DID YOU KNOW that by the time you feel thirsty, you are already 2% dehydrated?
Okay, I know what you are thinking: “Doesn’t it mean that I just have to drink more water?” Well, yes – and no.
While the most effective way to hydrate yourself is to drink water, doing it only when you are thirsty will lead you to suffer from chronic mild dehydration. Its effects may range from impaired mental performance to increased risk of kidney stones and urinary tract cancers. As water accounts for 50% to 70% of our body weight, an adult is advised to consume 8 to 10 glasses of water (about 2 litres) a day to maintain optimum bodily functions. Furthermore, given that 80% of our brains are formed of water, regular self-hydration is absolutely essential.
Now, for a country like Singapore, where its tap water has been chemically treated to be safe for consumption and drinking water is readily available, you would assume that hydration is not a problem, right? But think about the last time you felt thirsty and reached for a drink while having a savoury meal – was it water?
Statistically speaking, that is rather unlikely.
A Students’ Health Survey conducted by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) in 2009 showed that 43% of students in secondary schools, junior colleges and central institutes consume sugary drinks daily. So when you’re having lunch the next time, look to the table on your left and right; odds are, half of them are not drinking plain water. While such frightening statistics may be attributed to the endless waves of marketing influences from beverage conglomerates and also the convenient nature of their purchase, the habit also appears to be cultivated when students were younger. Another HPB survey conducted among parents and caregivers between 2008 and 2009 showed that 28% provided sugary drinks more than once a week to their children between the ages 4 – 9.
In an effort to curb the growing appetite for sugary drinks among children and teenagers, HPB has launched Singapore’s first ‘Let’s Drink Water’ campaign. It will highlight the importance of plain water consumption and aims to gradually reduce the sugary drinks intake of students from pre-schools to post-secondary education institutions. In addition, under HPB’s Championing Efforts Resulting in Improved School Health (CHERISH) framework, these learning institutions are encouraged to make water coolers available around their premises and provide adequate water breaks throughout the day. By 2015, HPB aims to have 500 pre-schools certified as CHERISH junior pre-schools; where children will have regular water breaks, have water with every meal, and be taught the benefits of water over sugary drinks.
For most of us, we may not be tempted to consume sugary drinks simply to quench our thirst. However, there is a group of individuals who may be consuming such drinks without being fully aware of their effects: sportsmen and athletes.
“On occasions like competitions or marathons, I hydrate myself with a chilled 500ml bottle of 100 Plus. It gives a refreshing and cooling effect that plain water doesn’t have.” says Eden Seah, the vice-chairman of the NUS Canoeing Club who is also an avid marathon runner.
Indeed, sports drinks may appear as better hydration fluids for endurance sports or high-intensity activities. These specially formulated beverages provide the carbohydrates needed to fuel the mind and working muscles. In addition, they provide small amounts of sodium (salt) to enhance water absorption and retention.
But is there more to it than meets the eye? What exactly is in that bottle you are holding?
To put it into perspective, a 500 ml bottle of 100 Plus contains almost as many calories and sugar as a can of Coke. As per their daily requirement, a man and a woman needs only about 2000 and 1600 kilocalories (kcal) respectively. Sure, a sports drink may seem like a small fraction of your recommended calorie intake, but it will have a counterproductive effect on your physical activity. For a measure of what 100 calories is worth to your physical activity, the table below shares its equivalence to some common physical activities:
For physical activities lasting less than an hour, your body is not in an urgent need to replenish itself with the electrolytes or carbohydrates it may have lost during the workout. During such activities, hydration regimes with plain water are the most effective for your body to perform optimally since plain water is calorie-free and does not contain any additives. More importantly, you should consume as much fluid as you have lost during the physical session. But just how much is enough? Well, here’s a tip: weigh yourself before and one hour into your regular training. The difference in weight will reflect the amount of water you lost during the session. In your next training session, hydrate yourself adequately throughout the session to replace the water lost through sweat. By drinking water at regular intervals during the physical activity itself, your body temperature will be regulated and metabolism sped up.
“I know that I should be drinking plain water, but I don’t like it because it is, well, plain.” This thought must have been running through your minds constantly while reading this article. Flavour is all a matter of tricking your taste buds, and you could do that by adding sliced citrus fruit or a splash of pomegranate juice to your plain water. Want tasty yet chilled plain water? Simply make ice cubes from 100 per cent fruit juice and add two to a glass of water.
Remember that famous quote from the movie ‘Jerry Maguire’? “You complete me.” Well, so does water! Whether you’re an athlete or not, water is vital and good for your body. Feeling parched just from reading this article? Skip that favourite beverage of yours and have some plain water instead. You can get the hot and cold variants at nearly 140 water coolers just around the corner in NUS!
Why wait? Hydrate!