Every fluid that enters the body contains some amount of water. If the companies that produce coffee, tea, soda, fruit drinks and sports drinks went out of business tomorrow, water would still exist. Water is the original drinking fluid. It sustains life. Just as vital as oxygen, water plays a critical role in most body functions.
Significance
Water makes up 60 percent of the body's total content. The USGS, U.S. Geological Survey, reports the water component in the major organs as the lungs, 90 percent; the blood, 83 percent; muscle, 75 percent; the brain, 70 percent, the bones, 22 percent; and body fat, 10 percent. In order to replenish this water, people need to drink approximately 64 ounces or eight cups of it daily. Additional water comes from consumption of food; however, the main source of water is drinking.
Function
Not only does the body contain all this water at any given time, it also has a function for water once it gets into the body. Water acts as a solvent, meaning it dilutes other fluids and foods. First, water carries nutrients and other chemicals to the cells and tissues. Then it flushes fats, wastes and toxins through the kidneys. It also becomes the force behind the movement of fecal matter through the intestines and helps evacuate the stools. Without sufficient moisture, constipation becomes a problem.
Advantages
Water, in its plain form, keeps the body's filtering system, the kidneys, running efficiently. However, the introduction of coffee, tea and soda has made it more difficult for the kidneys to do their job. Where water flows through its filtering tubules quickly and thoroughly, the kidneys have to stop and filter out all of the additives in the other drinks. This includes sodium, phosphoric acid, caffeine, sugar or sugar substitute, salt, dye for coloring and flavoring. Other advantages water has over other beverages include its low cost and its lack of calories.
Considerations
Considering how much water the body needs, it makes sense to drink it in its purest form. Drinking beverages that contain caffeine or sugar defeats the purpose of hydration, because they act like diuretics in the body. They force the body to release a percentage of its needed fluids. The daily recommendation of eight glasses means just that -- eight glasses of pure water. Drinking eight cups of coffee or eight cans of soda will actually give the body less useable water because the diuretic effect increases urination. People who drink primarily coffee and soda have to drink even more than eight glasses in order to keep from becoming dehydrated.
Recommendations
Water comes from the tap or in bottled form. Some refrigerators come equipped with water, ice and a filtering system. To give it some flavor, some people add a wedge of lemon or lime. Children and teens, whose access to sugary drinks limits their water intake to a minimum, need encouragement to drink more water. Ingesting large amounts of sugar can set children up for obesity, diabetes and dental caries. Instead, water will flush the body of impurities, hydrate the tissues, enhance kidney function and quench thirst. Elderly people, who tend to have chronic constipation, need to drink more water. Pregnancy can overwork the kidneys. Pregnant women should stick with water through the term of the pregnancy. Nursing mothers need to drink extra water as they provide the baby with fluids.
Member Comments