Of course we know that water is beneficial to our bodies. But beyond
that, what do we really know about the myths and facts of water consumption?
First, do we really all need to drink eight glasses of water a day? No.
Most recently, the Institute of Medicine recommended that women should try to
drink about two liters (8 glasses) a day and men should aim for three liters
(12 glasses) of any fluid, including—but not limited to—water. “‘No one can
figure out where this ‘eight glasses of water’ came from, but I believe it came
from the old RDA [recommended daily allowance] for water that matched water
requirements to calorie requirements,’ notes Georgie Chavent, MS, RD, director
of the Nutrition and Dietetics Program at the University of New Haven in West Haven, Conn. ‘The
new requirement from the Institute of Medicine is much more generous and
includes recommendations for total beverage consumption, not just water.’”[1]
It is actually a fact that drinking water flushes toxins from your body.
Your kidneys use water to get rid of certain waste products, and if you don’t
get enough, the kidneys don’t have the fluid they need to do their job
effectively. Ultimately, your body would be holding on to toxins instead of
expelling them.
You may have heard that bottled water causes tooth decay. This one’s a
myth. Rather, bottled water doesn’t contain fluoride, which is added to tap
water to aid in the prevention of tooth decay. The more people consume bottled
instead of tap water, the less fluoride they’re likely getting, which can lead
to an increase in dental cavities. Cavities are a relatively small price to pay
versus the dangers of fluoride ingestion. We will explore this topic further in
a future blog post.
Drinking water may not make you lose weight in and of itself, but it does aid in the process. If you’re
drinking more water and replacing sugary, calorie-filled drinks with it,
ultimately your overall number of calories will be reduced. Also, drinking
water (especially cold water) can make you feel fuller so you’ll eat less, and
it may even increase your metabolism. “‘A new study seems to indicate that
drinking water actually speeds up weight loss,’ says Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD…
‘Researchers in Germany found that subjects of the study increased their
metabolic rates [or the rate at which calories are burned] by 30 percent after
drinking approximately 17 ounces of water.’”[2]
Just because you’re thirsty, it doesn’t mean you’re already dehydrated. If
you’re thirsty, you should obviously grab a glass of water, but thirst begins
when the concentration of substances in the blood has risen by less than 2
percent.[3]
Experts define dehydration as when that same concentration has risen by at
least 5 percent.[4]
It is a fact that you should not reuse
plastic water bottles. They can leak chemicals into your water if you use them
multiple times, and if the bottle isn’t cleaned properly, it can grow bacteria
from your mouth.
While it’s important to get a healthy daily intake of fluids, it’s also
crucial to know the facts and fictions of what you’ve heard about water your
whole life rather than listening unquestioningly.
“Working to restore GOD’s perfect
design in you!”
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