Hello,
I would like to ask whether it is suitable from a digestion perspective to drink during a meal, or whether it is better to drink only after eating. This is assuming that the food is always sufficiently chewed, and drinking therefore does not replace the saliva in the mouthful.
Thank you.
The answer is not straightforward because the outcome is influenced by several essential factors:
1. The salt content in the food - if your plate contains a salty dish, the need for fluid intake will quickly increase due to the sodium content, which binds water in the intercellular space. This is not the case with sweet variants for understandable reasons.
2. The level of hydration of the body before eating - consuming food when the body lacks fluids will always lead to the need to drink during the meal.
3. Health status - fluid intake during food consumption will always be less burdensome for a healthy person. It will be problematic mainly for individuals with digestive disorders (dyspepsia), as fluid intake can dilute digestive and enzymatic juices, which in such situations can complicate the health condition.
Themes: Fluid intake regimen Water
Questions answered by
Mgr. Martin Jelinek
Lecturer and author of the educational system
Nutrition educator, lecturer, and author of the educational system and the ZOF learning application.
Mgr. Martin Jelínek has been systematically involved in nutrition education since 1999. He is the founder of ATAC, the educational company behind NutriCourses, and the author of an educational system focused on nutrition, healthy lifestyle, and the practical application of nutrition knowledge.
He graduated from the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University in Brno. Throughout his professional career, he has combined nutrition, education, and the practical application of acquired knowledge. His educational system also includes the ZOF (Zone of Optimal Functioning) learning application, where students turn theory into practical work with meal plans.
In 2007, he launched the first intake of a six-month course focused on the education of nutrition advisors. Over time, this course became the foundation for the further development of the educational system and a range of specialised courses.