Many Ayurvedic experts suggest that water should be consumed half an hour after meals. Due to this, the body gets the ability to properly absorb the nutrients in the food. Ayurveda says that drinking lukewarm water is very good for digestion.
We all know that drinking water is good for health. Water helps to facilitate digestion, increase blood flow in the body and flush out fat. Have a habit of drinking water with meals? Many people do not drink water while eating because drinking water with meals can lead to weight gain and digestive problems such as bloating.
Probably one of the most common sights you see on a daily basis is that tall glass of water next to your plate of food. While some people think it is necessary to have a glass of water especially cold water with your meals, this habit could be highly damaging to your health. Here are six reasons why you should avoid drinking water along with your meals:
Your stomach contains digestive acids that help in the digestion and breakdown of food. Apart from this, these juices are also responsible for killing any infectious agents that might be ingested along with food. Also known as the 'digestive fire' (according to Ayurvedic texts) these digestive enzymes are essential for our overall well-being as they also allow the stomach to contract and pulverize the food we eat. When this fire is diluted with water, it not only dulls the entire system but may cause cramping of the intestinal wall in some individuals. This stagnation of the entire digestive process allows food to remain in the stomach for longer and slows the process of passing digested food into the small intestine for the absorption of nutrients. In a statement to TOI Shonali Sabherwal, Macrobiotic counselor said, 'Our stomachs have a knack of knowing when you will eat and starts releasing digestive juices immediately. If you start drinking water at the same time, what you are actually doing is diluting the digestive juices being released to digest your food, thereby hindering them from breaking down food.'
Your saliva is the first step to digestion. Not only does it contain enzymes that help break down food, but it also helps stimulate the stomach to release digestive enzymes and ready itself for the process of digestion. When you drink water during your meals, your saliva gets diluted. This not only sends weaker signals to the stomach but also stops the breakdown of food in your mouth making digestion that much more difficult.
Many Ayurvedic experts suggest that water should be consumed half an hour after meals. Due to this, the body gets the ability to properly absorb the nutrients in the food. Ayurveda says that drinking lukewarm water is very good for digestion.
Nutritionist Bhuvan Rastogi says in a video shared on his Instagram that there is no scientific evidence that water should not be consumed during meals. Many people believe that drinking water with food dilutes digestive enzymes and affects digestion. Bhuvan said there is currently no scientific evidence to support this.
She said that not drinking water has already been proven to lead to health problems like dehydration, chronic constipation, acidity, kidney stones and UTIs.
Cold drinks or gas-filled drinks should be avoided with meals. It suppresses gastric secretion and adversely affects digestion. Lemonade and ginger water with mint are healthy drinks that you can have with your meals. Lemon water helps improve digestion.
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