Cold Water or Beverages After or During Meal can be Harmful

Drinking cold water or various beverages after having meal is like having a sweet after some spicy food. Drinking cool water during meals and after it is for sure a craving. Some people drink cold beverages to digest there junk food which is absolutely a wrong concept while others drink cold water as a matter of habit. In areas where temperature is high people consume lot of icy chilled water and flavored beverages to sooth their tongue. But they should realize that icy chilled water or cool water immediately after meal or between meals can be harmful.

There are so many varieties of beverages and frizzy drinks are available that are specially designed to be taken as chilled beverages. Teenagers these days drink icy child flavored water after meals and for them it is impossible to swallow food without it. It is important to guide children about the problems that they can face due to it. Teenage gitls can have a problem with their menstrual cycles due to consumption of icy chilled water after meal.

You might have heard from elders that consuming cold water is not healthy specially when talking about during meal or after that. It is claimed that drinking cold water after meal increases the chance of cancer. Some people say that cold water consumption after meal is the cause of harm to your digestive system. Cold water includes simple plain water and other cold drinks. Chinese were the first people who understood the problems that are due to cold water intake after meal therefore long before they switched to hot drinks with mean such as tea and soups.

Digestion is process that includes the breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients. Cold water after meal slows down the process of digestion due to some muscular actions. This may result in cramping of the muscles of the stomach causing severe pain if you are sensitive. Slowing down of the digestion process is actually due to the change of the temperature which is inadequate for the system. The cooling effect solidifies the oily materials in the food that is to be absorbed which is one of the biggest reasons of the slowing down of digestion. This sludge reacts with the acid and gets absorbed much faster than the food forming a lining on the intestine. It can cause acidity in stomach leading to pains and social embarrassment.

So the indigestion of foods can lead to various stomach problems, undigested food also leads to improper nutrient absorption. Lack of nutrients can affect your health. Energy is deficient due to improper digestion. Above that, the energy produced is wasted on maintaining the temperature; that is warming effect. In short cold water steals the energy that is obtained by the food. The energy that must be spent on other functions is robbed by the cold water. Improper digestion is a source of many diseases. Body gets mal-nutritioned, functions are not properly performed.

Cold water can be a cause of stomach cancer:
It is clear from the above information that the formation of lining of fats is possible in the inner layer of intestine; obviously because of the solidification of oily substances in the food. The lining later changed into unhealthy lipids that can cause initiation of cancer cell formation.

Alternatives – One must take water with normal temperature before meal. Try to aim of hydrating your stomach about 20 minutes before the meal. Do not consume water after the meal at least for 30 minutes. This will help your stomach to clean the toxic substance and will enhance the nutrients absorption. Drinking water is a good habit but always try to take water that is at room temperature. Water is more effective at normal temperature or Luke warm.

Soups: Soups are healthy form of consuming vitamins and proteins. Soups are rich in various nutrients and contain all the vegetables that are healthy. Try taking soups if you love to take liquid with food. This will help you to get rid of the habit of drinking cold water during or after meal.

Tea: You can also alternate water with the various types of tea available. The tea that can be easily taken after meal is green tea. There are various types of herb teas available in the market. Usually these herbs are designed by Chinese people and are being used worldwide.

Well this is not a serious problem that you have to get rid of at once. You can try substituting and if that doesn’t help, try not taking stress about it. These are some healthy habits that must be taken care of as a precautionary measure. If you feel pain or cramps, try motivating yourself by trying various flavored hot drinks or alternatives. If that doesn’t help, see your physician.