Eating and drinking are the two basic needs of living things to survive. It’s incomplete if after eating we don’t drink. How important is drinking after eating beneficial for health?
Do you need to drink after eating?
So far we are used to drinking after finishing food. You may often also drink between meals. However, is this habit actually correct?
Drinking water after eating is known to help digestion work properly. Drinking water after eating is also fairly important for health.
Fluids that enter after eating can help break down and soften food so that the body can absorb nutrients properly.
In addition, water can soften the stool so as to prevent constipation (difficult bowel movements).
Therefore, drinking water after eating needs to be able to help the digestive process and maintain a healthy digestive system.
The explanation was delivered by an assistant professor of medicine at the College of Medicine and Mayo Clinic, dr. Michael F Picco. Doctor Picco recommends you to drink water after eating.
Benefits of drinking after eating for the body and digestion
Consuming water after eating in addition to helping the digestive system also has a number of effects on the body.
Below are some of the benefits of drinking water after meals for the body and digestive system.
1. Reduce appetite
Drinking water after eating can help control your appetite. Drinking a glass of water after a meal can create a feeling of fullness and prevent the urge to chew more food.
Drinking water before and during meals also provides a feeling of fullness and helps you keep your calorie intake down.
2. Accelerate digestive metabolism
Research published in the Journal of clinical and diagnostic research (2013) shows that drinking 500 ml of water after eating can accelerate metabolism or burn energy by 24 calories.
However, the effect of water on metabolism is very small and does not apply to everyone.
Rules for drinking water after eating right
It’s important to drink water during and after meals, but there are things to be aware of.
Here are some rules for drinking water after eating that you need to know.
1. Avoid drinking water after eating spicy food
You need to avoid drinking water after eating spicy food. Spicy foods containing chili peppers, peppers, paprika, or peppercorns contain a special compound called capsaicin.
This compound produces a burning sensation upon exposure to tissues in the human body.
When you eat spicy food, the pain receptors (TRPVI) on the tongue can trigger the body to bind to the capsaicin molecule.
This reaction will send a signal to the brain that you have eaten something that is toxic and harmful to the body.
A review published in Physiology & behavior (2019) explains that capsaicin has a nonpolar molecule and can only dissolve with other similar molecules.
Water has polar molecules, so water has no cooling effect for a body that is feeling spiciness.
You should drink milk or drinks that taste sour, such as orange juice or lemon juice. Milk and sour drinks are better for removing any lingering spicy taste in the mouth.
2. Drink water before or during meals
You need to know
When you feel bloated and hot in the stomach from drinking after eating, you should drink water before or during meals.
It turns out that drinking water before and during meals is also recommended. Similar to drinking after eating, this habit can smooth digestion and produce optimal hydration.
Digestion begins in the mouth as soon as you start chewing food.
Chewing signals the salivary glands to start producing saliva which contains enzymes that break down food.
Drinking water after eating will help break down the food, making it easier for it to flow down the esophagus and into the stomach.
Once in the stomach, food mixes with stomach acid which further breaks it down and produces a thick liquid known as chyme.
There is a myth that says drinking water after eating will cause digestive system disorders. In fact, these are healthy eating habits that aid digestion and have beneficial effects on the body.