Does drinking water after meals cause digestive disorders?

Drinking enough water is always recommended to help the body metabolize better. However, there are some opinions that drinking water after eating causes digestive problems. So, is drinking water after eating good? How long after eating should we drink water?

1. What are the effects of drinking water during meals?

In the past, it was often believed
that drinking water while eating would dilute the gastric juice or cause digestive problems. But if we have that habit, how long after eating should we drink water to ensure safety? Most advice suggests that drinking water at least 30 minutes after eating is suitable for the functioning of organs in the body.

However, scientific studies have not proven any cause of digestive disorders when drinking water during and immediately after meals. Here is a discovery about the effects when you use water with meals:

• Changes in stomach acid levels
According to many folk beliefs and experiences, water used during meals will dilute acid in the stomach. However, from the perspective of science and clinical analysis evidence, water has almost no effect on the concentration of acid in the stomach.

• Impact on the digestive system but the level is different for each person

Drinking water before, during or after eating is not a common habit for everyone. However, children tend to like to drink water while eating, while adults choose before or after meals. The reactions of drinking water on the digestive system are not too obvious. Sometimes it happens depending on each person's constitution.

Some people say that they feel bloated and flatulent when drinking water during each meal. However, this has not been proven to be true or has any convincing evidence. Experts believe that this symptom may appear due to the psychological effect of drinking water causing digestive disorders.

• Creating a feeling of fullness helps you lose weight by limiting the amount of calories you take in

Many people who follow a weight loss diet maintain the habit of drinking water before meals. This is a way to fill the space in the stomach to help you feel full and not want to eat too much during the main meal. With this method, you will limit the amount of calories you take in from food and achieve weight loss without harming your health.

2. How does drinking water after meals affect the digestive system

Drinking enough water is an action to ensure the health of each of us. But questions about whether drinking water after eating is good or not have made many people hesitate. You can drink water at any time without worrying that this will affect the digestive system. In fact, drinking water has the effect of increasing the ability to digest food in the intestines.

Water is a liquid that helps soften food or break down their large structures to make it easier for the body to absorb nutrients. At the same time, it is also considered a carrier that helps food move quickly to the intestines for digestion. Therefore, many people believe that drinking enough water will help you prevent the risk of constipation and indigestion.

Water affects appetite or the ability to absorb calories no longer depending on the subject. Water is studied to contain no calories but creates a feeling of fullness when you drink a glass before a meal. Therefore, maintaining the habit of drinking water before eating will make you feel full and eat less.

3. Benefits of drinking water after eating

You can drink water while eating without any restrictions. Sometimes the foods we use or dishes such as soup are all a different state of water. Therefore, the act of drinking water before, during or after meals is healthy and does not harm your health.

You can absolutely drink water after eating as long as your body feels comfortable. At the same time, if you maintain this habit, you will receive the following benefits:

• Water helps liquefy and soften food in the stomach
• Water increases the body's ability to absorb nutrients
• Thanks to its ability to soften food, drinking enough water every day will reduce the risk of constipation
• Drinking water creates a feeling of fullness, helping you reduce the amount of calories you take in
• Water acts as a carrier to move food through the digestive system more easily
• Optimizing the hydration process helps the body increase its metabolism

Thus, it cannot be concluded whether drinking water after eating is good or not because it depends on each person's body. However, drinking water does not cause digestive disorders but also helps supports better digestion and body detoxification.

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