Drinking Water During Meals

by Veronica
(Hartford, Connecticut)

Here I will answer the question asked by Veronica, "Why can't you drink water while you eat food?" Though doctors can recommend that there is nothing wrong with drinking water during meals. As per yogic/ ayurvedic philosophy you must drink lot of water throughout the day, but avoid drinking water during meals. The stomach must not be heavily loaded. Half of the stomach should be filled with solid food, one fourth with watery portion and leave one fourth empty.

Also, keep in mind that fruits and vegetables itself contain large amount of water. It is recommended to drink minimal amount of water half an hour prior to eating meals and two hours after meals.

But there cannot be a hard and fast rule for drinking water. You may have to drink water if you are having meals after a hard day of work in hot and dry climate. The amount of water you drink depend on weather conditions and your physical activity levels. Also, the amount of water required will depend on type of food you are eating. If food is sattvik and consisting mostly of fruits and vegetables, water requirement will be minimal. Whereas for spicy Tamsik diet, water requirement will be more and you cannot avoid water with meals.

Also, remember that efficiency of digestion does not depend solely on the amount of water taken with meals. Take into account nutrition levels of your diet, lifestyle, stress levels and eating habits while analysing your digestion.

Water During Meals
1. Avoid drinking water with your meals. Drinking water with your meals dilutes the gastric juice and slows down the process of digestion in the stomach and intestines. Even if you need to drink water just sip water kept at room temperature. Ideally, Ayurvedic texts recommend sipping minimal amount of plain warm water during meals.

2. Cold water during the meals reduces the digestive fire. Digestive enzymes become inactive, digestive process is hampered and leads to accumulation of toxic waste in the body. Hence drinking of iced water, soft drinks, sodas, tea or coffee or alcohol is strictly prohibited.

3. Chew your food properly and it will easily pass down to your stomach. Do not drink water to swallow food in a hurry. If required drink water after swallowing food.

When To Drink Water?
4. Drink water approximately half an hour prior to eating your meals. This will quench your thirst and to some extent give you feeling of fullness. Drinking more water before meals promotes weight loss as plain water contains zero calories. Drink a glass of water when you are hungry. You can take plenty of water two hours after meals as most of the digestion process will be over by now.

Other Considerations
5. Cold water should also be avoided during winter season, as the digestive fire is lower in this season.

6. Do not drink excess water with meals if you are suffering from digestive ailments like acid reflux or hiatus hernia or your digestive process is slow. In such case, drink minimum amount of water with meals.

7. If the stomach tone is less than normal, excessive water stays a long time in stomach interfering with digestion.

8. Poor gastric motility also implies inability to take large amounts of water and can be recognised by feeling of fullness, heaviness, and weight, after small amounts of food. Small amount of fluids takes away the appetite. Even in bad cases, eight ounces of fluid is generally allowable at each meal. Read this article The Truth As To Water Drinking With Meals for more information.

Hope this helps
Daljit
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