You feel like you are going to explode because you’ve eaten more than a full meal, but you still want to take that last piece of meat from the table. Let’s be honest, we have all been in a situation like this. Your stomach tells you that it’s enough, but the tasty food is still tempting. At that moment you are probably thinking “Well, I’ve been out running yesterday, so I guess it’s okay to grab that piece”.
The main point is that this so-called food coma can happen to any person, but in case you notice that this is something that is happening every time you visit a restaurant or once or several times per week, then it is time to make some changes. You simply cannot feel sluggish, sleepy, and bloated after you are finished with your meal. This is a clear sign of overeating, at least in about 90% of the cases.
But, what happens with the 10% of the cases? What if you believe that you are practicing a healthy diet and you are not overeating, but somehow you feel bloated and sluggish after your meals? The answer can be found in the process of digestion.
Many people are not aware of the fact that modern eating habits and overall lifestyle are the main cause of this feeling.
This is a short list of the top 3 unhealthy habits that you should avoid during meals.
1. Consumption of Large Quantity of Water with Your Meal
If a nutritionist tells you to stop drinking water even with your meals, you will probably be a little bit confused. Let’s be clear. Drinking water is great. It is also great to drink water on very small hips to deliver the food to the stomach. But, drinking several glasses of water will result in indigestion and it will cause bloating.
When the food you’ve consumed finally reaches the stomach, this organ secretes a substance known as HCL or hydrochloric acid which supports the process of digestion. Hydrochloric acid is very acidic which is quite natural because it must be able to break large chunks of food into very small nutrients. If you drink a lot of water with your meals, you will lower the effects of this important acid.
So, to avoid any problems, drink plenty of water about one hour before or one hour after your meal. Have a maximum of one glass of water with your meal.
2. Taking Large Amounts of Protein and Starch Together
Burger and fries, steak and potatoes, eggs Benedict, these combinations are known as very tasty meals popular among people of every age. Eating too much starch (potatoes, rice, pasta) and protein (eggs, beef, chicken, fish) together may lead to acid reflux and indigestion.
The reason is simple – starches are converted into simple sugar very fast and protein is digested at a very slow rate. In other words, starches should stay in the stomach for a very short period before they go into the intestine where they are further processed. However, since they are mixed with protein in the stomach, they need to stay in the stomach for a longer period and wait for the protein to be processed too.
The bad news is that, when they stay for a longer period they start to ferment which usually results in many gases and bloating.
If you want to avoid situations like this, eat the starch first and take the protein after a while. It is okay to have a very small portion of starch together with protein, just avoid eating too much potatoes and rice. Eating vegetables with protein and starch won’t lead to any problems.
3. Drinking Very Cold Water with Your Meal
Once again, we will talk about water. Many people don’t pay much attention to the temperature of the water they are drinking, but that’s wrong. This is especially important when you are drinking water with your meal. This time, the water should be at room temperature instead of being very cold. Ice-cold water affects the blood vessels. It tightens them to be more precise which means that the body will have problems with digestion and absorption of nutrients.
In addition, very cold water will make the fats solid and the body will also have a problem breaking them down. Finally, the energy that our body is using to digest food will be redirected in the systems that are trying to stabilize the temperature. This means that you will trigger too many unnecessary actions in the body.
To solve this problem, try one traditional Japanese routine. Order a glass of hot water (with lemon if you want) or green tea right before you begin the meal. Sip slowly while eating so you can prepare your stomach for digestion. Tell the waiter that you need water without ice preferably at room temperature.
Remember that these tips can provide the best digestion. In case you are dealing with weak digestion, these tips will surely help you and you will notice the difference. Those who don’t deal with sluggishness and sleepiness after a meal will still notice the benefits, but not so intensively. The tips we’ve mentioned here are especially useful for people who are preparing for a celebratory meal because we all know that food coma is most frequent at events like this.