Hello,

I have read that you shouldn't drink water when you eat because it slows or stops the digestion of the food you are eating, i read that you should drink 30 mins before a meal and wait an hour after a meal.
So is adding water to our smoothies a bad idea ?
Although i cant imagin being able to make a smoothie without adding water.

Thoughts on this please.

Paulie.

After having fairly thick smoothies (both Fruit and Green) for some time now, I've come to the conclusion that 'more liquid' is Best. After all, our body has to convert, or try to convert, everything into a liquid before it can be utilized. This is not the same as drinking water with meals.
I'd say add more water, not less, to your Smoothies. I'm just going by how it works with me......WY
P.S. I've even gone back to drinking Carrot and Wheatgrass Juices, and may start adding water to them. The idea is to 'wash' the Colon with what you eat.

Obviously, this is very much my opinion.....water within the meal eaten (as a part of the meal) isn't the issue. I mean think about it. We eat soup which is often water based. I know for myself I can tell if how I ate something is a digestive issue by its effect on me. I am THE poster child for why one needs to obey the food combining rules - including the consumption of water with a meal.

When you make that smoothie, you are using the water (or juice) to process the produce that you blend together and then consume is as one "unit."

So I would base my decision of whether or not to add water on how I feel digestively. When water is consumed with a meal the water dilutes the acid in the stomach making it nearly impossible for the body to process the food in the stomach to prepare for absorption of nutrients in the intestines. When the body can't process the food properly 1) the nutrients cannot be extracted and/or 2) fermentation occurs leading to all the symptoms of indigestion we all "love" - gas, bloating, acid reflux, etc.

I guess to ultimately answer your question, I add water to my smoothies or add juice that I extracted myself. I have such a sensitive stomach to food combining that if for some reason I haven't had a smoothie for a few days I will most likely start refluxing acid when I start up again due to the fruit-vegie combination. I also have to be very careful what fruits I combine with my greens. I did recently discover (from my own experimentation) that if I develop that massive heartburn I get I can counter it with a hydrochloric acid supplement - works as fast (or faster) as any antacid would!

I hope this helps.

Patty

use as little water as possible because the water will interfer with digestion. if you have the best blender (either blendtec or vitamix) than you don't have to add water at all. they are both such good blenders that the water isn't necessary, but any other blender will probably require water. the cheaper the blender, the more water you'll need.

i've had some smoothies before that were just papaya and/or mango. nothing else. they were thick sorta like a pudding more than a smoothie, but i was still able to drink them. no spoon needed. if you really want it to be more liquid, throw in an orange or two which will add a ton of juiciness to your smoothie and this way you don't have to use both the juicer and blender for your smoothie and have all that extra clean up.

i have no idea if coconut water would be considered as the water that interfers w/ digestion, but if you are gonna use water in your smoothie and you have the nonirradiated coconuts available (the thai young coconuts from the asian markets are irradiated) then i'd suggest using coconut water in your smoothie instead of regular water. it'll make it taste a LOT better! very yummy and tropical.

whether you use water or not, it's still way healthier than cooked food.

I've found (for me) the thicker the smoothie the harder it is to digest. A good rule-of-thumb to go by is if the smoothie contents 'stick' to the sides of the container, it's too thick. If the contents settle to the bottom of the container, after pouring or drinking, it's 'Just Right'.....WY

I always add in water or juice to my smoothies, and I have had no problems. Go with your intuition and what feels best for your body. It will clue you in.

Love,
Prism

Thank you for all your answers