Why can't you drink cold water with your food? Is it possible to drink water with food? Is it possible to drink fruit?

As you know, drinking eight glasses of water daily is a generally accepted norm. Hydration is important both for the internal environment of the body and for moisturizing the skin. However, a meal accompanied by heavy fluid intake will do more harm than good.

How drinking water and drinks disrupt digestion

Large amounts of liquid consumed during meals complicate the digestion process, as the stomach gradually increases in size. Scientists have concluded that drinks dilute gastric juice, and low stomach acidity leads to incomplete digestion. Excess liquid causes fats and oils to interact closely, resulting in their partial absorption. Drink no more than 200 ml of water per meal. If you have chronic diseases of the digestive tract and severe stomach upsets, then exclude any drinks during meals.

Milk, juices, fruit drinks, and cold drinks are not the best choice. Mixing lactose with other products provokes the occurrence of food allergies and inflammatory phenomena. Milk cannot be combined with any type of food, with the exception of spices and honey. Cold drinks consumed on an empty stomach or before a heavy lunch cause a feeling of weakness, fatigue, the abdominal muscles begin to actively contract, and small cramps appear.

Drinks with ice impair the body's ability to handle the fuel it receives. The process of interaction between ice water and internal organs can be compared to freezing. The latter slow down their work, all processes are suspended, and the body falls into some apathy. Food is not digested correctly, and we do not receive valuable substances and energy. Ice water also dulls the sensitivity of taste buds.

Additionally, when you drink chilled drinks, your body uses energy to warm the liquid that enters it. This limits the functionality of the internal systems that process food.

There are some advantages too. Drinking water during meals gives a false feeling of fullness, playing an important role in weight loss. By filling most of the stomach, it prevents the absorption of large portions. Warm water helps the salivary glands produce more saliva, unlike alcohol or acidic drinks, which have a negative effect, weakening the glands.

What should I do?

During meals, drink in small sips and little by little. This is an excellent way to cleanse the mouth of food debris and maintain natural hydration without harming the digestive system. To improve digestion, add a little lemon juice to water at room temperature.

If you feel thirsty during a meal, get into the healthy habit of drinking a glass of clean water 15-30 minutes before and after meals.

Replace sweet drinks with warm herbal tea. The closer the temperature of the liquid is to your body temperature, the easier it is to be absorbed into the body. A ginger drink after meals promotes the smooth passage of food through the gastrointestinal tract without irritating the digestive organs.

Stay hydrated. Start your day with a glass of clean water. Develop the habit of drinking between meals. You will feel toned and your body will receive sufficient hydration.

Make sure your food is not too salty, as this can make you thirstier.

This is interesting! Almost all vegetables and fruits are 80 percent water. Meat, fish, cheese, and even bread contain a significant percentage of liquid.

The right approach to nutrition

Eat soft and hard foods separately. Remember that you should chew fruits and vegetables up to 10 times, and meat and bread up to 30 times. Poor chewing in itself complicates the digestion process, because when chewing, the body releases many enzymes that facilitate the work of the stomach.

Enzyme supplements improve food digestion. If your body doesn't produce enough digestive enzymes, you will have trouble moving food through your gastrointestinal tract.

Eat small meals throughout the day. Instead of eating the first, second and dessert in one meal, divide them into several parts and eat them gradually, over time. Do not take breaks for more than 3-4 hours. This will protect you from weight gain and discomfort associated with a feeling of heaviness after eating.

Water is not an enemy to our body, but a source of life, and with a competent approach to natural life-giving force, we will only get positive changes on the path to health. Thoughtless consumption of even the healthiest foods leads to dire consequences. Take these little tricks as a rule and enjoy delicious dishes and your favorite drinks.

There is such a common stereotype: drinking with food means “quenching the fire of digestion.” Dmitry Pikul uses science to understand this topic.

It’s a little tiring of people’s desire to cling with all their might to the ridiculous dogmas hammered into their heads by the mass media, miracle nutritionists, fanatics, scoundrels and other active “brainwashers.”

