How long after eating can you drink water, tea, coffee: health rules, tips. When is it better and right to drink water: before or after a meal, warm or cold? Coffee makes life clearer

The article will tell you about how to drink water correctly so as not to harm the body and give yourself health.

When the secretion of the stomach is diluted with water, the pancreas and liver should produce another portion of “enzymes” (a special secret for high-quality digestion) with renewed vigor. This is quite energy-intensive for the body, because if you do not do this, the food can rot, as well as decompose in the digestive tract, allowing toxins to be absorbed into the blood.

IMPORTANT: Constant drinking of cold water during meals can put too much stress on the digestive tract. That is why there is a feeling of heaviness, nausea, flatulence in the intestines, gastritis - in the worst case. It is imperative to get rid of the habit of drinking water during digestion. Teach yourself to drink water before or after meals.

How long, minutes after eating can you drink water, tea, coffee: health rules, tips. How long can you drink water after eating chicken, meat, salad?

If you drink water before meals:

It favors weight loss
Water clears the stomach of the remaining food particles of the previous meal.
Water speeds up the digestive process
Decreases the feeling of hunger
Favors that the person was saturated with less food.

When is the best time to drink water:

Drink water before meals, preferably 20-15 minutes before
Drinking other drinks (juices, fresh juices, smoothies) is best 25-30 minutes before meals.
You should drink water after meals, focusing on what exactly you ate (fruits and vegetables are quickly digested, and cereals, bread and meat are slower).
If the desire to drink water is very strong, just try rinsing out your mouth.

FACT: Drinking cold water can make you gain weight because it holds food in your stomach. In addition, it does not remove the feeling of hunger.

Main rules:

You can drink water (not cold) 15 minutes before any meal.
Drinking water (of any temperature) after eating is best after 2-3 hours (if the food was heavy, if light - 0.5-1 hour).

The best time to drink water, tea, coffee

The chemical composition of water is significantly different from tea and coffee. Such drinks have a completely different effect on a person, as they are able to saturate the body with the necessary substances. Any tea or coffee can bring changes to all body systems. They can also contain useful and harmful substances for humans.

Tea and coffee differ from water in that such drinks can be called a "full meal", but only "liquid". That is why make it a habit to drink hot drinks before meals for 20-30 minutes and after meals after at least half an hour. You can drink tea or coffee after a meal earlier than water just because these drinks are hot, and therefore can help in the digestion of food, and not slow down the whole process.

Is it right to drink water: warm or cold?

IMPORTANT: As already mentioned, drinking cold water is harmful to the digestive tract. While drinking water at body temperature or room temperature is quite beneficial.

Start the day with a glass of warm water - this improves the metabolism in the body and helps to lose weight.
Warm water, drunk on an empty stomach, removes toxins from the body.
You can improve the taste of warm water (many people cannot drink it) with a slice of lemon.
Warm or barely hot water can prevent constipation
Eliminates dehydration
Improves blood circulation
Prevents skin aging

Video: "How to drink water correctly?"

As you know, the timing of meals and drinks plays an important role in their influence. It's called nutritional chronobiology. As they say, one banana in the morning is not the same as one banana in the evening. But today we will not talk about bananas, but about caffeine. We will talk about coffee, but you know very well that there is a lot of caffeine in tea and in other drinks and products (cola, cocoa, chocolate, etc.).

1. Caffeine withdrawal time.

So, first of all, the timing of caffeine elimination. Stop caffeine intake six hours before bedtime. In especially sensitive people - in 8 hours. The effects of caffeine on the body are felt within a few minutes after ingestion (usually 20 minutes) and persist for many hours - an average of four to six hours. If you go to bed at 22.00, then the last caffeine intake is no later than 16.00.

Do not consume caffeine after 14:00-16:00. Healthy sound sleep is very important for the normal functioning of the body, and caffeine can remain in the body for 8 hours or longer, so it is recommended to avoid or limit caffeine intake in the afternoon in order not to avoid sleep disturbances.

