By Katie Boscia MS, RD, IBCLC
Water is the most essential nutrient as it hydrates your body, regulates body temperature, prevents constipation, transfers oxygen and nutrients into cells, and helps cushion joints. You don’t need to sip from your water bottle all day to satisfy your fluid needs. Your diet, including the beverages you drink, can provide a large portion of what you need. Your body needs about 8-12 cups of water a day to replace the fluids naturally lost. But what if you don’t like water?
Fortunately there are several ways to hydrate your body other than plain water. There are several low-calorie or no-calorie options that can add flavor to water. These range from squirting lemon or lime juice into your water to infusing your water with fruit or herbs, or buying flavor that can be squirted into your water to make it taste better. There are also flavored seltzer waters you can buy that will give you some flavor and a little fizz to make it seem like you’re drinking a soda without all the calories. The key to these alternatives is making sure they are low in calories or are no-calorie substitutes.
If you just can’t drink water, even with flavoring, there are other ways to get your fluids. Decaffeinated tea is a healthy alternative to water. The caffeine in any beverage will have a dehydrating effect and will not help to replenish your body’s fluids. Also, you shouldn’t add sugar, as it’ll add extra calories.
In addition to these alternatives, there are a couple foods you can eat that will help hydrate your body. In an average adult diet, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake. The remaining 80 percent comes from beverages.
Fruits and vegetables—aside from being good sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber—contain a lot of water. For example, oranges are 87 percent water and cucumbers are 95 percent water. Watermelon is also a good alternative because it’s made up of about 92 percent water. Milk, juice and other beverages also have large amounts of water. Conversely, dried fruits, nuts, grain products and baked goods generally contain less water. Another option is low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, which is low in sugar and calories and will replenish your fluids.
There are many ways to make sure you get your 8-12 cups of fluid a day, so find what works best for you and drink up!
For more information regarding healthy eating, you can learn about the Nutritional Counseling Program we offer at Riverview Health.