Food tours are increasingly popular with American travelers, who enjoy the opportunity to meet new people and try new delicacies. Some people may think that a food tour is an indulgent luxury, but these events can actually help boost your health while you're staying in an unfamiliar city. Learn more here.

You eat small, frequent meals

Food tours will take you to several restaurants, where you can try out all sorts of new foods. In each restaurant, café or shop, the idea is that you get to try lots of little samples, as opposed to having one, large meal.

Large meals are not generally good for your health. In fact, dietary experts say that small, infrequent meals are better for your metabolism. When you eat, cells in your body decide whether to burn or store the food you eat. If you eat too much, these cells cannot easily decide what to do, which can cause problems with blood sugar levels.

You're walking around

Travelers can choose from a variety of food tours to suit all tastes and appetites. Some tours cover a relatively short distance, while other events can include several miles of walking. This combination of eating and exercising can improve your digestion.

Walking can speed up the rate at which the food you eat moves through your digestive system. Walking after food can also clear out unwanted glucose from your blood. As such, while you're on a food tour, you can enjoy a rich variety of foods, and then benefit from a brisk stroll as you move from one venue to the next.

You get expert advice

Food tours generally include lots of expert advice about the different things on offer. If you suffer from any food allergies or intolerances, or if you're just trying to avoid foods laced in sugar, salt and calories, your guide can normally give you expert advice. This personalized advice is with you throughout the tour, allowing you to try new things without compromising your diet or risking an allergic reaction.

You socialize with more people

Food tours are inherently sociable. On a typical tour, you will meet other travelers enjoying the experience, as well as local chefs, cooks and shopkeepers keen to share their knowledge and experience. This sort of sociable experience is good for your health.

Research shows that people who have strong social connections have a 50 percent decreased risk of mortality, which is similar to the decreased death risk associated with non-smokers and people who exercise.

A food tour is a great way to explore a new city, and these events can boast multiple health benefits, too. The next time you're on vacation, look for a food tour in your area, and enjoy a healthy addition to your time off.