Jaume Fontanals, microbiota expert: “Don’t drink water during meals; it dilutes stomach acid and impairs digestion”
The health professional shared a video on TikTok in which he identifies, rates, and explains what he calls the “five worst habits for your digestive health.”
The eating habits and routines a person develops over a long period of time play a fundamental role in maintaining overall health. Even if we do not notice any immediate effects, harmful or unhealthy practices eventually lead to consequences in the long run.
In this context, microbiota expert and social media educator Jaume Fontanals shared a TikTok video in which he identifies, rates, and explains the “five worst habits for your digestive health.” The health professional begins by discussing people who drink nothing but a cup of coffee for breakfast.
“Zero out of five. It stimulates stomach acid production and, for people with gastritis or hypochlorhydria, it’s even worse. We know that coffee by itself only increases cortisol. Ideally, it should be consumed in the middle of the morning, not on an empty stomach,” Jaume explains.
@dr.fontanals ¿Desayunas un café?😮 Te doy mi punto de vista como médico digestivo sobre 𝟱 𝗛𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗢𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗦 tan normalizados que nadie los cuestiona...☕ El problema es que el intestino sí nota lo que normalizamos, aunque nosotros no. La mayoría de las digestiones pesadas, la inflamación, los gases o el malestar no aparecen de golpe... Aparecen cuando estos pequeños hábitos se repiten día tras día, sin entender su impacto real en la microbiota y en el sistema digestivo💔 ➡️ Si quieres entender tu microbiota y aprender a mejorar las digestiones, la inflamación y recuperar tu bienestar desde la medicina, ¡quédate por mi perfil que te cuento más!👨🏻⚕️💚 #habitosdigestivos #buenoshabitos #microbiota #medicodigestivo
♬ sonido original - Dr. Jaume Fontanals Jorba
He then goes on to describe the drawbacks of eating quickly and in front of screens. “I give it a one out of five. It reduces chewing and increases the likelihood of certain foods fermenting in both the stomach and the intestines. That leads to more bloating, poorer digestion, and lower nutrient absorption.”
Continuing his explanation, the microbiota expert makes a distinction between drinking water before or after a meal and drinking it during the meal itself.
“Before and after meals, it’s a five out of five. We already know water is beneficial. But during meals, we should avoid it. It dilutes stomach acid and can worsen digestion,” he notes.
“Small snacks throughout the day overload your digestive system”
After discussing water consumption, Jaume refers to another common habit followed by many people: snacking throughout the day.
“Minus ten out of five. Eating small amounts throughout the day overloads your digestive system and prevents the migrating motor complex from activating.”
To conclude, the health professional emphasizes that fiber intake is necessary and extremely beneficial for maintaining overall health.
“Ten out of ten. Ultimately, what we want from fiber is to produce short-chain fatty acids within the microbiota and regulate intestinal transit,” he concludes.
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