Water
Water is another important macro-nutrient, necessary for the proper functioning of your body. It serves various roles in the body. Also, taking into account that water constitutes approximately ½ of your body weight already guarantees its significance. In this post, a comprehensive assessment of water and its vitality to health will be explored.
As aforesaid, water is a macro-nutrient; nonetheless, it is quite dissimilar from other macro-nutrients because although required in large quantities, it does not contain any calories. Consequently, it has no impact on weight.
Functions Of Water
- Involved in biochemical reactions– Water is required in the digestion and absorption of other macro-nutrients(carbohydrates,proteins). The chemical reactions involved utilize water as a major component.
- Regulates body temperature-The temperature of water does not undergo immense changes. Therefore, it helps in regulating body temperature as it is an appropriate heat storage medium. Water helps to cool the body especially when it is hot and during or after exercise, and is lost as sweat.
- Acts as a lubricant –It lubricates the joints allowing for their smooth movement.It is also contained in salivary juices and mucous, involved in the movement of food molecules through the gastrointestinal tract.
- Transports other molecules-All other nutrients and vital elements in your body are transported to where they are required by water, enabling the body to function efficiently.It also plays a role in the excretion of waste products.
Sources of water
- Fluids-milk, juices
- Beverages-tea, coffee
- Vegetables-cucumber, lettuce
- Fruits-apples, watermelon
- Solid foods
- Plain water
RDA
There is no specific recommendation for water intake. The variations among individuals in regard to their health status, age, activeness, and responses to changes in the environments they reside in are partly the reasons. To illustrate, certain conditions may necessitate higher water uptake than others -when in hot environments or after intense exercise, high water intake is required to replenish the water lost through sweat. Alternatively, in cooler conditions, less water may be required as excretion through sweat occurs at lower rates.
Urine is a good indicator of whether you are consuming adequate amounts of water. Irregular urination or dark yellow urine specifies a need to increase your water intake. Clear urine shows your taking a lot of water within a short duration. The urine should have a pale yellow colour.
Also, since water is contained in other foods and liquids, it becomes more complicated to pinpoint the actual amount to uptake. Yet, even if you consume a diet very high in vegetables, fruits and soups, with high water content, you are unlikely to obtain sufficient water intake. In other words, it is impracticable to remain in good hydration status merely by relying on water from solid foods or fluids because they only boost approximately 30% of your overall water intake.
Preferably, the greater portion of your water intake should be obtained from plain water. Ensure that it is clean water; free from contamination. It is best if you boil it before drinking.
Effects Of Inadequate Water Intake
Insufficient water intake may present as dehydration which is characterized by:
- Dryness of the mouth.
- The skin becomes less elastic and less supple.
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Headaches
Effects Of Excess Water Intake
On the other hand, excess water intake can lead to hyponatremia whereby your kidneys cannot excrete the surplus water. This is resultant from the sodium in your blood being diluted by the excess water.
Water is important for many functions in your body. You should take adequate amounts of water.