At this particular moment, I am talking about the well-known unshakable Sheldonian-Ayurvedic dogma that water taken during or immediately/after eating dilutes gastric enzymes and acids, and also interferes with digestion and thereby “quenches the fire of digestion.”

Against the background of available scientific data on human physiology, this dogma looks at least ridiculous. Considering that many chemical reactions that occur with the participation of digestive enzymes, in fact, just the opposite, require water. As a matter of fact, both saliva and gastric juice consist of water, which, with the participation of a number of enzymes and sequential processes, break down food for its further digestion and absorption in the intestine.

In short and as a main conclusion: drink water whenever you want: before meals, immediately after, during, just before meals. Follow a reasonable measure, do not pour in a liter or more of water, it simply will not have time to leave the stomach, but this will not significantly affect acidity and digestion.

ABOUT THE PHYSIOLOGY OF DIGESTION: THE STOMACH

Anatomically, the stomach includes several sections - the cardial section of the stomach, the fundus of the stomach, the body of the stomach with the pacemaker zone, the antrum of the stomach, the pylorus, and then the duodenum begins.

Functionally, the stomach is divided into a proximal section (tonic contraction: food storage function) and a distal section (mixing and processing function).

In the proximal part of the stomach, tone is maintained, depending on the filling of the stomach. The main purpose of the proximal stomach is to store food that enters it.

When a portion of food enters the stomach, its relatively solid components are arranged in layers, and liquid and gastric juice flow around them from the outside and enter the distal part of the stomach. The food gradually moves towards the pylorus. The fluid is quickly evacuated into the duodenum, and its volume in the stomach decreases exponentially.

Solid food components do not pass through the pylorus until they are crushed to particles no larger than 2-3 mm in size; 90% of particles leaving the stomach have a diameter of no more than 0.25 mm. When the peristaltic waves reach the distal antrum, the pylorus contracts.

The pylorus, which forms the narrowest part of the stomach at its junction with the duodenum, closes even before the antrum is completely sealed off from the body of the stomach. Food is forced back into the stomach under pressure, causing solid particles to rub against each other and break down further.

Gastric emptying is regulated by the autonomic nervous system, intramural nerve plexuses and hormones. In the absence of impulses from the vagus nerve (for example, when it is cut), gastric peristalsis is significantly weakened and gastric emptying slows down.

Gastric peristalsis is enhanced by hormones such as cholecystokinin and, especially, gastrin, and is suppressed by secretin, glucagon, VIP and somatostatin.

Due to the free passage of fluid through the pylorus, the rate of its evacuation depends mainly on the pressure difference in the stomach and duodenum, and the main regulator is the pressure in the proximal stomach. Evacuation of solid food particles from the stomach depends mainly on the resistance of the pylorus, and, consequently, on the size of the particles. In addition to its filling, particle size and viscosity of the contents, small intestinal receptors play a role in regulating gastric emptying.

Acidic contents are evacuated from the stomach more slowly than neutral ones, hyperosmolar contents are evacuated more slowly than hypoosmolar ones, and lipids (especially those containing fatty acids with chains of more than 14 carbon atoms) are slower than the breakdown products of proteins (except tryptophan). Both nervous and hormonal mechanisms are involved in the regulation of evacuation, and secretin plays a particularly important role in its inhibition.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO DRINK WATER DURING MEALS, IMMEDIATELY BEFORE/AFTER MEALS?

There is one important property of the entire mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract - its ability to partially absorb water and transport it into the blood.

From the textbook “HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY,” edited by R. Schmidt and G. Tevs, volume 3.

Water drunk on an empty stomach does not linger in the proximal part of the stomach, but immediately enters its distal part, from where it is quickly evacuated into the duodenum.

Water drunk with food behaves exactly the same, i.e. does not linger in the proximal part of the stomach, enters its distal part, and the food taken at this time remains in the proximal part.

What is interesting is that liquid nutrient solutions (containing glucose) taken with food behave somewhat differently; they are preliminarily retained along with food in the proximal region.

There are quite a lot of scientific studies that have studied the speed of movement of various types of liquids from the stomach further through the digestive system. According to them, water in a volume of up to 300 ml leaves the stomach on average within 5-15 minutes.

