I was having a debate with my brother about when salad should be eaten, before or after a meal. I said it would make a difference. He said it made no difference. (Americans seem to be in the minority for eating salad before meals) Some light research on the Internet was not completely conclusive, but it appeared there is not much difference. However, since salad digests slower it's generally considered better to eat it after a meal. On the other hand, eating salad before a meal can make a person feel fuller, so that they eat less.
It may be a good combination to both eat a salad and drink water before meals. However, one caveat would be that water dilutes stomach acid, so it's probably not a good idea to drink a lot of water before meals.
I said it would make a difference. He said it made no difference.
Difference in what though? Satiety? Hunger? Weight loss? The underlying method for all weight loss is to eat fewer calories. How someone accomplishes that is up them and may come down to personal preference.
Eating anything 20-30 minutes beforehand will do that. Even eating a meal more slowly will result in eating less due to feeling sated sooner. The first bullet point here is relevant: http://zenhabits.net/5-powerful-reasons-to-eat-slower/
If you're relying on iceberg lettuce in your salad you're really doing it wrong.
Have a look for some mediterranean salad recipes, try putting some cherry tomatoes in for sweetness, a light drizzle of olive oil and swap the lettuce out for rocket and see how it goes.
Lettuce, like most leafy greens used in salads, is mostly roughage. Iceberg lettuce isn't as tasty but otherwise is fine. And iceberg lettuce is cheaper.
Lettuce, tomato, avocado slices, chopped green onions, and an anchovy or smoked oysters with vinaigrette is fantastic, regardless of what kind of green is used as the base.
Really? One of the things I read while checking into the salad timing was about Americans also drinking cool liquids before and during a meal, which was not really advisable for good digestion.
None of that stuff matters at all from a biological standpoint. From a psychological standpoint, it's helpful to get water in first (fills you up a bit, adds 0 calories). Same with a salad (fills you up a bit, adds few calories).
Is it okay to drink water during meals? This is interesting as a
lot of complementary practitioners recommend against drinking water
with meals, believing it dilutes the stomach acid and, hence,
interferes with proper digestion. Technically this is not true, Dr. B
says, as the water probably doesn't significantly mix with digestive
juices. So for the record it's only people who are having problems
making enough stomach (hydrochloric) acid who need to worry about
this.
I've been told that the 'cool' part is significant. In so far as temperature of your stomach is a factor for good digestion. I'm not sure to what degree that is true but gulping down an icy beverage can't help.
The cool part is not significant, as thermodynamics will ensure prompt temperature equilibration. Relative to an ice-cold jug of water, your body is a nearly infinite heat source.
Etiquette for whom though? The English? Apparently the French eat salad after meals. I found an interesting link concerning this about dinners at the White House. (http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/599224)
Looking at this photo of the menu from the White House National Governors Association dinner, it looks like the salad course follows the main course, as is common in Europe. At the risk of sounding like a hick, is this arrangement of courses standard for formal dinners in the U.S.? (looks yummy, btw).
I think this actually depends on the situation. If you eat in a restaurant you'll probably get salad first because there is no cooking time involved. If you eat at a Europeans house you'll probably eat the main course first because you all eat together and you don't want the hot stuff to get cold.
I think how it's done has to do with practicality, not any insight on good eating practice.
I haven't eating at someone's home from each of these places, but honestly yes. I really think it's a logistics question. If you eat at someone's house the choices are:
* All eat Salad together and then guests wait while the person doing the cooking prepares the main course
* Guests eat Salad while the cook prepares the main course (and misses the Salad)
* Everything is put on the table at once and everyone eats together. Salad will be eaten last because it wont get any colder just sitting there.
For me the last option is the only practical one and I can't imagine any tradition being strong enough to make people willing to endure cold steak, schnitzel or whatever.
I've never eaten a 5/7 course meal outside of a restaurant. I would think that required a dedicated server, which is normally not what I'm looking for if I go to someone's house.
To lose weight, first we burn some fat:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_oxidation
"...Hydration: The next step is the hydration of the bond between C-2 and C-3."
enoyl CoA hydratase <--H2O--> L-β-hydroxyacyl CoA
That's quite a different hypothesis, involving tasteless calories taken well spaced in time from anything with a flavor or taste resetting your appetite. This is just about adding calorie-free bulk directly before meals to trigger "fullness".
Why would taking water with your meals increase calorie uptake?
I would think it would reduce it, since it takes up space in the stomach. Also the effect it has on quenching your thirst so you don't reach for a soda instead.
Everyone talks about weight loss. What about weight gain? I a skinny boy and would like to have tips on weight gain rather than loss. But considering obesity is an epidemic and weight loss (even if you are underweight) a rage, such tips are hard to find.
Water prior to dining does not affect your metabolism in any way what so ever - dire tabloid-style allusion error here. The article points out the obvious: if you feel less hungry (read: a bit fuller) before eating, as you would by filling your stomach with water, you might eat less of the food. Duh.
Exactly - that was the grave allusion error thrown about in the article. I'm sure you're familiar with the term. And as pointed out, it is just a trick; not a sure-shot.
Something interesting to reflect on: Why is this topic always such an incredibly sensitive sore spot to HN commons, taking on the form of stigma everytime it's brought up? It's like commenting on it instantly means stepping on a nerve - or possibly the protruding underbelly of someone lacking self-esteem.
It may be a good combination to both eat a salad and drink water before meals. However, one caveat would be that water dilutes stomach acid, so it's probably not a good idea to drink a lot of water before meals.