Does Alchohol Slow Down Digestion?
by Ricky
(Adelaide South Australia)
Ricky's Question: I eat a pretty much raw fruit and veg diet and try to combine food properly. At my evening meal I have a small salad with spinach and tomato, etc.
I also like to have two glasses of dry red wine with it. Is the wine affecting my digestion or slowing it down?
Andrew's Answer:Any sort of liquid drank with a meal - including extra water - will slow down digestion by diluting the acids and bases your body releases to digest the food in your stomach.
The main reason to avoid alcohol, of course, is that it is a narcotic that destroys or inhibits nerve function. It is often known to impair the nerve function of the delicate digestive tract, which may cause constipation in some.
You can read more about food combining
here.