2. Do not use caffeine as a substitute for rest.

If you are tired, then you need to rest, and not drink coffee. You can drink a cup only if you have rested and get down to work. One hundred years ago, in the United States at the trial against Coca-Cola, the accuser famously said: “Why do the people of our country take a terrible drug? Why should you reduce fatigue and thus wear out your body without knowing that you are tired? This is the signal of nature, warning that danger lies ahead. Would you make the railroad safer if you removed the red light from all traffic lights? They are danger warnings. What is fatigue? This is a sign that you have done enough. And then you drink a glass of Coca‑Cola. You see all the signs of how she "relieves fatigue." How does she do it? Adds energy or nutrients? No, it removes the feeling - removes the sense of danger. When you're tired, you should rest instead of drinking Coca-Cola."

Some scientists believe that to get the most out of coffee, you should time your caffeine intake over time, when your body is producing less cortisol. But they forget an important fact - you can not skip the rest period, otherwise it can lead to an increase in cortisol.

3. Align caffeine with cortisol.

Caffeine and cortisol have an ambiguous relationship. The higher your cortisol level, the less coffee will affect you (invigorating). So you might want to have another cup. But keep in mind that caffeine will increase cortisol levels.

In sedentary coffee drinkers, 3.3mg/kg caffeine (at rest) is sufficient to increase serum cortisol levels (by 30%), which is a consequence of a 36% increase in ACTH concentration. All these changes depend on the time of day and the dosage of caffeine; when injected to a sleeping person (during sleep, the concentration of caffeine in the blood decreases), the level of cortisol and ACTH in the blood rises sharply, and when re-injected, the amount of caffeine in the blood increases (which is observed in the morning, when the person just woke up) Caffeine increases the level of cortisol in the blood of the sleeping person /resting person, which is typical for people who constantly use caffeine, even after a short (10 hours) “refusal” from rest.

When taking high (800mg) doses of caffeine, the level of cortisol in the blood increases by 52+/-44%. An experiment with young men who took 3.3mg/kg daily (as grapefruit juice) and drank 1-5 cups of coffee also resulted in increased levels of cortisol in the participants' blood (when exercising), but this study did not account for differences indicators for those who took caffeine before and who - during training; in professional cyclists who were given 6mg/kg of caffeine before the start of the race, the level of cortisol in the blood increased after training (which is not the case with those who were given a placebo under the guise of caffeine).

But caffeine can also lower cortisol levels. Scientists have found that coffee in the morning is completely unsuitable for those people who want to cheer up for the whole day. But then, when fatigue and drowsiness pile up, which happens around lunchtime, coffee will be very helpful.

4. Ideal time (9.30-10.30 and 14.00-15.00) .

The hormone cortisol is a key component of our hormonal cycle, helping us wake up in the morning and fall asleep at night. When the body produces the required dose of cortisol, we feel fully awake. The levels of this hormone are highest in the morning. And at that moment there is a cup of coffee, caffeine affects the process of producing cortisol, suppressing it, since the body receives caffeine to replace it. Therefore, coffee lovers sometimes suddenly find that in the morning they do not get the same effect from the invigorating drink, and they have to increase the amount and strength of coffee.

The level of cortisol is very much dependent on the level of alertness and readiness to face trouble. It so happened that this time falls on the morning hours - from 6 to 9 in the morning, and the peak is at 8-9 in the morning. Thus, you drink coffee when the body is already approaching the maximum level of alertness and tension.

I find the ideal time for caffeine to be an hour and a half after cortisol peaks. Cortisol starts to drop, we stimulate it a little and make a small rise and soften the fall (prolong the high). Therefore, it makes no sense to drink caffeine at its peak (since cortisol is already high), at its fall (you need to rest, not drink coffee) and at its rise (you can block the rise and cause a decrease in caffeine levels, the paradoxical effect of coffee).

