There are many different opinions on whether it is good to drink water while eating or not. Fluid is important. The body consists mainly of water and cannot survive without it. But is it really good to drink water while eating? Read on and find out what the correct answer is.

Water is the most important liquid

Everyone knows the benefits of  water – it cleanses toxins, provides fluid to the organs, transports minerals to the cells and helps with all metabolic processes. Therefore, we recommend  drinking between 2 and 2.5 liters a day.

For some time there has been a debate about whether it is good to  drink water  while eating. Does it help you lose weight or not? Does it change the digestive process? Does it make you accumulate more water? There are many myths and prejudices on this subject. 

Water, when drunk alone, has no calories. If you drink  water  before lunch or dinner, your stomach fills up and it will make you eat less.

A study by the  American Chemical Society of Boston  concluded that subjects who drank two glasses of water before eating ate between 75 and 90% fewer calories. This can be due to two things: firstly, the water gives a feeling of satiety and secondly, thirst can sometimes feel like hunger, so if you feel hungry, you might in fact just be thirsty!

There is a myth which states that it is harmful for you to drink water  during meals because it creates fluid retention. Experts agree that this is completely wrong. Instead, the opposite happens. Drinking water stimulates kidney function and helps balance the water level in the body no matter what time or what you do.

On the other hand, the water may well dilute the gastric juices and thus impair digestion. A glass of water before the meal is fine, but if you just rinse it all down, it can affect digestion. Drinking water can also make us chew our food less, which in turn means we get fewer nutrients out of the meal.

What happens in the body when you drink cold water while eating?

Some people think that it is good to drink water either cold or hot, but there is no evidence that one or the other should be better. You just have to choose what you like best.

Is it good to drink water while eating?

That said, water can provide a feeling of satiety that can help you avoid overeating. But in addition, it does not matter whether you drink water before, during or after eating. Just do not overdo it, because as we mentioned earlier, it can dilute the stomach acids and affect digestion negatively. There has also been much talk that alkaline water (with a higher pH value) is healthier for the stomach than normal water, but there is no evidence that this should be the case. The food we eat has much more variable pH values ​​than the water we drink.

Can I drink juice or soda instead of water?

Both sodas and juices are filled with sugar (yes, juice is a sugar bomb too!). So it is not a good idea to drink too much of it during the meal. This is because it will give a false feeling of satiety due to the sugar, which in reality are just fast calories. This means that hunger returns quickly and it makes one want to snack. In fact, it is generally a bad idea to drink too much juice, soda or juice, because the high amounts of sugar can cause many different problems in the long run ranging from obesity to diabetes.

When and how should I drink water?

The recommended amount is a minimum of 8 glasses during the day outside of the three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), but when you drink them is perfectly equal. You may want to drink a few glasses in conjunction with the meals. If you think it’s nice, or if you want to achieve a greater feeling of satiety without overeating. Again, just do not overdo it.

The debate about water continues, because there are not many studies that support one theory or the other. So it all depends on your body and how you feel in relation to your habits. If you drink water while eating and you feel more bloated, even though your meal has been light, it may be a good idea to change habits.

If it turns out that you do not drink anything and you realize that it takes longer for you to digest, then  a glass of water after a meal will not be bad at all.

You can also consider getting some of your water through fruit. It may be okay to eat an apple before dinner, for example, but remember, many fruits have a lot of carbohydrates, such as grapes and bananas, so it’s actually not healthy to just overeat them.