You may wonder, water? I don’t like taking water or I do not have time to drink water, am too busy! But do you know that water is one of the Most important elements that make up a complete or balanced diet?
Importance of water
One of the Importance of drinking water is that it helps to loose weight; First of all, water has no calories, is fat-free and cholesterol-free, and is low in sodium. Second, it is an appetite suppressant. Third, water helps the body to metabolize stored fat. How? Well, when the kidneys do not have enough water, they cannot function properly. The liver steps in as a backup, but doing so hinders its ability to metabolize fat effectively. The fat thus remains stored in the body, and you gain weight. Hence, as Dr. Donald Robertson of the Southwest Bariatric Nutrition Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.A., says, “proper water intake is a key to weight loss. If people who are trying to lose weight don’t drink enough water, the body can’t metabolize the fat adequately.”
True, water retention is often responsible for weight gain. Hence, many who are prone to water retention think that the solution is to reduce their water intake. The contrary is true, however. When the body experiences a water deficit, it attempts to hold on to every available drop by storing it in such places as the feet, the hands, and the legs. So nutritionists recommend that we give our body what it needs—enough water. And remember, the more salt you eat, the more water you will retain to dilute it.
Another importance of water is that it helps to hydrate our Body; each day, on average, some two quarts (2 L) of water is eliminated through the skin, lungs, intestines, and kidneys. We lose approximately one pint (0.5 L) of liquid every day just by exhaling. If this water is not replaced, we will become dehydrated. Some signs of dehydration are headache, fatigue, muscle soreness, dark urine, heat intolerance, and dry mouth and eyes.
So how much water should we drink? Dr. Howard Flaks, a bariatric (obesity) specialist, says: “The minimum for a healthy person is eight to ten eight-ounce (quarter-liter) glasses a day. You need more if you exercise a lot or live in a hot climate. And overweight people should drink an extra glass for every 25 pounds (10 kg) they exceed their ideal weight.” However, some now say that it is enough to drink water when you are thirsty, although if you are very thirsty, you may already be somewhat dehydrated.
From this article we learn how water is a very important food we sometimes neglect, but can be a powerful agent in weight lose!