Therefore, scientists recommend drinking coffee at the time when you need it most and it will not interfere with the subtle mechanisms of the body.

Scientists have proven that the best time to drink coffee is after 2 pm, when fatigue is most felt. Lunch cup of coffee raises the tone, promotes the work of the brain, increases concentration.

When someone complains that coffee stops working on him, it most likely means that under his influence there was a decrease in cortisol production. Those who literally “die” in the morning if they don’t drink a cup of coffee have already changed the rhythm of hormone release with it. Without caffeine, they cannot wake up the way they did in the old days, when they still managed without doping.

4. Combine different overclocking methods.

Combine caffeine with physical activity. Caffeine is best absorbed before fitness - it improves the effectiveness of training, and the positive effect of sports helps to increase the body's resistance to stress and gives you a boost of energy for the whole day.

Increase cortisol levels and psychological stress and exercise. The production of cortisol is noticeably accelerated under the influence of high physical activity, while caffeine only enhances this effect (in people leading a “sedentary” and inactive lifestyle). In response to psychological or occupational stress, caffeine acts in much the same way (as in the previously described cases): 250 mg accelerates the already increased (under the influence of stress) cortisol production in a person, regardless of gender, while at a dosage of 3.3 mg / kg the effect of caffeine is slightly enhanced; the above effect of caffeine is proportional to its amount and has nothing to do with the type of stress.

In this case, we can rather talk about an additive effect than a synergy (caffeine + cortisol), and when taking a low dose of caffeine (200 mg) after a one-day break, the level of cortisol in a person's blood does not always increase. As we can see, the mechanism of action of caffeine in this case is the same, that is, the effect will be identical both with psychological and physical stress (an increase in the already elevated (against the background of stress) cortisol concentration in the blood); high doses of caffeine have a more pronounced effect.

5. The danger of combining sugar and caffeine.

According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, caffeine affects food cravings by triggering the stress hormone cortisol into action. Cortisol has an effect on increasing blood pressure, heart rate and causes the body to increase energy stores. Because of this, the body and pulls on sweets. Therefore, if after dinner there is a strong desire to have a bite of cookies or a cake, this is the result of morning coffee.

There is nothing surprising in the fact that sixty-four percent of adults drink at least a cup of coffee a day, and eleven percent drink more than four cups! If coffee is so popular, perhaps everyone should know how this drink affects the body. It is likely that you will be surprised at some of the consequences.

Coffee has a positive effect on potency

Men who consume between 85 and 170 milligrams of caffeine per day, which is the equivalent of two to three cups of a refreshing drink, reduce the chance of erectile dysfunction by 42 percent. The researchers found that this was due to the relaxing effect of caffeine on the arteries, which improves blood flow to the penis.

Coffee makes life clearer

Caffeine affects the production of adrenaline. As a result, twenty minutes after drinking the drink, your pupils naturally dilate. You will be able to enjoy clearer vision for a while!

Longer lifespan with coffee

Recent studies suggest that drinking coffee makes you live longer. The researchers controlled data on more than 250,000 people, tracking their diet and coffee intake. After analyzing the incidence of disease and age at death, they found that among those who did not smoke, people who regularly consumed the invigorating drink died 15 percent less often from various diseases than those who did not use it.

Coffee can aggravate heartburn

With a cup of your favorite invigorating drink, you increase the level of acidity in the body. The acid in the stomach can be helpful as it is needed for digestion. However, if you drink too much and on an empty stomach, you may experience mucosal irritation and heartburn.

Excess consumption will lead to fat accumulation

According to scientists, caffeine can increase cortisol levels. Chronically elevated levels lead to excess fat accumulation, which can cause obesity. It also increases bad cholesterol levels. However, only if you do not use filters when brewing - people with high cholesterol should avoid the French press.

Coffee can reduce anxiety

Caffeine is often associated with anxiety, so the idea that it can help you relax may seem counterintuitive. However, this drink does stimulate the production of dopamine, which is the hormone of pleasure.

