Drinking Water During Meals: Good Or Bad?

Are you addicted to the habit of drinking water in between the meals, then don’t worry, you are not alone, there are numerous amount of people on this earth who also have these addictions. From where does this addiction came or started? No one knows, but it is totally a need of the body to drink water or any liquid substance between meals. According to many researchers, the main reason behind all this is an addiction to drink water and fastly chewing of the food. Many human beings have the tendency to eat their food fast; we can say it as their habit. Due to this habit, the food gets blocked in the food pipe or throat, so to clear it, we drink water. Not everyone feels like been choked, but most of the human being feels. And other people just helplessly drink water. Some say it a lousy habit, and some say to drink water is okay. There are always two myths in society regarding the topic.

The process of digestion starts as soon as you begin to chew the food. Once it reaches your stomach, then it starts to mix with all sorts of juices and acids, which is developed and released inside the stomach. And then it further breaks down in a thick liquid. And in the small intestine, this liquid mixed with another digestive enzyme, which is produced by the pancreas and the bile acid that is from the liver.

All these enzymes mix with food with each other and absorb all the necessary vitamins and nutrients from the bloodstream. Once the absorption process is started, it has been absorbed into the bloodstream. From this bloodstream, it travels from all the other parts of the body, and when the necessity of the body is over. The leftover is then excreted by the body.

Our digestive system is made up of a complex set up of organs, enzymes, secretions, and much more. In order to ensure that they all function in tandem with each other so that our digestion works properly, we need to take many measures. Solid food and liquids both go hand in hand when it comes to digesting your food correctly. Water is one of the main elements that one must regularly ingest during the day so that the body remains hydrated, and the stool also softens. It is also a digestive aid. Yet, there are two various schools of thought when it comes to drinking water during one’s meals. While some people say that it is good, there are others who say that it should not be practiced. So let us find out whether having water during your meals is a good thing or not.

Also read: Should You Drink Water Before, After Or During A Meal?

1. Stomach Acids

Gastric acid or gastric juice is the same; it is a kind of digestive fluid developed in the stomach. This acid plays a vital function in the digestion of protein. The primary element of stomach acid is hydrochloric acid, which is developed by the parietal cells. If we are to look at water during a meal from the perspective of our stomach acids, then most doctors will tell you that there is no problem in having water with your food. The main doubt here is whether or not the acidic fluid flowing through our stomach may become too diluted with the consumption of water. However, this does not happen. Various medical studies conducted by reliable hospitals and sources under a controlled environment have shown that the stomach’s pH balance is not affected by the consumption of water during a meal.

2. Digestive Process

While the stomach acids may not suffer due to the use of water during a meal, there are other schools of thought where people refrain from drinking water with food so that better digestion may be achieved. But this is also not entirely true. Metabolism is well-known for being a complicated process where many elements need to work together for its proper functioning. This function includes a comfortable and healthy body and state of mind after one has a meal. Therefore, it is more important to have the right kind of food at the right time in a proper environment instead of rushing through one’s meals and eating junk all the time.

3. Constipation and Overeating

Drinking water during the meal can help in curbing constipation as it helps in softening the stool. It also helps in clearing the food from the digestive tract in a better and timely manner so that the toxins and stool do not remain there. As we know that according to research that water or any fruit juice should be taken after 45 minutes of the meal this is because, in that approx time, the digestive acid gets the time to dissolve and digest the entire food. And through which a human body gets the energy to function.

This is due to the fact that drinking water during meals keeps the digestive track well-lubricated. Also, when you drink water with your meals, you tend to avoid overeating as water fills up a substantial portion of your stomach. Further, water has essential nutrients that can suffice for your nutritional requirements, along with food. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a dietitian-nutritionist.

Also read: Simple Steps To Relieve Constipation

So there are numerous types of studies and aspects of every research that what is a correct procedure or not. According to some reviews, if you do drink water in between the meal, then the food doesn’t get digested properly, and the body can’t absorb the nutrient value at its best. And some belives that drinking water is good by doing this you can obtain more calories which can increase your weight. So all studies have different meanings and results, doctors can tell you better by inspecting your complete body checkup that what is better for you.