Does drinking water before meals help you lose weight?
Although the feeling of fullness from drinking water is only temporary, it can prevent impulsive eating – a major cause of consuming large amounts of food at a rapid pace.
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ve probably heard the advice that drinking water before meals can help. The theory seems plausible, as drinking water makes you feel full, which makes you eat less. But is there any truth to this, or is it just a myth?
Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, a rheumatologist and lecturer at Harvard Medical School, deciphers this question through the following three hypotheses.
#1. “If you feel full, you will eat less”
Our stomachs, as Robert points out in his study, have stretch-sensitive nerves that send signals to the brain when we have had enough food. By activating stretch receptors in the stomach, water can create a feeling of fullness and reduce food intake, thereby helping people control their portions and eat more consciously. Furthermore, longevity expert Dr. Vicente Mera suggests that drinking water before or after meals rather than during meals can improve digestion, avoiding diluting digestive enzymes.
Research from Harvard also found that older adults who drank a full glass of water before meals ate less than those who didn’t. People on a low-calorie diet who drank water before meals had a reduced appetite and lost more weight over 12 weeks than those who didn’t drink extra water. However, no studies have looked at the long-term effects of drinking water on weight loss.
#2. “Drinking water burns calories”
Here’s one of the most intriguing theories: when you drink a glass of cold water, your body needs to warm it up to body temperature. This process, called thermogenesis, uses energy and is thought to help offset some of the calories from your meal. A 2013 study from Johns Hopkins University showed promising results: 50 overweight women who drank two glasses of water before each meal for eight weeks without changing their diet lost significant weight, along with improvements in their BMI and body fat percentage. However, the effects can vary from person to person, which makes the thermogenesis theory of water a bit dubious. And perhaps, we still need more experiments to confirm: a glass of cold water is the “secret” to weight loss you’ve been looking for.
#3. "You are not hungry, you are thirsty"
This theory offers an interesting insight: often when we reach for a snack, that “hunger” feeling is actually just thirst in disguise. This phenomenon, which has become popular on TikTok, suggests that drinking a glass of (calorie-free) water can help us avoid unnecessary calorie intake and aid in weight loss.
However, it is important to remember that the body needs to be properly nourished. Replacing food entirely with water prevents the delivery of essential vitamins and nutrients. “The distinction between hunger and thirst is a complex process, and the ability to regulate these two sensations changes over time. In older adults, the sensation of thirst may even decline. However, there is currently no convincing human research that clearly shows that we often confuse thirst with hunger, or that this is why drinking water can aid weight loss,” Robert notes.
Conclude
“There is some evidence that drinking water can help with weight loss, at least for some people. However, most studies are small, short-term, or conducted on animals. Even when the results are positive, the effects of water on weight loss are likely to be modest. However, if you feel that drinking more water is beneficial, there are few risks, unless you force yourself to drink excessively when you are not thirsty,” Dr. Robert concludes.
Dr. Montse Prados, an endocrinologist and nutritionist, agrees: “It is true that some studies have shown that drinking water can promote satiety, because the liquid stretches the muscles and stimulates the mechanoreceptors in the stomach, sending signals of satiety. But there are two factors that refute this theory. First, the feeling of fullness in the stomach comes mainly from the chemical digestion of food, not from water or tea, which do not contain nutrients or glucose. Second, water moves very quickly down to the duodenum, so this feeling of fullness is transient, unlike the long-term effects of high-calorie foods.”
So, does drinking water before meals actually help you lose weight? Dr. Montse Prados explains: “If we replace water with drinks that are high in sugar, caffeine, or alcohol, it will definitely help reduce the total calorie intake, which will help support our weight loss goals. In addition, although the feeling of fullness when drinking water is only temporary, it can prevent impulsive eating – the main reason for consuming large amounts of food at a fast pace. Combining water drinking with mindful eating habits, giving the brain time to receive the signal of fullness, we can absolutely achieve positive results in our weight loss journey.”
Conclusion: You should consider drinking water as a supplement to your weight loss plan, not a replacement for a balanced, scientifically designed diet and physical activity. Only by combining these elements can your weight loss goals be achieved effectively and sustainably.
Photo: Splash News, _sohee.e, evalongoria