Also, using MRI, scientists discovered that in the stomach and small intestine there are so-called “pockets” for storing water (their number in the small intestine can reach up to 20 (in a hungry state there are about 8, in the future their number can increase depending on the amount of liquid taken), they can hold from 1 to 160 ml of water), the stomach itself has a wall with folds that run along the wall of the stomach from the pylorus of the esophagus to the pylorus of the duodenum.

That is, water drunk while eating does not flow like a waterfall down the esophagus into the stomach, washing away mucus, gastric juices and enzymes on its way, as some may imagine, but gradually enters the stomach (in its distal section). Thus, 240 ml of water drunk on an empty stomach reaches the largest gastric pouch in full (by which scientists, in this case, mean the distal part of the stomach) only after 2 minutes.

DOES WATER QUANTIFY THE “FIRE OF DIGESTION”?

Let's move on to the pH of the stomach and the allegedly catastrophic effect of water taken with food on it.

Water taken during meals (as well as immediately before/after meals) does not have any significant effect on either the acidity (pH level) in the stomach or the functioning of enzymes in gastric juice. The stomach is a rather complex mechanism, which in a healthy person is quite capable of independently regulating the required concentration of gastric juice, and taking a reasonable amount of water during this period, on the contrary, will most likely improve its functioning.

The pH value in the gastrointestinal tract is a function of many variables, including eating conditions, timing, volume and content of food, and volume of secretions, and varies along the length of the gastrointestinal tract.

In humans, gastric pH in the fasted state ranges from 1–8, with typical average values being 1–2.

After eating, the pH value in the stomach rises to values of 6.0–7.0, and gradually decreases to fasting pH values after about 4 hours, depending on factors such as the composition of the food, its quantity and the individual pH level.

pH values in the stomach in a fed state vary in the range of 2.7–6.4.

WATER TAKEN ON AN EAST SCHAR

Water taken on an empty stomach seems to have little effect on the pH level of gastric juice. In one study, scientists simulated the state of an empty stomach, 20 minutes after the introduction of 250 ml of water, the pH level was 2.4, after 60 minutes the pH value dropped to 1.7.

But we remember that water in the stomach of a living person does not stay that long, and the indicated volume of liquid, depending on various factors, will be released into the duodenum in a maximum of 30 minutes.

There are quite a few scientific studies where researchers measured stomach acid levels in patients who took water either on an empty stomach or with food, or before or after surgery. Data from all these studies suggest that gastric pH is not significantly altered by drinking water.

For example, in one study, it was found that drinking 300 ml of water on an empty stomach 2 hours before surgery in obese patients did not affect gastric fluid volume and pH levels, both when drinking on an empty stomach and in combination with food .

WATER TAKEN WITH FOOD

The very act of eating, due to the launch of a number of processes (even at the stage of anticipation of eating, visualization, the smell of food, developed reflexes - hello to Professor I.P. Pavlov and his dogs), affects the level of acidity: it grows. And it decreases over time.

Thus, after taking a standard meal of 1000 kcal, an increase in pH to ~5 was found. After 60 minutes, the pH was about 3, and after another 2 hours the pH dropped to 2 or lower.

CONCLUSION:

Water, in fact, is crucial for digestion.

Drink water whenever you want: before meals, immediately after, during, just before meals. Follow a reasonable measure, do not pour in a liter or more of water, it simply will not have time to leave the stomach, but this will not significantly affect acidity and digestion.

If you are thirsty, drink. Thirst is the best indicator that your body needs more water. And, in fact, if you feel good drinking water with your food, then continue to do so if you want.

Water (or any drink consisting primarily of water) serves several functions during a meal, including:

– improving the transport of food particles through the esophagus into the stomach;

– help in washing away large pieces of food;

– helping acids and enzymes gain access to food particles.

