If children drink soup while eating, will it dilute the gastric juice and affect digestion?

The truth: This statement is actually a common misunderstanding.

Analysis: From a physiological point of view, the main components of gastric juice include gastric acid (hydrochloric acid), enzymes (such as pepsinogen), mucus and intrinsic factor, which together maintain the digestive environment of the stomach.

For healthy people, drinking soup will temporarily dilute gastric juice, but during eating, food will stimulate the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, pharynx and stomach, triggering a large amount of gastric juice secretion, which can basically compensate for the diluted part. In addition, the stomach has a regulatory mechanism that can adjust the amount of gastric juice secretion according to the nature of food and the pH value in the stomach, maintain appropriate pH and enzyme activity, and achieve the purpose of digestion.

In addition, digestion is not just the work of the stomach, but also requires the coordinated work of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas and small intestine, and water is needed to participate in metabolism. Therefore, drinking soup (or water) in moderation will not only not hinder digestion, but also help food mix better and promote the transfer of food from the stomach to the small intestine, which is beneficial to subsequent absorption and metabolism.

For children, drinking some soup or water while eating can help them chew and swallow food better. For some overweight children, drinking some soup before or during meals can also increase their sense of fullness and help control their food intake.

It is worth noting that digestion ability varies from person to person. For those with sensitive digestive systems, large amounts of liquid intake may cause discomfort, but this does not mean that soup will significantly affect digestion. For people with specific health conditions, such as gastric ulcers, they need to adjust their soup drinking habits according to their own conditions or follow the doctor's advice.

References

[1] Luo Ziqiang, Guan Youfei. Physiology. 10th edition. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2024.6.

Author: Fan Yunzhu, Chief Physician of Jiahui Medical

Review丨Zhang Yu, researcher/PhD, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, national health science expert