Water makes up around 50-70 per cent of our bodyweight. Whilst a person can survive for around four weeks without food, without water you will last just three days.
However, most of us do not drink nearly enough water to maintain a healthy level. An average person should be taking in 2.5 litres of water every day, according to the British Dietetic Association. Out of this, 1.8 litres (around 6 or seven glasses of water) must be taken directly from drinks.
ur bodies also obtain water from solid foods, particularly fresh fruit and vegetables and it can also be created as a by-product of chemical reactions within the body.
But you can easily become dehydrated without realising it as our bodies are constantly losing water through urine and sweat. The longer dehydration continues, the worse the effects. At first you might suffer headaches or a loss of concentration, but severe dehydration can contribute to problems such as kidney stones and constipation.
This means it is essential to consume plenty of water. It makes up the basis of most drinks – fizzy and still drinks are 65% water and fruit juices contain around 90%. Coffee and alcohol, however, have a negative effect as they have a diuretic effect – causing us to lose more fluids than we take in.
Plain water is still the most effective way of maintaining hydration and there are no proven benefits of bottled water over tap water, it’s all down to your personal taste.
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