When it comes to losing weight, one of the pieces of advice many people receive is to drink more water.
A more specific variation of this advice is to drink a full glass of water before every meal. This suggestion seems to make sense at first glance: filling your stomach with water will make you feel full faster and help you stop eating sooner. But does it really work? Can drinking more water throughout the day actually help you lose weight? Why do people think drinking water might be helpful for weight loss—and what does the scientific evidence say about it?
There are three main theories that support this assumption:
- Satiety and calorie intake: The idea of filling up with water before meals sounds intuitively right. There are nerves in the stomach that sense stretching and signal to the brain that it's time to stop eating. It's thought that drinking before meals could send similar signals.
- Calorie burning: Water needs to be warmed to body temperature, which requires energy. This process, also known as thermogenesis, could compensate for the calorie intake from meals.
- Confusing thirst with hunger: Sometimes we reach for food when we are actually thirsty. Drinking calorie-free water could help avoid unnecessary calorie intake and thus aid in weight loss.
However, the evidence for these theories is mixed:
- Some small studies show that drinking water before meals can actually lead to reduced calorie intake, but these studies are mostly short-term and not focused on long-term weight loss.
- Previous research suggested that heating water could burn calories, but more recent research has failed to confirm this effect.
- The idea that thirst and hunger are sometimes confused is plausible, but there is limited scientific evidence to support this.
There are also other considerations:
- Adequate hydration improves athletic performance and can therefore indirectly help with weight loss.
- Replacing high-calorie beverages with water can be an effective strategy for reducing calorie intake.
- It is also claimed that drinking enough water can promote fat burning, although the evidence for this is limited.
Overall, research suggests that drinking water before meals may offer some weight-loss benefits, but these are often modest and based on short-term or animal studies. However, if it works for you and has no negative effects, there is little to stop you from trying it. Ultimately, however, it is important that any weight-loss strategy is based on long-term science and is tailored to the individual.
Stay healthy and individual!
You might also be interested in:
