food packets are attached to a tray so they do not float away. The tray is then attached to the astronaut or the wall so the whole meal stays put. Without gravity food smells float away before they reach the nose, so food tastes are less pronounced. Astronauts also suffer from perpetually stuffy noses, because fluid tends to rise to the top half of their bodies without gravity, reducing the ability to smell and taste even more. Salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise are available to make meals tastier, but even these are a problem. Salt and pepper have to be packaged suspended in a liquid so they don’t float away.
And, then you have the issue of garbage. There is no trash compacter or window to toss out the trash. Food containers must be thoroughly emptied so they don’t smell which forces astronauts to become members of the clean plate club. And, food containers must be light enough to be stored and brought back to earth. Utensils and food trays are cleaned and reused. For Moon landings trash will create an even greater challenge as all garbage will need to be contained, packed and brought back at the end of a mission.
It is predicted that if a long-duration Moon base is established, astronauts might bring plants like soybeans, wheat, peanuts, beans and rice to grow and process into edible foods. Can food be grown on the Moon? We don’t know for sure. The Moon has one-sixth the gravity and higher carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere than Earth. Plants would need to be grown in self-contained chambers like Moon greenhouses. And, processing food, such as grinding wheat into flour or squeezing oil from nuts, will require equipment and water which is a limited resource.
When we challenge our ability to step off our own planet, we force the innovation needed to support life in space. Innovation is only limited by imagination. Imagination drives exploration. And, all explorers need full stomachs to successfully complete their journey.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with 12 current titles and sales in excess of 7 million books. The books are widely available at your local or on-line bookseller.
Current titles include:
The Complete Food Counter, 3rd ed., 2009
The Fat Counter, 7th ed., 2009
The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008
The Cholesterol Counter, 7th Ed., 2008
The Diabetes Carbohydrate and Calorie Counter, 3rd Ed., 2007
The Calorie Counter, 4th Ed., 2007
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to The Nutrition Experts
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