When it comes to drinking water, everyone has their opinion on the right time: before or after meals. Often, elders have advised against drinking water immediately after eating. But the question remains – does drinking water after meals cause weight gain, or is it merely a myth? Well, most of the answer to this question lies in digestion. Let’s take a deeper look.
What happens in our body during digestion?
The process of digestion begins as soon as you consume food. When you commence chewing, the body receives the signal to generate enzymes that aid in breaking down food. As food reaches the stomach, it forms a liquid called chyme, which is further broken down with the assistance of bile acids and the pancreatic digestive system. This process unfolds in the small intestine. Upon entering the small intestine, chyme is absorbed, leaving a small amount of food that eventually reaches the colon. Subsequently, nutrients travel to different body parts via the bloodstream and are excreted.
Drinking water after meals and weight gain
One of the well-known claims against drinking water after meals is its potential to disrupt digestion, potentially leading to weight gain. This is a gradual process. Drinking water after eating appears to dilute gastric juices and digestive enzymes, making it challenging for your body to digest food. It also accelerates the passage of food to the large intestine, affecting natural nutrient absorption in the body.
Consuming water after a meal alters the digestive process, resulting in quicker hunger pangs than usual. This can lead to overeating, potentially causing weight gain and bloating issues. Another widely recognized side effect of post-meal water consumption is reduced enzyme secretion due to gastric juice and digestive enzyme dilution, leading to acidity and heartburn.
Given that drinking water interferes with the digestion process, undigested food remains in the body. This undigested food contains glucose, which gets stored. It subsequently converts into fat, potentially causing insulin spikes and elevated blood sugar levels, eventually leading to obesity and weight gain.
It’s important to note that all the above assertions come from individual physicians. There is no scientific research conclusively proving a direct correlation between drinking water before, after, or during meals and weight gain.
What Traditional Medicine says about drinking immediately water after meals
According to traditional medicine practitioners (both Indian Ayurveda and Chinese medicine), you should consume water whenever your body signals thirst. In fact, it suggests that drinking water after meals can aid in breaking down food, facilitating nutrient absorption, and preventing constipation, indigestion, and bloating. Therefore, all online claims suggesting that drinking water after meals causes weight gain are unfounded.
Drinking Water After Meals
The human body can adjust enzyme secretion, negating the concerns about weight gain or fat storage after drinking water. Our bodies absorb water swiftly, and when it comes to digestion, they handle liquids and solid foods differently. Drinking water after meals does not affect the pace of digestion.
The Bottom Line
Correlation does not imply causation. The perception of weight gain based on a certain timing of water intake has been claimed by individuals could have resulted from other existing conditions, side-effects of certain food or medication, or an outcome of lifestyle decisions.
There is no definitive right or wrong way to drink water, as it has no significant impact on body weight or digestion issues. Listen to your body and do what feels best. For many individuals, drinking water before meals aids in weight loss by promoting a feeling of fullness. If you suspect that drinking water after meals is contributing to weight gain, consider moderate water intake during meals. So if you’re thirsty, go ahead and drink water; don’t stress excessively about weight.