Whether you’re dining out or just tucking into a homemade meal, chances are your dish is accompanied by some sort of a drink.
From simple water to more sophisticated wine, drinks are often enjoyed simultaneously with the main event – the meal in front of you.
However, a doctor has warned that drinking alongside eating could hamper your digestion.
Dr Janine Bowring, a naturopathic doctor, took to her TikTok channel to offer a valuable insight into the timing of drinking before or after a meal.
The medical expert shared why it’s best to drink before or after a meal and not with it.
Speaking in the video, Dr Bowring said: “Drinking liquids with your meals will dilute your digestive enzymes. We need our enzymes to help break down our food.”
While drinking during your meals isn’t ideal, having a beverage before or after your dish could offer some surprising benefits.
To avoid overeating, Dr Janine recommended drinking warm water before a meal.
She said: “Drinking warm water before a meal can help to curb overeating and stimulate your digestion.”
Dr Janine added that pairing your glass with a freshly squeezed lemon will further enhance these benefits.
Furthermore, drinking a little bit of warm water or herbal tea after your meal can help to soothe and ease your digestion, helping to “stimulate a bowel movement as well”.