The human body is 70% water, which we lost through sweating, breathing, urination and various other methods throughout the day. We must replace the lost liquids to ensure a balance of bodily fluids and good health.
The old maxim was always that we all need to drink 8 glasses of water per day to remain completely hydrated, but the thinking around this has changed somewhat. The thinking nowadays is that there is no one-amount-suits-all quantity of water intake.
We need to drink water to replace lost bodily fluids according to how much we lose, our weight and age, our geographical area, the weather and hoe much exercise we do. A quick way to check whether you are sufficiently hydrated or not is to check the colour of your urine; if it is light you are sufficiently hydrated but if it is dark yellow to orange you need to hydrate urgently.
Although the medical fraternity has agreed recently that other types of drinks and even food can make up for some of the liquid replacement, it is clear that water should make up the majority of fluid intake.
Why Drinking Water is Best!
Drinking water is the best way to hydrate for many reasons, the main one being that it is the only pure drink. Those that do not like drinking water and prefer to drink other liquids should think on the following reasons why that may not be the best idea:
· Diet Soda
Diet soda is the drink of choice for many weight-conscious individuals because it is calorie free, but what one should remember is that it is also 100% nutrition free.
· Flavoured Water
Flavoured Water and water that are supposedly infused with vitamins are often packed with added sugars and not healthy at all.
· Frozen Mixed Drinks
Frozen mixed drinks such as cocktails in a can or box can contain as much as 880 calories, which is a whole lot of sugar in the mix.
· Hard Liquor
Hard liquor such as whiskey or vodka is good in moderation as it improves sugar metabolism, boosts the blood flow, and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. More than 3 drinks per day however, will give you a 36 % higher risk of a cancer death as per a report by the American Cancer Society.
· Fruit Smoothies
“Healthy” fruit smoothies can pack as much as 700 calories and less than 2g protein due to high sugar content. Just because they contain fruit does not mean that they are healthy.
· Juice Drinks
Juice drinks, juice cocktails and all those other brightly coloured drinks that just cry out for you to drink them are mostly just brightly-coloured sugar water. If you want to drink a juice, look for something marked 100% fruit juice.
· Lemonade
Lemonade that one gets in the stores is generally filled with artificial colour, preservatives, and the same sweeteners used in soda or soft drinks and one cup of this contains the equivalent of about 6 teaspoons of sugar and absolutely zero nutrients.
· Soft Drinks
Soft drinks contain empty calories and are loaded with sugar, making them a direct link to obesity and not something you want to be drinking regularly.
· Sports Drinks
Sports drinks are very popular, especially after a workout or sports event, but most of them contain a long list of unpronounceable additives and a mixture of natural and artificial sweeteners.
· Whipped Coffee Drinks
Whipped coffee drinks are all the vogue, and many individuals drink them for the supposed caffeine buzz, but actually what you are more likely to get is a massive sugar shock and an unbelievable amount of artery-clogging saturated fat.
When one looks at the above-mentioned drinks, one can clearly see why drinking water is the best method of remaining hydrated. Drinking water is healthy because it contains nutrients and minerals, it is not fattening, it is needed by every single cell in the human body, and it helps the body to function optimally.
The next time you feel like something to drink, instead of buying a sugary drink, reach for a nice glass of chilled water from your water cooler and know that you are doing something good for your body, including your heart, brain, muscles, eyes and every other cell and organ.
Source:
Living-Water sells water cooler services London and rent water coolers to homes and offices.
