Water After a Meal, Myth?

[adzy]

Hey lads, I've just heard that drinking water while eating or just after eating could be costly to our digestive system. The theory states that this water will dilute your stomach acids which begin the digestive process. This in turn puts more work onto the intestines and thus less nutrients will be absorbed.

I don't have any studies to reference, this is just a myth I thought i might put out there.

Thought, opinions??

[StangLaw]

Thats a good question. I did a google search and some said don't do it and some said do. First one i looked at said drinking water does what you said, the other site said that drinking water during a meal helps the digestive process. Jeez...

[adzy]

We must of looked at the same web sites, come on guys anyone ever heard of this?

[BJJ]

Drinking water during your meal will help one's stomach to empty itself, simply.
Drinking water after a meal, will slow down one's digestive process.
Water must be drunk before starting a meal.

The key is to eat macros in the correct sequence: first proteins, then carbs and then greens.

[adzy]

Thanks for that BJJ, those were the kind of answers i was looking for!

Have to say i didn't know anything about the order of my macros, whats the theory behind this?

[Mr.Rose]

Not trying to undermine you BJJ, but i don't think it makes a difference when you drink/eat.

Say you eat withing a 30min period from your first bite to your last. Well the stomach takes 2-3 hours to empty itself after a meal. So if i was to drink water before, after or during my meal, it would not make a difference as your stomach will churn it up and mix it into one big ball of 'goo'. Same goes with your macro's, i don't think it makes a difference, because again your body will mix it all up evenly in the stomach, so the order makes no difference.

I think drinking a lot of water during a meal will over-stretch your stomach, causing it to be unable to contract and churn efficiently, which may reduce the amount of mechanical digestion experienced by your food, as well as the diluted HCL may slow chemical digestion.

[BJJ]

Thanks for that BJJ, those were the kind of answers i was looking for!

Have to say i didn't know anything about the order of my macros, whats the theory behind this?

It is all about insulin spikes control, and carbs before inhibit the enzyme peptidase (proteolysis).

[BJJ]

Not trying to undermine you BJJ, but i don't think it makes a difference when you drink/eat.

Say you eat withing a 30min period from your first bite to your last. Well the stomach takes 2-3 hours to empty itself after a meal. So if i was to drink water before, after or during my meal, it would not make a difference as your stomach will churn it up and mix it into one big ball of 'goo'. Same goes with your macro's, i don't think it makes a difference, because again your body will mix it all up evenly in the stomach, so the order makes no difference.

I think drinking a lot of water during a meal will over-stretch your stomach, causing it to be unable to contract and churn efficiently, which may reduce the amount of mechanical digestion experienced by your food, as well as the diluted HCL may slow chemical digestion.

A free forum to express free opinions.

[Mr.Rose]

.

I really would like some facts though, instead of my own opinions. .

Oh well, we got to wait for muscle science, but he seems to have fallen of the face of the earth. shame.

[Swifto]

Not trying to undermine you BJJ, but i don't think it makes a difference when you drink/eat.

Say you eat withing a 30min period from your first bite to your last. Well the stomach takes 2-3 hours to empty itself after a meal. So if i was to drink water before, after or during my meal, it would not make a difference as your stomach will churn it up and mix it into one big ball of 'goo'. Same goes with your macro's, i don't think it makes a difference, because again your body will mix it all up evenly in the stomach, so the order makes no difference.

I think drinking a lot of water during a meal will over-stretch your stomach, causing it to be unable to contract and churn efficiently, which may reduce the amount of mechanical digestion experienced by your food, as well as the diluted HCL may slow chemical digestion.

If your talking about smaller more frequent meals over fewer larger meals, I dont buy into the bullshit either.

Then there's the total amount of protein you can digest/assimulate in one sitting. Another myth.

I tend to drink my wate proir to eating a solid meal. Perhaps 20-30mins proir. But then, I also tend to sip water or water/lemon/parsley when eating or after.

I dont think it matters. The overall goal is to stay hydrated. I you do that by whichever means, who cares if you eat with your meal's or you dont.

[LatissimusaurousRex]

I drink a lot of water, all day. If when you drink however much water actually has any kind of impact on somebodys nutrient intake I would think it would be minmal at most. If you want to monitor your water intake go for it, but ask a pro about his water intake regarding this subject and I'm sure they'll say you're being rediculous.

[adzy]

mmm a lot of different opinion out there, I don't think there will me any kind of conclusion met.

Swifto, are you saying that rather than consuming the traditional 6-7 meals, 2-3 hours apart, you'd rather just eat say 3-4 bigger meals at larger intervals?

[Swifto]

mmm a lot of different opinion out there, I don't think there will me any kind of conclusion met.

Swifto, are you saying that rather than consuming the traditional 6-7 meals, 2-3 hours apart, you'd rather just eat say 3-4 bigger meals at larger intervals?

Yeah, pretty much.

Your body is still going to digest all of the protein, but it will take a little longer. It wont digest 40g of protein and excrete the rest. The body doesnt work like that. Its far more effiecient than we give it credit for.

I've switched to eating fewer, larger meals recently and noticed no loss in anything.

It can be harder to eat fewer, larger meals as after I want to go to bed. Many split the meals into things more managable because they become 'full'. If your eating less frequently you may also get hungry inbetween meals. However, I'm not eating every 2 hours, I'm eating every 3-4 now. If your busy, its better IMHO. And its a myth that the body can only digest X amount of protein in one sitting.

[awesome1]

I mix some of my meals up in a blender.
(like chicken+water+oats, or brown rice + water + tilapia)

it all goes in the same cause it all comes out the same boys.

[Twist]

I think the 3-4 meals has more to do with being able to eat the amount of food required to hit macro goals. 1,000 calorie meal of clean cals is bigger than my stomach. Smaller meals is useful for gaining weight by getting more cals in through more meals, and it is useful for loosing weight by reducing hunger.

If you can get it all in in three meals I say go for it.

About the water issue: I believe it might matter to someone who is competing for a title, but for most everyone it is splitting hairs. JMO until some research presents itself.

[adzy]

Thanks guys for the input!

I guess i want worry to much about the water thing, rather try concentrate about the important stuff; macros, meals and training