Maybe you are making great food choices for your meals, but that doesn’t guarantee your body will absorb that great food.

 

Drinking liquids while you are eating dilutes the gastric juice used to digest your food. You are working against yourself, and if you are drinking iced drinks you are doing double damage (but that is for another day).

What are the consequences?

  • Less nutrition from your food (which means less energy for you)
  • Low appetite in the morning (sign of digestive weakness)
  • More gas and/or bloating
  • More constipation, or diarrhea (both from weak digestive function)
  • Weight gain and trouble losing

 

If you are really thirsty have a little sip, but no more. Drinking liquids while you eat keeps you from getting as much energy and good nutrition from you food. When you finish eating have a hot drink, but just drink 1/2 a cup. This will relax the stomach and open up the path for food to move down.

Then give your digestive system an hour before you go back to drinking fluids. In between meals sip herbal teas, water, and vegetable juices. Avoid too much coffee, sodas and sugary beverages (including processed fruit juices – very high in sugar).

Also fruits with high water content (watermelon, honeydew, grapes) should be eaten between meals.

Soups are the exception to the rule. Soup can be a meal itself. A soup made of nutritious ingredients actually makes it easier for the body to assimilate the good nutrition. The broth of the soup is rich in nutrients.