A small amount of coffee will help slow down the heart rate.

If you drink some flavored drink, your blood pressure will rise slightly. The heart will respond to this by lowering the pressure slightly. If you continue to drink, your heart rate will increase.

Drinking coffee can aggravate stomach ulcers

An ulcer can be extremely painful. Drinking coffee can adversely affect the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, causing ulcers and other forms of disorders. If you already have an ulcer, you should give up the invigorating drink until your body has fully recovered.

Coffee can cause hallucinations

Studies have shown that people who consumed about 315 milligrams of caffeine, which is equal to three cups of the drink, were three times more likely to have hallucinations than those who drank less. Participants noted voices, visual hallucinations, and ghosts among their experiences.

Coffee quickly stimulates you

Within twenty minutes after drinking the drink, you will notice a stimulating effect. As a result, you will feel that your attention has increased, it will be easier for you to concentrate on work tasks.

Coffee is good for the heart

The researchers found that drinking an invigorating drink reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by ten percent. The main thing is not to add cream. They contain trans fats, which seriously harm your body and increase cholesterol levels.

Coffee stimulates digestion

According to studies, the drink acts on the intestines, stimulating bowel movements through increased motor activity.

Coffee can smooth the skin

Use ground coffee as a scrub to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Exfoliating action combined with massage will help boost blood circulation and tighten the skin.

It's like an energy drink.

Coffee helps boost your energy levels, but after three hours you feel low if you don't drink more. This behavior can be problematic because your favorite drink in the afternoon can interfere with the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Coffee can help relieve pain

Caffeine speeds up pain relief. Combine coffee with painkillers to make them 40% more effective. It's no wonder that caffeine is used so frequently in headache medications.

Coffee is dangerous for embryos

Studies published in 2008 showed that women who drink a lot of coffee more than double their risk of miscarriage.

You will feel more positive

Researchers have found that people who drink at least a cup of flavored drink a day have a lower risk of suicide. This is not the first time scientists have noticed such an effect. However, it is currently unknown why the drink causes such an effect. There is a theory that caffeine is the cause - it reduces the loss of dopamine, stabilizing mood.

It's good for your brain

Great news! People who drink coffee are less likely to suffer from neurological diseases like Parkinson's disease or senile dementia. The reasons for this are not obvious at the moment, but there is a theory that the caffeine is the cause.

Coffee helps you burn calories faster

Coffee is a great drink for weight loss because it boosts your metabolism. The average metabolic rate of people who drink caffeinated coffee is sixteen percent higher than the rest. An invigorating drink is a great pre-workout choice. Researchers have found that it helps to train longer. But remember: do not abuse. Excessive amounts of such a drink will negatively affect your metabolism.

You may come into contact with bacteria

Microbiologists have tested coffee machines and found that dozens of different bacteria can be found there, including staph and E. coli. Even if you don't use the coffee machine, the risk remains: mugs can also harbor harmful bacteria.

The smell of coffee affects the brain

According to scientific data, even the smell of a drink can affect brain function. Scientists conducted experiments on rats and found that the fragrance acted as a sedative and antioxidant.

You may become addicted

Regular use of caffeine is addictive. If you suddenly stop using it, you may experience extremely unpleasant symptoms.

A cup of coffee can prevent headaches

There are types of headaches that can be prevented with caffeine - for example, if we are talking about an elderly person who has a headache before bedtime.

Coffee can smooth your feet

A blend of antioxidant-rich coffee and moisture-protecting coconut oil is the perfect recipe for rough feet.

Coffee helps protect the liver

Recent studies suggest that regular drinking of this drink helps reduce the risk of liver cancer in people who often abuse alcohol.

Many consider coffee to be a romantic and magical drink. Although there is no special magic in its preparation and action. Just physics, chemistry and common sense. What you need to know to drink the right coffee?

When to drink coffee?

