Drinking Water While Eating - Can It Have Benefits?
There is an age old saying that drinking water during meals will disturb your digestion and dilute stomach juices. Advice, that floats around generally, states that you should have water at least 30 minutes after you have had a meal. Studies have been carried out on this subject to find out how true or false these claims are.
Levels of stomach acid: The claim is that if you drink water during the meal it will dilute the stomach acids, which are required to break the food down. However, doctors have stated in clinical trials that water doesn't tend to have any effect on the levels of stomach acid at all.
Stomach and digestion process differs from person to person: This might be a thing of personal choice as habits differ from person to person. Also what is tolerable for one person may not be to another. It usually comes down to how your digestive system reacts to drinking water. Some people have claimed that drinking water while consuming food can make them feel bloated. There are no scientific studies proving this and it could be a psychological effect as well.
Other side of the story drinking water can fill up your stomach before or during a meal: While drinking water may not have adverse effects on digestion, it can fill up the stomach by volume and decrease appetite. Doctors will also suggest drinking a good amount of water just before a meal if you are trying to lose weight as it can suppress your appetite. more
BUT TAKING A GLASS OF WATER ONE HOUR BEFORE MEAL CAN HELP IN LOWERING THE QUANTITY OF FOOD WE TAKE IN THE MEAL. THIS CAN BE USED AS A TECHNIQUE TO REDUCE WEIGHT AND LOWER LIPID LEVELS. more