You Ask, I Answer: Nighttime Snacking/Digestion

My mom believes that eating right before bed is unhealthy and causes weight gain.

I don't believe that it causes weight gain because as you stress, what matters is how many calories are consumed [in one day], not when [you eat them].

But, is [eating right before bed] unhealthy? My mom thinks [so, because she says] our digestive system needs to "sleep".

I always "need" to snack before bed (I think it's more of a psychological thing), but keep my portions in check.

She seems to think that fruit is "lighter" as opposed to bread which is "heavier" and harder on our bodies. Is it okay for me to have "heavy" foods like bread/cereal before I sleep as long as its within my caloric needs?

-- (Name Withheld)
Kaoshiung, Taiwan

One issue that can occur if you go to bed soon after eating is acid reflux, or heartburn (a condition in which stomach acid creeps up into the esophagus).

Other than that, there isn't anything inherently unhealthy about having a slice of bread or a bowl of cereal an hour or so before going to bed as long as it isn’t a caloric overload.

Heavy foods should be avoided before going to bed so as to not cause indigestion, so either fruit or cereal are smart options. I do not consider cereal or bread to be heavy, especially not if you’re just having a cup of a whole grain cereal low in added sugar.

Keep in mind that even though we go to sleep, our organs do not.

Full digestion of a meal, for instance, takes anywhere from 18 to 48 hours. So, our digestive tract works all day, every day.

You Ask, I Answer: Drinking Water With Meals

I have been debating whether to drink water with my meals, or only in between.

I heard that in Asia and Europe, it is believed that drinking water with meals can dilute your digestive acids.

Is this true?

-- Jane (last name withheld)
Waltham, MA

This is a nutrition issue that often gets misunderstood.

Although I can’t say I am familiar with traditional eating habits from around the world, I know that in several European and Asian countries people do drink water with their meals.

In any case, the suggestion that mixing food with water dilutes hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes is grossly exaggerated.

For those of you who do not know what hydrocholoric acid does, one of its functions is to assist in digestion by breaking down protein into amino acids.

With that in mind, you would need to drink gallons upon gallons of water along with your meal in order to dilute stomach acids and digestive enzymes to the point of rendering them ineffective.

Remember that the foods we eat contain water – whole wheat bread is 35% water, broccoli comes in at 91%, cheese delivers 37%, grilled chicken is made up of 71%, and pasta clocks in at 72%.

Very few foods – for example, peanut butter – have very low water contents. Think of eating a peanut butter sandwich without any liquids in between bites. Can you say “torture”?

The bottom line is that even if you do not take a single sip of liquid during a meal, you are still taking in water, making a "no water" rule rather silly.

The one thing I will say about having fluids with meals is the following.

If someone is underweight and has difficulty eating sufficient amounts of food in one sitting, I would recommend they not drink liquids until after their meal in order to leave “room” for actual food.

Other than that, there is no valid reason to have “dry” meals.