Water World
You carry one everywhere – to work, to the gym, even tucked in your handbag when you go shopping. In fact, that bottle of mineral water on your desk is the 21st-century must-have accessory that shows you know how important it is to be healthy. According to research company BMI Foodpack, South Africans collectively drank 149,3-million litres of bottled water in 2004.
Be honest, though. Drinking the recommended two litres a day is a chore. Yet you feel guilty when the bottle remains untouched. Why? Because we’ve had the message drummed into us that water is nature’s ultimate health and beauty aid – the best way to prevent dry skin, aid weight loss and keep our bodies in good health. And we listen – a recent survey in the UK showed that young women drink twice as much water as anyone else. But although water has health benefits, how much should we really drink to hydrate ourselves and should we only stick to straight H20? Read on to find out the truth behind the great water myths.
THE MYTH
Other Drinks Don’t Count
The Truth: It’s generally thought caffeinated drinks make us go to the toilet too much, so we lose more water than we’re actually taking in. But the latest research shows that tea, coffee and colas only make you go to the toilet slightly more than normal and should be counted towards your daily fluid intake. So if you need two litres a day and you drink a 300ml latte in the morning, you will only need 1,7 litres of fluid for the rest of the day. ‘You’d have to drink about eight to 10 cups of coffee a day to lose water,’ says Ron Maughan, professor of sports nutrition at Loughborough University in the UK. ‘If you drink fewer than five cups, the amount of fluid in the drink will make up for needing the toilet more.’ The US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recently set the dietary intake for water. Professor Lawrence Appel, who headed the panel of scientists for this report, says, ‘We don’t stipulate how many glasses of water people should drink because our hydration needs can be met through a variety of sources, including juice, milk, coffee, tea and soft drinks.’
THE MYTH
Everyone Should Drink the Same Amount
The Truth: ‘We might be told that we should drink two litres but it’s a myth that one size fits all,’ says UK dietitian Lynne Garton. ‘How much you should drink depends on many factors, including activity levels, metabolism, age and even your sex. Men need about a litre more fluid a day than women, as they have greater muscle mass and can lose more through sweat.’ Check your urine colour during the day to see whether you are getting enough fluid. Light-yellow urine means you are well hydrated, whereas a darker colour means you probably need to drink more. Or simply multiply your weight in kilos by 35mI and you will see how much fluid you need to drink.
THE MYTH
You Need To Drink In Order To Get Water
The Truth: You know that when you bite into a succulent peach, juice oozes out. But did you know that the fluid provided by food adds up to three or four glasses of your daily need? A breakfast of cereal with milk and a slice of toast, a chicken-salad sandwich for lunch and a dinner of baked salmon, brown rice, tossed salad and a brown bread roll will provide nearly three-quarters of a litre of water – before you’ve even drunk a drop. ‘If we need about two litres of fluid daily, and about three-quarters of a litre comes from food, then we actually only need to drink about a litre,’ says Maughan. Boost your intake of water-rich foods such as apples, pears, melon, oranges, tomatoes and green vegetables. But there are less obvious foods that also contain plenty of water, for example a grilled, organic chicken breast contains 66% water and a baked potato has an amazing 75%. Even a slice of bread and cheddar cheese each contain nearly 40% water.
THE MYTH
If Your Throat and Mouth are Dry, You’re Already Dehydrated
The Truth: It is often said that by the time you are really thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. The effects of dehydration include headaches, tiredness and lack of concentration. But, in fact, this is your body’s early-warning system that you are just one percent dehydrated. If you listen to your body and have a drink, you will nip dehydration in the bud. The harmful effects of dehydration only occur when you’ve lost at least five percent of body water – that’s likely to take days without eating or drinking anything. ‘Even when we’re thirsty, most adults are able to live with it until it’s convenient to drink – and it won’t cause any harm,’ says Maughan. So make sure you drink when you’re thirsty – this is still the best guide – and you’ll get enough fluid to meet your daily needs, according to the NAS report.
THE MYTH
Drinking Plenty of Water Will Improve Dull, Dry Skin
The Truth: ‘Water purists argue that if you don’t drink enough water, your skin will look dry,’ says Dr Andrew Griffiths of the St Thomas’ Hospital in the UK. ‘But the effects on the skin of drinking a lot of water are exaggerated. It is only when you are critically dehydrated and then replace that water, that you can expect your skin to look better.’ Do a quick skin-pinch test. Pinch a fold of skin on your lower arm between two fingers. Hold for a few seconds, then release the skin. It should snap straight back to where it was but if it sags slowly, this could be a sign you are dehydrated. Trap water in the skin with a moisturiser and replenish regularly to keep it soft.
THE MYTH
You Should Drink Water Before, After and During Exercise
The Truth: You may see women at the gym going to the water cooler between each exercise but experts argue that unless you can literally wring the sweat from your gym kit after a work-out, you won’t need much extra water. ‘You don’t need to drink before or during exercise for the occasional half-hour workout or aerobics session,’ says Maughan. ‘Afterwards, you can make up water loss with anything that’s convenient, such as juice or a cup of tea.’ If you are on a serious training programme, weigh yourself before and after exercise. A loss of one kilogram means you have sweated out one litre of fluid, which needs replacing quickly. Drink fruity energy drinks that replace the salt lost as you sweat and eat carbohydrates to boost energy levels and aid recovery.
THE MYTH
Drinking Lots of Water Helps With Weight Loss
The Truth: It’s been billed as an appetite suppressant, as water fills up your stomach quickly and gives you the feeling of being full. But you’ll be just as hungry after the water has passed through your system, says Amanda Wynne of the British Dietetic Association. ‘The advantage is that water has no kilojoules but it doesn’t have much nutritional value either. Replace a fizzy drink with water and you’ll reduce your kilojoule intake but that’s about the only effect,’ she says. If you want to benefit from the feeling of being full, opt for soup as the perfect combination of food and water. Research by US nutritionist Barbara Rolls found that women who ate chicken soup at lunch consumed 418 fewer kilojoules than those who opted for chicken and rice, without feeling hungry.