Do you drink beverages before, during or after eating?

[Bubblingbrownshuga]

I have found conflicting sources on this whole debate of when to drink and eat. What are your thoughts?

[sunshinelady]

I try not to drink during a meal. I also try to eat in order of meats, carbs, sweets. It is supposed to help with digestion.

[pressncurl]

All of the above. Where is this information about it making a difference when you drink?

[Nonie]

I don't know where I got this info but I remember hearing that drinking while you eat (unless it's just enough to make the food moist enough to swallow) dilutes your digestive juices (eg gastric juice in your stomach) making it hard to digest your food. I do know that when I was wondering how it is possible to drink 8 glass of water a day, I was given a formula that didn't seem to go against the warning not to drink while you eat. The advice was to drink a glass of water on waking and one half an hour before breakfast. Then one 2 hours after breakfast...and one 1/2 an hour before lunch. One 2 hours after lunch and one 1/2 an hour before dinner. Finally one 2 hours after dinner and one before bed. I assume the space between the drinks was to ensure that when you were eating, there was no dilution of the digestive juices. *shrug*

It made sense to me, although I'll confess that I don't always adhere to that. But if I'm having digestive issue (constipation or gas or anything like that), I do try watch what I eat and to eat slowly savoring each bite and thinking about what my chewing is doing (providing a wider surface area for enzymes and digestive juices to work). And when I'm this focused on my eating, I do try not to drown each mouthful with gulps of a drink...just so I can be sure that proper and thorough digestion is taking place. :look:

[sunshinelady]

All of the above. Where is this information about it making a difference when you drink?

I think I got it from a book on macrobiotics. It was years ago, so I don't really remember.

[lilmsjanet]

i do! i do it to loose weight i drink 3 34oz bottles of water befor during and after every meal i eat cuz it really cuts down on the snakeage inbetween trust me:yep:

[Avaya]

I don't know where I got this info but I remember hearing that drinking while you eat (unless it's just enough to make the food moist enough to swallow) dilutes your digestive juices (eg gastric juice in your stomach) making it hard to digest your food.



I believe this too because when I drink during a meal, I get reflux and my food does not want to stay down. To combat this, I drink after a meal and I don't get that back up feeling. Drinking before makes me feel bloated and I can't really eat like I want to.

[msdeevee]

I was told by a weight loss coach not to drink during meals. She said if you stop drinking during meals you will never have heartburn again.

Also, weight loss surgery patients are told not to drink during meals.

I don't know all the science behind it though.

[poookie]

hmm, this is interesting. :yep:

usually i'll take a sip of water every couple of bites. it helps to fill me up faster, and helps me eat a bit less.

[morehairplease]

this is interesting. I have always wondered why I get heartburn when I eat.

[queen_t]

I tend to finish my food first, then drink. Ultimately, if you drink while you eat, your fooling your stomach into thinking you're full.

[PinkSkates]

I was taught that it is better to drink before and after meals than with them. Because when you drink with your meals you weaken the digestive juices and they are not powerful enough to digest your foods. Half-an-hour before or after your meals you should drink liquids.

[didirose]

Drinking after meals is recomended to help digest food better. However, drinking with meals is recomended to help protect the teeth from the acid and sugar found in drinks. In the end it's up to the consumer of beverage/meal to pick their area of greatest concern or just do a mixture of the two. Some foods are very water heavy and don't require a beverage but other foods are either very dry or spicy and require a couple of sips to protect against choking or mouth burning.

[cheetarah1980]

I do all three. Whenever I go out I always drink water with my meals.

[KEWLKAT103]

Water before and/or after.
If I'm having wine, during.

[Buttercreme]

I was taught that it is better to drink before and after meals than with them. Because when you drink with your meals you weaken the digestive juices and they are not powerful enough to digest your foods. Half-an-hour before or after your meals you should drink liquids.


I drink before meals mainly because it helps make my belly feel full faster.

When I was pregnant, I vomited alot. My ob/gyn said not to drink during meals because it triggers vomiting if your already nauseous. So I can see how this would also lessen heartburn

[SleekandBouncy]

I was raised to drink beforehand because my parents said drinking it while eating or directly after diluted the digestive enzymes and also resulted in my stomach producing excess in order to break down the food.