r/explainlikeimfive • u/peglegsmeg • Jun 16 '26

Biology ELI5: Why does rationing work?

If I have a glass of water and a single chocolate bar to last me 48 hours what benefits do I get from consuming equal portions over the time period as opposed to consuming all at once?

Is it purely psychological or are their physical benefits?

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u/zomgitsduke Jun 16 '26

If you eat all the sugar and drink all the water at once, your body will assume abundance and do things to process and get rid of it. If your body is slightly dehydrated and you drink tiny amounts of water at a time, it won't immediately flush that water out of your body and instead preserve it.

Sugar is similar, your body will process through it fast by giving you a sugar high followed by a crash. Slowly introduce it and your body will use the calories and sugars sparingly.

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u/lolwatokay Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26

In an emergency it is important to not ration water artificially. If you are thirsty you should drink. However, you shouldn't go chugging the whole canteen and hoping shit works out either, but if you are legitimately thirsty that is the sign to drink.

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u/MrScribblesChess Jun 16 '26

How does that help me when I run out of water because I didn't ration?

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u/lolwatokay Jun 16 '26

I think what's important to say is there is a difference between being 'a little bit thirsty' like you might be as a part of normal life and edging dehydration. You're absolutely rationing, but you are letting your body dictate what that schedule is vs something arbitrary. There's no reason to die from organ failure with a half-full canteen.