Good digestive health is a vital component of a healthy life. As it can make or break your entire health. Good digestive health contributes to good heart health, brain health, strong immune system, healthy sleep and improved mood. Compromised digestive health not only makes it difficult to digest food but muscle building supplements such as whey protein supplements too. Meaning you can’t achieve your desired body and fitness goals with bad digestive health.
So, in this article, we will be discussing a basic thing that most people do wrong by drinking water with their meals, which interfere with the digestive fire and make it difficult for the body to digest the meal. Over the years this habit can sabotage your digestive health.
Gives you dry mouth
Having a glass of water with a meal can dry your saliva. Saliva works as a healthy drink for the oral environment. Dry mouth can cause unpleasant symptoms such as the bad breath. If you are someone who drinks lemon water with a meal or too much during the day, then don’t as it can cause conditions like acid reflux and damage your teeth enamel.
Slow down nutrients absorption
Drinking water during meals dilutes the digestive juices and affects the stomach’s natural acidity level. This prevents the food from breaking down properly, and the food will sit in the stomach for a longer period. Making it slowly pass through the small intestine and fewer nutrients being absorbed.
Cause acidity
Having water with meals increases the pressure on the stomach, just like a large meal would. This can worsen certain health conditions and increase the acid reflux risk. Because drinking water during meals causes the body to secrete few digestive enzymes and can cause chain reactions of side effects such as heartburn. Also check customwater.com for the best bottled water online.
May cause weight gain
Drinking water with meals also impacts your digestive juices and its ability to increase the insulin amount in the body leading to weight gain. Also, the body can’t digest the food properly so it converts into fat and makes you gain weight.
How to avoid having water during your meals
It can be difficult to break this habit, but here are some tips that can help you overcome it.
Have water half an hour before your meal
Having water 30 minutes before a meal is the most effective way to keep yourself hydrated. It also makes you feel full so that you don’t end up having a few calories.
Chew your food properly
Well-chewed food is easy for the stomach to digest, and the more you chew, the more your urge to drink water will decrease as the body will produce more saliva.
Have less salty meals
Salty food tends to make you thirsty, so it is better to go for foods that have less sodium.
Eat slowly
If you are grabbing a quick snack on your way to work or you are eating your lunch in a hurry because of a deadline, chances are it will make you feel thirsty, and you will end up drinking water to wash the food with water.
Conclusion
Do you have water while eating? Or can you have your entire meal without drinking water? Feel free to share with us in the comments section below.