

Drinking Water Before Meals Aids Weight Loss - cwan
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/health/16really.html?_r=1&ref=health

======
jeromec
I was having a debate with my brother about when salad should be eaten, before
or after a meal. I said it would make a difference. He said it made no
difference. (Americans seem to be in the minority for eating salad before
meals) Some light research on the Internet was not completely conclusive, but
it appeared there is not much difference. However, since salad digests slower
it's generally considered better to eat it after a meal. On the other hand,
eating salad before a meal can make a person feel fuller, so that they eat
less.

It may be a good combination to both eat a salad and drink water before meals.
However, one caveat would be that water dilutes stomach acid, so it's probably
not a good idea to drink a lot of water before meals.

~~~
matwood
_I said it would make a difference. He said it made no difference._

Difference in what though? Satiety? Hunger? Weight loss? The underlying method
for all weight loss is to eat fewer calories. How someone accomplishes that is
up them and may come down to personal preference.

~~~
sudont
A salad before a meal, particularity 20-30 minutes beforehand, will start the
enzyme processes that eventually render satiety.

However, most American salads are loaded with decidedly non-healthy items, so
a 200-300 drop in meal calories would be offset by the salad itself.

Better just eat them to increase vegetables, then. (No iceberg!)

~~~
arjn
Oh Man! how I hate iceberg lettuce. Why does anyone like it at all ? Cucumber
tastes way better.

~~~
iuguy
If you're relying on iceberg lettuce in your salad you're really doing it
wrong.

Have a look for some mediterranean salad recipes, try putting some cherry
tomatoes in for sweetness, a light drizzle of olive oil and swap the lettuce
out for rocket and see how it goes.

~~~
giardini
Lettuce, like most leafy greens used in salads, is mostly roughage. Iceberg
lettuce isn't as tasty but otherwise is fine. And iceberg lettuce is cheaper.

Lettuce, tomato, avocado slices, chopped green onions, and an anchovy or
smoked oysters with vinaigrette is fantastic, regardless of what kind of green
is used as the base.

~~~
sudont
No, sorry. Iceberg is very poor nutritionally.

[http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/lettuce_...](http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/lettuce_info.htm)

------
rdzah
To lose weight, first we burn some fat:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_oxidation> "...Hydration: The next step is
the hydration of the bond between C-2 and C-3." enoyl CoA hydratase <\--H2O-->
L-β-hydroxyacyl CoA

------
alexyoung
This sounds like the Shangri-La Diet:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shangri-La_Diet>

~~~
ZeroGravitas
That's quite a different hypothesis, involving tasteless calories taken well
spaced in time from anything with a flavor or taste resetting your appetite.
This is just about adding calorie-free bulk directly before meals to trigger
"fullness".

------
konad
Seth Roberts reported on this a long time ago, though he added a bit of
fructose to his water

<http://www.sethroberts.net/about/whatmakesfoodfattening.pdf>

A farmers know, taking water _with_ your meals increases calorie uptake too.

~~~
dalore
Why would taking water with your meals increase calorie uptake?

I would think it would reduce it, since it takes up space in the stomach. Also
the effect it has on quenching your thirst so you don't reach for a soda
instead.

~~~
konad
The theory is that liquidising your food means more chemical reaction can take
place.

I don't have soda in reach. One 330ml can of soda a day is 5kg of weight gain
per year to work off.

------
rick_2047
Everyone talks about weight loss. What about weight gain? I a skinny boy and
would like to have tips on weight gain rather than loss. But considering
obesity is an epidemic and weight loss (even if you are underweight) a rage,
such tips are hard to find.

~~~
varaon
<http://www.reddit.com/help/faqs/Fitness#WeightGain>

In addition: -Figure out your current calorie intake using
<http://www.fitday.com/> You may be undereating and be unaware of it.

------
hackermom
Water prior to dining does not affect your metabolism in any way what so ever
- dire tabloid-style allusion error here. The article points out the obvious:
if you feel less hungry (read: a bit fuller) before eating, as you would by
filling your stomach with water, you might eat less of the food. Duh.

~~~
qeorge
There is no mention of metabolism anywhere in this article. Not sure where you
got that.

3rd sentence:

 _"Dieters have been encouraged to employ this trick for ages, with the
reasoning quite simple: the water fills the stomach, thus reducing hunger."_

~~~
hackermom
Exactly - that was the grave allusion error thrown about in the article. I'm
sure you're familiar with the term. And as pointed out, it is just a trick;
not a sure-shot.

Something interesting to reflect on: Why is this topic always such an
incredibly sensitive sore spot to HN commons, taking on the form of stigma
everytime it's brought up? It's like commenting on it instantly means stepping
on a nerve - or possibly the protruding underbelly of someone lacking self-
esteem.

------
chachacha
You dilute the enzymes in your stomach, making them less effective. This is a
good way to get fetid gas in your lower intestine and colon.