Today, debates continue as to whether it is possible to drink during and after meals. The opinions of doctors and nutritionists are divided: some talk about the dangers of drinking any liquid while eating food, while others argue that there is nothing dangerous in this, focusing on the fact that it is worse to eat dry food. Let's try to unbiasedly understand this and other issues related to drinking liquid during and after meals. But first, let’s figure out how our stomach works, which many associate with a vat filled with hydrochloric acid, in which food “seethes,” “boils,” and gradually dissolves. In fact, the grinding of food in the stomach is ensured not only by hydrochloric acid and gastric enzymes, but also directly by the mucous membranes of this mobile organ, which contracts. Thus, upon entering the stomach, food swells for several hours, grinds mechanically against each other and against the mucous membranes of the stomach, resulting in the formation of a digested food mass (or semi-liquid chyme). In this case, the stomach is designed in such a way that digested food does not interfere with the movement of fluid along the gastric walls. In addition, water leaves the stomach a maximum of 25 minutes after drinking it (provided that you did not wash down a portion of mashed potatoes with a cutlet with a liter of water). Therefore, it is a mistake to believe that water accelerates the movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract, thereby preventing its digestion and promoting putrefactive processes in the intestines. You should not blame the water you drink during a meal for the fact that your stool is upset, your stomach is sick or swollen. All these symptoms can be triggered by the foods you consumed or by disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract.

Water dilutes gastric juice

Another argument against drinking water with food is that liquid dilutes digestive juices and reduces the amount of gastric enzymes needed to fully digest food.

It has been proven that water does not have a significant effect on either the pH level in the stomach or the work and quantity of enzymes.

Firstly, hydrochloric acid is constantly released, and therefore if water reduces its concentration in the stomach, it does so for a short time. In addition, it is extremely difficult to dilute gastric juice.

Secondly, if you adhere to this point of view, then for good digestion it is necessary to reduce the consumption of foods containing large quantities of water. For example, oranges and pineapples are more than 80% water.

Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract

Doctors say that the parallel consumption of food and water leads to the fact that a person swallows more air than he should. And this is fraught with bloating and flatulence.

In addition, if we wash down food, we chew it less thoroughly and swallow faster, which is why large pieces of poorly digested and crushed food enter the intestines, which can cause constipation and inflammation.

It's hard to argue with that. BUT! If you chew your food thoroughly, if you drink it in small sips and with a small amount of water, then all these troubles can be avoided!

Dry food

Human organs constantly secrete and absorb water. And the stomach is no exception. If we eat dry food, the stomach secretes more fluid in the mouth, stomach and intestines to pass and process food.

If you do not drink liquid during meals, the body will provide the digestive process through the circulatory system. Simply put, the blood will give up some of the fluid so that the stomach can function fully.

Question: Why strain our organs to secrete fluid when we can easily solve this problem by simply drinking water?

Therefore, the answer is simple: dry food is not only possible, but must be washed down!

Benefits of water after meals

We figured out that food washed down with water will not deal a crushing blow to the body, especially if this very body is healthy. Will this combination be beneficial?

Water softens solid food, which makes it easier to grind and digest.

A small amount of water drunk during or after meals improves the passage of food through the esophagus.

Water prevents constipation because it softens the stool.

Water helps absorb nutrients, vitamins and minerals that come into the body with food.

In addition, drinking water during meals cleanses the taste buds, thereby allowing you to experience the rich taste of each dish.

BUT! You should always remember to have a sense of proportion! Drinking large amounts of liquid with meals will increase the volume of gastric contents and increase pressure on the stomach walls, which can trigger the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD), especially if there is a history of gastrointestinal diseases.

How much water can you drink during meals? We answer: no more than 200 ml.

What can and cannot be taken with food?

If you wash down your food with water, it should be at room temperature. Cold drinks irritate the gastric mucosa, increasing its secretion. This is especially true for fatty foods, because cold drinks contribute to the solidification of fat, which will accumulate on the walls of the stomach, disrupting its functioning, which can cause nausea, heartburn, belching, bloating and heaviness in the stomach.

It is best to drink water with regular purified water. But sweet carbonated drinks, alcohol (especially strong), sour juices and lemonade are not suitable for these purposes.

Is it possible to drink tea with food?

Black tea contains tannins, which prevent not only the absorption of food, but also proteins in the body. In addition, tea reduces the concentration of gastric juice, which leads to slower digestion. But if you cannot resist a cup of aromatic tea after a meal, give preference to green tea.

