7 FACTS AND MYTHS ABOUT WATER

Water is vital for us to live, but how much do we really know about it? Many claims and myths about water stay out there and make you confused whether which ones are really tested-and-true. Here are some guidelines you should learn to separate the myths from the facts about water intake.

Myth: Everyone needs to drink 8 glasses of water daily.

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Drinking too much water cannot do wonder, even causes harm to your health.

Although water is the most economical and easiest fluid to keep you stay hydrated, the Institute of Medicine recommended that women should strive for 2 liters or 8 glasses a day and men should consume 3 liters or 12 glasses a day of any fluid, not just water.

Fact: Drinking water helps flush out toxins from your body.

The kidneys do need water to get rid of certain waste products. If not getting enough water, your kidneys don’t have the necessary amount of fluid to do their job properly.

Myth: Bottle water has more minerals.

In fact, the water which you buy in shops may have fewer minerals than ordinary tap water. The fluorides present in tap water help strengthen teeth that are not found in many bottled water. Plus, using tap water helps protect the environment because the resources and energy needed in the production and delivery of bottled water are high.

Fact: Drinking water helps you lose weight.

Drinking water can aid the weight loss process by replacing other calorie-laden beverages in the diet, causing you lowering your overall calorie intake. Moreover, it can make you feel full for longer, so you may eat less at each meal.

Myth: Drinking water can help keep your skin moist.

It is believed that staying hydrated led to youthful and vibrant skin, but in reality, the amount of water you drink may have very little to do with how your skin is. Basically, the moisture level of skin is determined by external factors such as the environment, skin cleansing, the number of oil glands and the functions of these oil-producing glands instead of internal factors. The water drunk will not reach the top layer of the skin.

Myth: Yellow urine is a sign of dehydration.

It can be, but not all cases are true. Dark yellow urine may be a sign of dehydration, says Tanya, MS, RD, owner of Tanya Zuckerbrot Nutrition, LLC in New York City. Your kidneys filter waste products and reabsorb water and other healthful substances from the bloodstream, so they control the volume and concentration of the urine output. Dehydration causes increased urine concentration, changing your urine dark yellow.

Myth: Thirst means you’re already dehydrated.

Thirst begins when the concentration of substances in the blood increases by less than 2%, so thirst doesn’t necessarily mean you’re dehydrated.