Drinking Liquids with Meals: Fair or Foul?

Save

As if there aren’t enough food guidelines to follow! Do we need to manage when and how we drink our liquids too? This quick read will help set the record straight as to whether it’s “fair or foul” to drink at mealtime.

Have you ever been to a Philadelphia Phillies game? If so, the Jumbotron activities may have caught your eye, especially between innings or when the ball game is slow.

I love when “Fair or Foul” pops up. It’s a behind-the-scenes interview that asks players if they consider something to be fair (appropriate) or foul (not appropriate). Some examples are, “wearing socks with sandals?” or “starting the wave at a Phillies’ game?”

In honor of the World Series, which we had hoped was a Red October 😭, the following is my own version of Fair or Foul. Today’s topic is drinking liquids with meals, just to settle the score, as they say!

I heard drinking with meals helps with constipation. Fair or Foul?
Fair(ish). Drinking water, in general, will help with constipation because it keeps stool soft and easy to pass through our intestines. When dehydrated, the body takes water from the stool, making it harder and more difficult to pass. While it doesn’t matter when we drink the water, if drinking during meals means we take in more overall, then drinking with meals could absolutely help with constipation. This is especially important when increasing fiber intake, as too much fiber without enough fluids can stop you up.

I heard I will absorb less nutrients from my food if I drink with meals. Fair or Foul?
Foul. Digestion of nutrients is independent from how much liquid we drink during a meal. It’s possible to get full faster if drinking while eating, and so maybe in turn we consume less nutrients. But it has nothing to do with diluting digestive enzymes or slowing down digestion.

So, overall, drinking liquids with meals…Fair or Foul?
I say, this is FAIR ball! In otherwise healthy individuals, there’s nothing inherently wrong with drinking water or other liquids while eating meals. This goes for all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks) and at any time of day. You will neither boost nor hurt your digestion by doing so. In fact, drinking water with meals can aid in mastication, the first step in digestion, especially when eating sticky or chewy foods.

But, as always, there are caveats for specific situations.

If drinking water with meals makes you feel bloated or uncomfortable, take smaller sips instead of large gulps. It’s possible, too much water with meals can create a feeling of discomfort. Or you can choose to not drink water with meals. That’s OK.

Some folks do need to be especially mindful when drinking with meals. Here are some examples:

• Those who are post-surgical and have short-term high protein and/or calorie needs. Recommendations typically include small, frequent meals that are nutritionally dense with water taken separate from meals in order to maximize the intake of protein and calories. Oftentimes, this includes avoiding straws and bubbly drinks, which can lead to air in the digestive tract and make someone feel fuller. High protein drinks are often used between meals in these cases to boost daily intake.
• Those who are trying to maintain or build muscle mass and/or weight in the setting of a long term illness. This could be someone in hypermetabolic state (such as cancer) or adults presenting with malnutrition. The focus should be on making sure each bite counts, and so water is typically offered between meals. Sometimes, this means nutritionally dense beverages during mealtime or between meals (or as a meal replacement).

Meaghen Neumann, MS, CCC-SLP, Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist/Feeding Therapist of  www.mnspeechfeeding.com, commented that “The use of water during meal times greatly depends on the patient’s circumstances” and one size does not fit all. Following are the circumstances she noted in which her patients (adults and kids) need to monitor their fluid intake during meals:

• Adults who have had a stroke or recent medical event in which swallowing has been impacted. They may need an all-liquid diet or liquid supplements to meet nutritional needs. In addition to diet restrictions (i.e. thickened liquids, or pureed food) a patient at times may use water with meals to assist in clearing oral residuals before taking another bite.
• Children presenting with oral motor difficulties or trouble chewing and swallowing. We want to make sure they have fully chewed and swallowed each bite, so we would discourage water washes during the meal until we are positive the food has been swallowed safely.
• Children presenting with Failure to Thrive. We encourage this population to eat small, frequent meals, that are nutritionally dense and to have water between meals. We often encourage parents to limit the amount of water offered during meal times so the kids don’t “fill up” and instead offer more hydration opportunities through fruits or other foods that may offer some nutritive value. 

Meaghen and I both agree that, unless you fit into one of the categories listed above, you can feel free to drink water with meals if you want to. There’s no scientific evidence to the contrary. It’s totally fair game!

Key Takeaways

• In otherwise healthy individuals, drinking liquids with meals is fair game.
• There are some medical circumstances in which some folks need to be more mindful about drinking during mealtimes. This may require short and/or long-term intervention.