You definitely shouldn't drink coffee as soon as you wake up. For the body, this is equivalent to trying to run a cross, as soon as you tear your head off the pillow. It is better to wait 10-15 minutes for the body to finally wake up.

Is there an addiction to coffee?

Inveterate coffee lovers really develop addiction - over time, the body stops triggering the mechanism of increased production of the hormone dopamine, which activates the brain. So the emotional and mental lift that a coffee drinker allegedly experiences after a sip of espresso is most likely a psychological illusion. He just set himself up for that effect.

But if you rarely drink coffee, try to eliminate it in the afternoon - it may well provide you with a sleepless night.

Is coffee bad or good?

There are no unequivocal studies on the dangers or benefits of coffee, and new ones are appearing all the time. For example, there is evidence that those who drink three cups a day are less likely to be depressed than those who drink only one or no coffee at all. However, other experts have proven that the drink increases anxiety. So, it should not be used during stressful periods.

In different regions of the world, coffee is also treated differently. Doctors in China say it's harmful. But they historically drink more tea there, and the tea lobby in this country is stronger. In Italy, on the contrary, coffee is considered a healthy drink. In America, the opinion of experts was divided 50 to 50.

If you lead a healthy lifestyle and have no health problems, coffee, even in large quantities, is unlikely to harm you. But still, it’s worth listening to your body - everyone’s reaction is individual.

Why is Italian coffee so delicious?

There is a myth about Italian coffee, they say, it is the most fragrant and invigorating. Indeed, in Rome in any eatery you can drink a cup of espresso at the bar and marvel at its rich taste. But it's not about a special variety or a secret Italian roast, but about the foam on the surface of an espresso or americano, which is called "crema".

It lasts for about a minute and retains the taste of the drink. You need to drink it before this foam has time to disappear. In an ordinary cafe, while the waiter brings it to you in turn, the cream will already have time to melt. Want an espresso like in Italy? Drink at the bar.

Can you drink instant coffee?

In Russia, approximately 90% of the population drinks instant coffee. There is no harm in it. But for a professional, this is not really coffee, but a caffeinated drink. There is a misconception that it is less harmful to the heart and kidneys than natural. In this myth, manufacturers of instant coffee are primarily interested: its cost is a penny, and it is sold to a jar for quite tangible money.

How to choose good coffee?

If you're buying coffee beans - and that's the smartest thing to do - take a close look at the packaging. It should indicate the region of growth and the date of roasting - after it, coffee retains its best taste characteristics for a month. There should also be a valve on the package. Contrary to popular belief, it is needed not to sniff coffee, but to release essential oils.

Coffee beans should be matte - a glossy sheen indicates poor-quality roasting. After all, its goal is to make the essential oils soak the grain, and not remain on its surface. The glossy grain usually has a good smell, but when boiled, the taste is so-so.

By the appearance of ground coffee, it is impossible to judge its quality. So it is better to buy it only from trusted suppliers or ask to grind grains before your eyes. The degree of grinding depends on how you are used to preparing coffee. A turkey requires a finely ground powder, while a French press requires a very even, coarse grind.

How to learn how to make delicious coffee at home?

There are 8 ways to prepare freshly roasted coffee: cezve, espresso, moka, french press, chemex, pour over, siphon, aeropress. Everyone needs a special type of grinding, and each has its own nuances, which are better to comprehend in special courses or master classes.

Rule of thumb: don't grind beans in a coffee grinder with blades. It breaks the grain, and the degree of grinding is unpredictable every time. If you consider yourself a coffee connoisseur, buy a coffee grinder with burrs - manual or automatic. You need to fill it with the same amount of grain and choose the correct degree of grinding. And gradually, experimenting with the amount of water, you can learn how to brew your perfect coffee at home.

About the expert

Alexander Prokhorov - coffee roaster, founder of CoffeeInBox, master class leader.

When to drink coffee? Many fans of this drink do not even ask such a question. But in vain! After all, the effect, depending on the time of day and other nuances, can turn out to be different.

