Food Fact Friday

With a splash of no added sugar lemon squash and ice. How do you drink yours?

Admittedly the subject of the following post defeats its title, though whilst water doesn't exactly fit under the category of 'food', its beneficial properties are, more often than not, overlooked by the majority of the population (including myself).

Virtually all of our body's other nutrient requirements are impacted by the amount of water we consume. Considering our bodies are made of about 60% water (and our brain 90% water), that's not altogether surprising.

Here are some bodily functions and problems that can easily be alleviated by drinking an adequate amount of water throughout the day, taken from this report composed by the NHS. Can you resonate with anything on the list?

Putting it into simple yet effective terms, the World's Healthiest Foods webstie has it summed up;

It's helpful to think about the health benefits of water in three basic categories. First is the fluid aspect of water. Water is a lubricant. It keeps things flowing and moving. While it lubricates, water also protects our body parts from damage by surrounding them in a shock-absorbing fluid. This aspect of water is especially important in our joints, and also in our skin. The second aspect of water is its role as a "solvent." Most nutrients dissolve in water. In our bodies, some of the most important dissolved nutrients are called "electrolytes." The electrolyte minerals like potassium and sodium stay dissolved in water, and the ability of water to dissolve electrolytes is a key reason why our bodies can conduct electricity. The third aspect of water involves its role as a thermostat. When we are too hot, water lets us shed heat through sweating. Water also helps us retain heat when we need to stay warm. - WHFoods.

So if you're not already getting the recommended dose of liquidation, perhaps today is the day to begin rehydrating your body, and reaping the benefits in turn. The Department of Health suggests we drink around 1.2 litres of water per day*, though this nifty online water calculator advises me to drink 1.8 litres today (based on various inputs including weight and length in time that I'll be exercising).