Sorry, moms of the world. You’re just flat-out wrong. If your mother has scared you off from drinking water while you eat, fearing that you won’t digest properly if you do, we’ve got news: that, dearest mother, is a myth.
It has been long believed that drinking water while eating will interfere with and dilute one’s digestive juices. If this were true, then the breakdown of food and nutrient absorption would be impaired. Plus, some even argue that drinking water while eating a meal causes massive bloating and can even slow down the emptying of the stomach.
Who knew drinking water could be so harmful, huh? It turns out that it’s actually not.
The Washington Post’s Ellie Krieger talked to Tamara Duker Freuman, registered dietitian and author of The Bloated Belly Whisperer, about the long-standing water vs. digestion myth. It’s “totally false,” Freuman said.
However, the amount of water and speed at which you drink it while eating could potentially affect your digestion — just not as majorly as Mom made us believe. Basically, this myth spawned from the misunderstanding of how exactly the digestive system works, Krieger wrote on April 22nd. So, let’s clear up some wonky health science, shall we?
When we chew our food, we’re actually beginning the digestion process in our mouths. The enzymes in our saliva begin to break down the food while we chew. Then, when we swallow, that chewed food is exposed to acidic gastric juices in the stomach.
Those juices break the food down some more before the food travels to the small intestine. Here, it gets mixed with enzymes and bile acids, while about 75% of its nutrients are absorbed into the body.
Whatever is left of the broken-down food is pulled into the large intestine and colon, and is eventually excreted.
As Krieger noted, water really doesn’t have a chance to interfere with this process. It’s usually absorbed by the stomach within 20 minutes of being consumed, leaving little time for dilution of those stomach acids.
“Even if you had a stomach full of water, it would not interfere with digestion of the food,” Deborah D. Proctor, governing board member of the American Gastroenterological Association, told Krieger. Enzymes are adept at adhering to food whether or not water is present — it’s what they’re designed to do, after all.
Although water being consumed during digestion will neutralize the stomach acids for a few moments, the stomach will produce more acid to continue the process.
As for the myth that water hinders the pace of food moving through the intestine, the opposite is actually true. Water can help soften foods and aid it its route down the esophagus.
Plus, being hydrated is crucial for the body to eliminate waste — it keeps stool soft and enables it to travel through the bowels.
As mentioned, drinking water before a meal could make one feel bloated and full. Although this might seem beneficial to those looking to lose weight, you may miss out on necessary nutrients if you supplement a full meal with a couple cups of water and half portions.
The best way to consume water during mealtimes is slowly. Take small sips while eating, and be sure not to swallow a lot of air while drinking. This could cause a serious gas problem.
Like, for example, don’t do this. No matter how thirsty you are, don’t shoot water into your mouth like this kid did.
Also, don’t do this. Drink water every day, people!
Now that the myth has been dispelled, make drinking water your passion. Do it during mealtimes, snack times, and all the times in between.
I love drinking water, drinking water is my passion
— 13 (@SvdPunk) April 18, 2019
Including during gum-chewing time. Even though it feels like breathing icy fire.
When your chewing gum and take a sip of water (this is probably already a meme but i just thought of it now when i was chewing gum and drinking water please don’t roast me) pic.twitter.com/HLLQdgjypc
— Smush Parker (@xMouthpiece23) April 18, 2019
Peeing frequently means that you’re hydrated. Unless you haven’t been drinking enough water. In that case, call your doctor.
Honestly, yes. Let’s get this trending.
i love drinking water so much just call me an H2-HOE
— royce - wolverines.bsky.social (@_royce) April 22, 2019
Now, we’re not telling you to be rude and tell your mom she’s wrong about drinking and eating at the same time. But kindly inform her of the facts, in a non-mansplaining way.
And then cheers to health and good hydration. Bottoms up!
Feel free to drink water whenever you’d like. Just do so slowly and strategically to make sure you’re absorbing all the good nutrients in your meal.