Is it possible to drink kefir with food?

It’s possible, say doctors and nutritionists. Kefir improves digestion, saturates the stomach with beneficial bacteria and enters into a slightly acidic reaction, without diluting the gastric juice.

Always listen to your body! If, when drinking kefir, you do not experience any discomfort, then you can safely consume this product while eating.

Is it possible to drink milk with food?

Opinions on this issue differed. Some say that dairy products enhance the processes of fermentation and putrefaction in the body, and therefore you should not drink food with them. Nutritionists recommend drinking milk 20-30 minutes before meals, which will ensure better absorption. At the same time, milk goes best with porridge and mashed potatoes.

But it’s better not to drink salted, smoked, meat and fish dishes, as well as fresh vegetables, with milk if you don’t want to have an upset stomach.

It should also be said that calcium, which dairy products are rich in, interferes with the absorption of iron, which is abundant in meat.

To summarize, we can draw the following conclusion: if you feel thirsty while eating, if you eat dry food, which makes you feel uncomfortable, you should not train your willpower and refuse water. Moreover, more than 70% of a person consists of this liquid!

Every time I eat, there is a cup with some liquid next to me. Tea, coffee, milk, juice or mineral water - it doesn’t matter. This has long become a habit that I can’t get rid of. I have heard many times about how harmful it is to wash down food. But to be honest, I didn’t think much about it. We’ll find out everything specifically from the experts. However, as it turned out, such a seemingly harmless habit can result in serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The fact is that the moment we eat something, juice is released in the stomach, which helps digest food. And the moment we wash down food, gastric juice, which is essentially acid, becomes diluted, which ultimately leads to slower digestion and poor absorption of food. Therefore, nutritionists advise drinking half an hour before meals and no earlier than an hour after it. The only exception to the rule is very dry food. But you can only drink it with a small amount of water.

True, if you just can’t get rid of this habit, then nutritionists advise:

● wash down your food only , because cold drinking increases intestinal motility and food leaves the stomach too quickly without having time to be completely digested. And even if you eat a lot, your stomach will again require food after a short period of time. What is much worse is that poorly digested food, when it enters the intestines, can lead to fermentation and rotting processes, which will harm your body. It is especially harmful to drink fatty foods with cold drinks - this is a direct path to pancreatitis; ● half an hour before meals, the best option would be vegetable or fruit. And ideally - freshly squeezed; ● Do not drink coffee, soda or strong alcohol on an empty stomach. But with beer the situation is just the opposite. Drinking a glass (but no more!) of beer on an empty stomach will drain the stomach and remove excess mucus from it, which is very useful for some types of gastritis. This drink also helps activate the secretion of gastric juice. But you can’t drink fatty foods (kebabs, sausages) with beer. Replace it with a glass of red wine. Wine stimulates digestion and helps absorb fatty foods; ● It’s good to drink a glass of plain water in the morning on an empty stomach. This procedure will help the body wake up and the digestive system begin its work; ● Never wash down your food with soda, sweet juice or tea (contains tannins that can reduce the digestibility of foods). Only with plain water. This is ideal; ● You should not drink food with milk, it causes fermentation processes in the intestines; ● Fermented milk products are considered not as a drink, but as food! Therefore, they can be safely combined with almost any type of food.

Let's summarize. You need to drink at least half an hour before meals and no earlier than an hour after it. The ideal option would be juice (apple, tomato). You can wash down your food, but only if it is very dry. But exclusively with ordinary water without gas (not cold). Or herbal tea without sugar. It is also recommended to drink a glass of plain water in the morning on an empty stomach. But fermented milk products (for example, kefir) can be consumed both during and after meals. Such products go well with almost any food.

Remember these simple rules and be healthy!

There are contraindications, consult your doctor.

Many people don’t think much about this, others take it for granted to have tea after every meal, and still others are categorically against drinking food. Thus, this simple question has been the subject of controversy and lively debate for many years. So is it possible to wash down food, and, if so, what?

