Drinking plenty of water is a fundamental necessity when dieting. This is because it reduces hunger, boosts metabolism, helps eliminate waste, relieves constipation, and aids in fat burning. There are even studies showing that a dehydrated body is more prone to weight gain.
The World Health Organization recommends a daily water intake of about 1.5 to 2 liters. Drinking a large amount at once can strain the kidneys and cause headaches, nausea, and dizziness, so it is best to drink water steadily in small amounts every hour.
You can rest assured that the claim that drinking water before, after, or during meals or exercise is bad for your health is not a scientifically proven fact. Consuming 500ml of water before or during a meal can reduce calorie intake. While this is an obvious fact, it also helps with weight loss by reducing the consumption of other beverages.
These days, people sometimes replace water with sparkling water or zero-calorie beverages, but it has not yet been clearly established what effect sparkling water has on dieting. In fact, experts tend to recommend consuming pure water, as carbonation can damage teeth and worsen symptoms such as bloating.