Fact or Fiction?

[Stovebolt]

I overheard this today at my local McDonald's. Is there some truth in this, or was this lady sadly mistaken?

She said to her friend:

"Haven't you heard that when you eat food, you need to drink a hot liquid with it. If you drink something hot, like hot water, it will help to break up the fat in your food and prevent it from storing. On the other hand, if you drink something cold, the fat will stay solid and you'll store it up."

I started laughing from a reasonably safe distance, but I figured I'd post it here so people smarter than me can take a stab at it!

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Stovebolt

I overheard this today at my local McDonald's. Is there some truth in this, or was this lady sadly mistaken?

She said to her friend:

"Haven't you heard that when you eat food, you need to drink a hot liquid with it. If you drink something hot, like hot water, it will help to break up the fat in your food and prevent it from storing. On the other hand, if you drink something cold, the fat will stay solid and you'll store it up."

I'm afraid she was talking crap !

Fats and other lipids do not dissolve in water; instead, they tend to congeal together into large masses. This separation of lipid and water reduces the effectiveness of fat-digesting enzymes, which are known as lipase. Without extra assistance, the lipases would not have access to most of the fat molecules, and fats would pass through the digestive tract without being digested.

But the problem is solved by using bile, a substance that is produced by the liver and stored (and released) by the gall bladder. Bile consists of molecules that have a dual nature. Half of the molecule is attracted to water, and the other half is attracted to fats. The bile molecules therefore place themselves in between the fat and water. In this way the fat droplets remain suspended in water rather than merging together. This process is also called emulsification, and is similar to the way that dish washing detergents remove grease from dirty dishes. In the digestive tract, emulsification allows lipase to gain access to the fat molecules and thus facilitates digestion.

[Stovebolt]

Good answer, thanks Doug!

Just goes to show you shouldn't believe everything you hear!

(Not that I believed it, but....y'know what I mean!)

[Michael]

If this was the case, I would not have to eat chicken breast three times a day as well as tuna...lol. It would be pizza, burgers, and more pizza.

[Damien]

Hahahah "the fat would stay solid" hahahahah

[Stovebolt]

Lol D, we must always remember to be wary around people discussing health issues inside a fast food chain.

[moodyfloyd]

was she obese as well??? The fact of someone thinking they are health-smart and is found eating in a fast food restaurant while giving health advice is the irony in itself.....wonder if she is also one of those that orders a diet coke along with her fries and big mac to offset the caloric intake of the food....

[Stovebolt]

Haha no, she wasn't very large but I bet she'd be in a lot better shape if she read some of the articles on this site!

[Damien]

Originally Posted by Stovebolt

Lol D, we must always remember to be wary around people discussing health issues inside a fast food chain.

Very true mate, very true.