Pros and cons

Currently, there are two opposing opinions regarding the use of liquid during meals. According to one point of view, any liquid entering the stomach, where the digestion process is actively occurring, reduces the concentration of digestive juices, dilutes the contents of the stomach, and this leads to a slowdown in digestion and a decrease in the absorption of nutrients. Logical? Without a doubt.

But there is another side to the coin. There is an assumption that if a person feels thirsty while eating, it means that his body needs fluid. Our body always reacts objectively to discomfort; it cannot “make mistakes” or simply “want something I don’t know what.” In light of this, ignoring such signals seems wrong. This concept also makes a certain sense...

Thus, today the question of drinking liquid during meals cannot receive a clear answer. If you take a neutral position, you can assume that small amounts are acceptable. What about specific drinks?

Water

If you go to any restaurant or cafe, a carafe of water and a glass will be placed on the table in front of you so that you can wash down your food. In some cases, if the food is spicy or very dry, this comes in handy, as it makes the food easier to digest and helps avoid the discomfort associated with feeling thirsty or being unable to chew a particularly dry piece. But if you drink a lot, it can disrupt digestion and cause a feeling of heaviness in the stomach. So, if you feel very thirsty before you even sit down at the table, it is better to drink some water about half an hour before meals.

Milk

As a child, mothers and grandmothers often forced us to drink milk after meals, believing that it was good for a growing body. Milk does have great nutritional value, but again, you should not consume it in large quantities. If the body asks for fluid - please, if it doesn’t ask - it means there is no need to insist.

The only situation in which it is definitely not recommended to drink milk with food is if you have eaten fruit. When fruit acids interact with milk components, it curdles, and substances are formed that have a strong stimulating effect on peristalsis. Sometimes this can result in diarrhea, although if your bowels are functioning well, you may not have this problem. The same can be said about fresh vegetables (remember the famous combination of milk and cucumbers).

Kefir

It would seem that there is no particular difference between kefir and milk, but no one will say a word against drinking fermented milk products with food. Kefir improves digestion and contains beneficial bacteria; In addition, it has a slightly acidic reaction and therefore does not greatly dilute gastric juice. So, no matter what food you eat, you can safely put a large glass of kefir on the table next to your plate.

Soda

Gas bubbles improve the process of food absorption. At the same time, sparkling water is usually sweet, and in excess the carbohydrates it contains can interfere with the absorption of other nutrients. In addition, soda, if drunk in large quantities, creates a feeling of heaviness in the stomach and can “reward” a person with belching, which is quite unpleasant. So, if you drink such drinks after or during a meal, you should follow the restrictions in “dosages”.

Ideally, sweet carbonated water should be replaced with mineral water - it will improve the quality of food digestion and will not cause any harm. True, it is better not to drink highly alkaline mineral water with food: this can lead to an increase in pH in the stomach and difficulty digesting proteins and fats.

They say that if you drink meat or fish with it, in other words, protein foods, this will lead to dysbiosis, pancreatitis and other diseases. We wouldn't be so categorical. Of course, ideally, juice should be drunk before meals, so that under its action the secretion of the digestive glands increases and the stomach prepares for the upcoming meal. However, if you drink a little juice during your meal, it will not significantly disrupt the functioning of the digestive system. You eat salads from fresh vegetables at lunch, and this does not lead to fatal consequences...

The only point is that they often prefer to serve juice cold, and this is unsafe. If you drink any cold liquid in combination with a fatty meal, congealed droplets of fat can form in the stomach, and this will slow down the evacuation of the contents into the duodenum, create discomfort and possibly even cause nausea.

Tea coffee

Whatever the opponents of tea drinking and coffee may say, many people drink these drinks after meals, and nothing bad happens to them. Too much coffee and tea is, of course, unnecessary, but you can afford a small cup. Coffee in general has a fairly strong stimulating effect on the secretion of acid-forming cells in the stomach, so in healthy people it even helps improve digestion.

To summarize, we can say that, in principle, Moreover, refusing water or another available drink at a time when a person is thirsty can cause more damage to health than drinking food. So, ; For this, either fermented milk drinks or a small amount of boiled water at room temperature are ideal.

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