There was a time when I was so habituated to drinking water while eating that I would end up eating too little and drinking too much. Too much water while eating food, led to my loss of appetite and a feeling of fullness, which in turn led to a loss of weight. Also, I started feeling hungry in some time after lunch thereby raking in junk food, wafers, samosas, etc. I had got inevitably accustomed to drinking water after every three to four bites of food. This habit of drinking water during meals led me into having little food and more water, thereby feeling bloated and full. Although I had hardly eaten anything, what was making me feel bulgy and full was water and not food. I went on reducing weight and then it was time to give up this habit as my health turned bizarre!
So is it really bad to drink fluid during meals? Does drinking water during meals disrupt digestion? According to experts, when your body has more of water intake than food, during meals, you end up feeling irritable and lethargic.
- Drinking water while eating gives you a false sense of fullness and actually plays a main role in reducing weight because you drink so much water and feel so full, that you have no space left to eat food.
According to medical experts a small amount of liquid intake during meals should be fine. But drinking a lot of water, juice or soda can cause problems with digestion. This is because the liquids that one consumes while eating food, can dilute digestive enzymes and acids in the stomach and the saliva in the mouth. These enzymes are essential to breakdown the food and absorb nutrients. If they get too diluted, it becomes harder for the body to breakdown food; hence, the stomach tries hard for food breakdown by producing more acids, which in turn could result in heartburns or acid reflux. This could possibly put more pressure on the small intestines too, because the food is passed along from the stomach without being brokendown.
So, what is the best thing to do?
- It is advisable to drink water between meals, rather than during meals. However, drinking a little water while eating, to satisfy thirst is not harmful, but one should try to take most of the water between meals. If you make a habit of taking regular drinks of water between meals, you won't feel as thirsty while you're eating.
- As the body is unable to accept large quantities of water at one go, it is best to sip water in small amounts throughout the day.
- One can also start meals with soup which actually increases appetite, thereby making you eat more food.
- This does not mean you cannot drink water before or after a meal, however, it is recommended that you drink water about half an hour to fifteen minutes before starting your meals and about the same time after finishing your meals. This gap of time helps the body in easy digestion.
- During meals, have small sips of water. Don't drink too much. This is important for those who suffer from digestive ailments like acid reflux or hiatus hernia, which can be aggravated by drinking lots of water with meals.
Now, during meals I take a few sips of water at most, but very often I eat with no drinks at all.
There you go! Next time, while you eat, remember to sip smart!