Your stomach, one part of the digestive process, needs water to produce the digestive juices that eventually help break up the food you consume. If you don’t drink enough water, you’re not only disrupting this process of nutrient absorption, but this can also lead to an overly acidic stomach, per Medical News Today. In fact, it is recommended that people who have GERD and acid reflux sip water while they eat to make for easier movement of their food through the digestive tract. If you want to prevent stomach ulcers and heartburn, you should be fueling your body with adequate amounts of water.
According to registered dietitian Candace Pumper (via Everyday Health), water plays a role in maintaining a healthy gut too, which again is an important part of digestion. “Hydration plays a key role in intestinal secretions, nutrient digestion and absorption, gut motility, waste removal, and gut microbiome support,” explained Pumper.
If you want to avoid constipation, drinking enough water could be the key. “There are water receptors in the colon, and they pull water from the body to make the stools softer. If you don’t get enough water, hard stools and constipation could be common side effects, along with abdominal pain and cramps,” shared family medicine doctor Dr. Marjan Moghaddam (per Henry Ford Health). This is not all water does for your digestive system, though.