The body is made up of 60 to 70 percent water. Although you can go weeks without food, one week without water can be fatal. Water helps maintain many bodily functions. Juices and other liquids cannot replace pure, clean drinking water. Although other liquids may quench your thirst, they will not perform the crucial duties of water nor provide its benefits.
Water Helps Metabolize Fat
According to Colon Health, a website that provides reports and articles on health, water suppresses appetite and helps metabolize stored fat. A decrease in water intake can cause fat deposits to increase. When the kidneys do not receive enough water to function properly, they dump their unprocessed load onto the liver. The liver's main job is to metabolize stored fat for energy. If the liver takes on functions of the kidney, it cannot properly metabolize fat.
Case Study
According "Ottawa Citizen," a study conducted by Virginia Tech in 2000 found that participants who drank two 8-oz. glasses of water roughly 20 minutes before meals lost about 5 1/2 lbs. more, on average, over 12 weeks than dieters who didn't increase their water intake. After 12 weeks, those in the water group lost 15 1/2 lbs. compared to those who lost only 11 in the non-water group.
Increasing Water Consumption
Sometimes thirst is disguised as hunger. Therefore, before grabbing a snack, drink a glass of water instead. Even if you are still hungry, the water not only eases a hunger pang but will increase feelings of fullness. Swap out other soft drinks, even fruit juices, with water. Other drinks may contain calories that reduce their benefits. Moreover, dehydration can lead to bloating in the face and hands.
Recommended Amount
The Mayo Clinic advises drinking "enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day." The Institute of Medicine, according to Mayo Clinic, advises that men drink approximately 13 cups total in beverages a day and women about nine cups. Alejandro Junger, M.D., author of "Clean," recommends drinking enough water so that you are urinating once every hour.
Considerations
According to "Ottawa Citizen," back in 2000, Canadian scientists discovered that too much water can cause kidney damage. While studying the health of residents in Walkerton, Ontario, researchers noticed 100 otherwise healthy adults had a condition called proteinuria -- abnormal amounts of protein in their urine. All had one thing in common: they drank on average about 4 liters of water a day. After reducing their water intake, the signs of proteinuria largely reversed.
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