Many people trying to lose weight are told to drink a glass of water before or during a meal because it is believed to fill the stomach and reduce hunger.
This advice has been repeated for years by health professionals, friends, and online wellness guides. However, a new study from Cornell University suggests that drinking water during a meal may not always reduce how much people eat.
The research was published in the journal Appetite and looked at how drinking habits during meals affect food intake. Instead of supporting the common belief, the researchers found that people who drank more water during their meals actually tended to eat more food. The findings suggest that mealtime behaviour may be more important than previously thought.
The study was led by Dr. Paige Cunningham from Cornell University together with Dr. John Hayes from Penn State. Rather than running a completely new trial, the scientists re-examined data from two earlier laboratory studies involving 86 adults. Participants were served either beef chili or chicken tikka masala with water and were free to eat until they felt satisfied.
Every bite of food and every sip of water was carefully recorded on video. This allowed the researchers to study not only how much people ate and drank, but also the order and timing of every mouthful. The detailed recordings revealed patterns that would have been difficult to notice otherwise.
The results showed that every extra 100 grams of water consumed during a meal was linked to around 39 grams more food eaten, or about 49 extra calories. People who constantly alternated between bites of food and sips of water also tended to eat more than those who switched less often. According to the researchers, these habits may encourage people to keep eating for longer.
One possible explanation involves a process called sensory-specific satiety. Normally, as we continue eating the same food, it slowly becomes less enjoyable, helping us know when to stop. Taking frequent drinks of water may refresh the experience and delay this natural decline in enjoyment, allowing the meal to remain appealing.
The scientists also suggest that water may make eating physically easier. It helps moisten the mouth, reduces dryness, and makes swallowing smoother. Because water passes through the stomach fairly quickly, it may not create a long-lasting feeling of fullness despite briefly stretching the stomach.
The researchers also uncovered a surprising result. Participants who drank their water more quickly generally ate less food overall. The team says this finding still needs further investigation because it may reflect meal length or other factors that were not measured directly.
A second experiment by the same researchers, published in Food Quality and Preference, looked at spicy food. Forty-nine adults ate tortilla chips with either mild or spicy salsa. The spicier salsa caused people to eat about 28 percent less food because they naturally slowed down, even though they drank about the same amount of water.
Together, the two studies suggest that simple eating habits can influence how much food people consume without them noticing. However, the research took place in a controlled laboratory and used only a small range of meals and snacks, so the results may not apply to every food or real-life situation.
Larger studies in everyday settings are needed before dietary advice changes, but the findings challenge long-held beliefs and provide fresh ideas for healthier eating strategies.
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Source: Cornell University.