Many people start their day with a cup of coffee that accompanies breakfast or, at worst, replaces it. The caffeine contained in the drink has a stimulating effect on the nervous system, confirmed by numerous scientific studies.

However, have you ever thought about what time of the day, when you can and best drink coffee in order to really feel its magical effect on yourself, so that the matter does not harm and the drink goes exclusively to the benefit?

It's all about caffeine - and cortisol

The caffeine present in coffee beans is an alkaloid that is completely absorbed by the body through the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. The maximum concentration of this substance in the blood is observed approximately 30-60 minutes after drinking coffee or another drink that is the source of this compound (for example, Coca-Cola, tea, hot chocolate. Therefore, by the way, the question indicated in the topic can be put more broadly: when Should I drink caffeinated drinks?). And we feel its effect for about 2 hours.

Caffeine stimulates the body, increases concentration, reduces fatigue and improves the mood of drinkers with this substance. Flavin compounds are responsible for the taste and special aroma of the drink.

Our body is a complex mechanism that functions due to the influence of various systems. An important role is played by the endocrine system, which consists of organs that produce various hormones. One of them is cortisol. It is a well-known stress hormone produced and secreted from the adrenal cortex. In excess, it has a negative effect on the functioning of the body. In particular, it increases the consumption of muscle proteins, fat and suppresses the immune system, enhances negative emotions.

Cortisol secretion is regulated by the circadian rhythm. A high concentration of this substance in the blood is observed in the morning between 6:00 and 8:00, then between 12:00 and 13:00, and also in the evening - around 17:30 - 18:30. This is the answer to the question of when NOT to drink coffee.

At this time, you should not use it because the positive effect on the body will not be felt. Not only is the level of cortisol itself high, but the caffeine contained in coffee enhances its secretion, thereby increasing its negative effects on the body.

The lack of a stimulating effect will lead to the fact that people will want to drink another cup or two in the hope that this amount will definitely be effective. But that's not the case at all. Caffeine is a psychoactive substance that the body can become addicted to in the same way as alcohol. By consuming large doses of caffeine, we can thereby lead our body to develop a greater tolerance to this substance. Therefore, small doses will no longer be effective. And too much caffeine overstimulates the nervous system, causing the "dark side" of the substance to manifest and causing nervousness, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating.

It is most useful to drink 3-5 cups of this drink, depending on the individual tolerance of the body.

When can you drink coffee without harm to health and with benefits for the body and business?

It is most preferable for our body and well-being to drink coffee in the hours between the daily periods of cortisol secretion, that is, around 10:00-11:00 and at 14:00-17:00.

This is the answer to the question of when to drink coffee - in the morning or in the evening. Another issue that comes up in passing is when to drink coffee - before or after a meal. This drink on an empty stomach is not a good idea: it increases the secretion of gastric juice, which can lead to inflammation of the mucous membrane, ulcers, heartburn and reflux. The second reason is the aforementioned cortisol, the peak of which, as already mentioned, occurs in the morning hours.

Coffee increases the production of gastric juice, which contains enzymes responsible for the digestion of protein foods. When to drink coffee after meals? Drinking it with an interval of no more than 60 minutes from a meal, we can positively use this feature of the drink, which is very negative for us in the early morning.

Due to caffeine, a decoction of coffee beans can be a natural dope for athletes, as it increases the physical performance of the body. In this regard, another question arises: when can I drink coffee - before or after a workout? Drinking espresso before exercise will improve the efficiency of the body during exercise and speed up the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, which is important for weight loss.

It is worth adding that glucose enhances the effect of caffeine.

This drink is a good solution when you need to increase the concentration of attention, the speed of reaction to stimuli, for example, during hard mental work. And whether you're a fan of the classic espresso, a chocolate chip cappuccino or a smooth milk latte, if you know when to drink coffee, this divine drink will lift your spirits and stimulate you to action without causing harm.