By, Pam Teel
Even though water keeps you well hydrated, helps in balancing our body heat, and flushes out our body waste, there are a few reasons why it’s not good to drink water after eating fruit. Drinking water immediately after a meal can slow down digestion and cause other health issues. Drinking water after fruits is not considered safe because fruit is juicy and it is already a high source of water content. According to Shweta Mahadik, clinical nutritionist, Fortis Hospital Kalyan, Mumbai, there are five reasons to stay away from drinking water after you eat fruit.
1. It can cause stomach cramps – Fruit contain a lot of sugar and yeast, and drinking water right after eating them dilutes your stomach acids. This creates an environment in which yeast can thrive, resulting in the production of carbon dioxide and alcohol, which causes gas to build up in the stomach.
2. It can affect the body’s pH level – Consuming water after eating fruit, particularly those with a high-water content such as watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, orange, and strawberry upsets the digestive system’s pH level (the levels of acidity or alkalinity). This is due to the fact that fruit with a high-water content can upset the pH levels by making your stomach less acidic.
3. It can slow down digestion – Water should be avoided after eating fruits because this combination can interfere with the absorption and digestion process in the stomach, resulting in acidity. This is why some people feel queasy after eating fruit. It is suggested that you don’t drink water for at least an hour after eating fruit.
4. It helps in dilution of the gastric juices – You should drink water one hour after eating fruit. This is due to the fact that drinking water immediately after eating dilutes the gastric juice and digestive enzymes required for digestion. Dilution of gastric juice reduces the secretion of digestive enzymes, which can cause heartburn and acidity.
5. It increases blood sugar levels – Drinking water after eating fruit slows digestion, leaving a lot of undigested food in the system. This is converted to fat and causes an increase in insulin, which can raise blood sugar levels, and lead to diabetes and obesity.
People might also experience loose bowels when drinking water after consuming fruit. Fruit already has a good amount of water content, which makes the bowel movement easy. When you drink more water on top of that, the bowel movement becomes too smooth, leading to diarrhea.
So, avoid drinking water especially after consuming citrus fruits and fruit with high water content. Give yourself at least half an hour to an hour to digest these fruits, before you get a drink of water.