Your body is made up of 55 to 75 percent water, which is necessary for most of your bodily functions. Getting adequate amounts of liquids every day is important for preventing dehydration by replacing what is lost through sweating, breathing and urination. Adding beverages to your meals is a good way to ensure that you are getting enough.
Daily Intake Recommendations
There are no specific liquid intake recommendations, but the Institute of Medicine suggests about 91 ounces per day for women and about 125 ounces per day for men, and the MayoClinic.com website advises getting at least 1 1/2 liters per day. If you work out for a long period of time, live in a very hot climate, are breast-feeding or suffer from liver and kidney conditions, you may need more to support additional losses throughout the day.
Liquids With Meals
The best way to stay hydrated all day is to spread your liquid consumption out. The MayoClinic.com website recommends having a glass of water with each meal and snack. Tea, coffee and soda counts as a liquid, but the caffeine that most varieties contain have a diuretic effect, flushing water out of your system by increasing the need to urinate. If you can't resist these beverages, choose a decaffeinated version, stick to a glass or two and balance them out with additional water for the rest of the day.
Sources of Liquid
Drinks aren't the only way to ensure that your liquid intake is healthy. Many foods contain a lot of water, making them a healthy way to add to your consumption. These items should not replace a glass of water with your meal, but are a flavorful and nutritious way to get some extra fluids. Good choices include oranges, watermelon, grapefruit, apples, strawberries, grapes, lettuce, tomato, bell peppers, celery, cucumbers and squash. Broth-based soups are also a good way to get a little more liquid into your meal. Milk, fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies are healthy alternatives to water, as long as they are low in fat and sugar.
Considerations
A good way to gauge your water intake is to monitor the color of your urine. A light yellow color indicates healthy hydration, while a dark yellow color means you likely need more fluids. However, it is possible to get too much water, which can cause health problems. When this happens, your kidneys are unable to keep up with the excess liquid, which alters your electrolytes, decreasing the sodium levels in your body. This condition is called hyponatremia and symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion, fatigue, seizures, unconsciousness and coma. While this issue is not that common, it is important to note that drinking a huge amount of water occasionally isn't as healthy as sipping water throughout the day, with your meals and snacks and when you begin to feel thirsty.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Water: How Much Should I Drink Every Day?; April 17, 2010
- Intitute of Medicine; Dietary Reference Intakes; Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride and Sulfate; February 2004
- Iowa State University Extension; Fluids
- MayoClinic.com; Hyponatremia; July 14, 2011
- Clemson Cooperative Extension; Fluid Needs; September 2005
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