This question is not going to be about blood sugar management or diabetes directly, but instead focuses on GI health and nutrition.
While traveling overseas, my Austrian friend tells me, “I don’t drink water before eating dinner because I find it harder to digest my food and I get end up getting bloating and gas. I do drink water after dinner because I find that does help digestion. I think maybe drinking water before eating dilutes the stomach acidity.” (He later clarified he does drink water during day and especially while exercising).
I eat a high salt diet and salt my food. I also drink a ton of water before, during, and after dinner. I sometimes have gas (like anyone, I suppose) but I always assumed the foods eaten were the culprits and it never occurred to me to examine my water consumption.
What are your experiences with drinking water before/during dinner?
I would tend to agree with water helping dilute stomach acids I believe. I live with a lot of chronic heart burn from bad choices I’ve made with spicy foods (I just can’t find them spicy enough). When I drink a lot of dinner with my meal I have less heartburn than if I drink little or no water. Not 100% sure that water is helping or it’s just one of those nights I’m not supposed to have heartburn, but it seems more times than not the more water I drink the less heartburn (or the less intense) I have.
@EricH, I also drink tons of water before meals, at least 16 oz or more. Like @docslotnick, I find it causes me to feel more full and eat less. I typically eat with very little salt. I have not noticed any correlation with gas so far.