Q&A of the Week - Should I or drink water with my meals?

Q: Should I or shouldn't I drink water with my meals?

A: There's a common idea that you shouldn't drink with your meal because water will dilute digestive enzymes. However, this claim could only be true if you drank several litres of water at once, which is highly unlikely.

Drinking a glass or two of water will not have any affect on enzymes as digestive chemicals will be produced in larger quantities with larger volumes of food or water consumed.

Now, there is a good case for drinking with your meal and particularly at the start of your meal. Having a volume of water, say 300-500mL in your stomach when you start eating will help you feel fuller sooner due to the stomach distention you will experience.

So, drink up at meals. Chugging down some water before you start eating is one habit to work on.