Proper Hydration
What is Hydration?
Hydration for the purposes of this section refers to anything that is in the liquid form that we ingest into our bodies. So, what do you drink on a daily basis? Do you drink water? Do you drink soft drinks or soda? Do you drink fruit juices? Are you a sweet tea drinker? Do you drink hot tea? Maybe you are a coffee drinker. Ok, lets look over some of the above choices and dissect them a little to see if what you are drinking on a daily basis is good for you or not.
Soft Drinks or Soda
Let us start this discussion with the worst possible drink for the human body that exists today. Soft drinks. What is a “soft drink”? A soft drink is a beverage that does not contain alcohol. Carbonated soft drinks are commonly known as soda, soda pop, pop, or tonic in the United States, soda or pop in Canada, fizzy drinks or pop in the United Kingdom and sometimes minerals inIreland. The name “soft drink” specifies a lack of alcohol by way of contrast to the term “hard drink”.
The Dangers of “Soft Drinks”
Until the 1980s, soft drinks obtained nearly all of their food energy in the form of refined cane sugar or corn syrup. Today in the United States high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is used nearly exclusively as a sweetener because of its lower cost and the fact that it is sweeter than sugar. However, HFCS has been criticized as having a number of detrimental effects on human health, such as promoting diabetes, hyperactivity, hypertension, and a host of other problems.
While the USDA recommended daily allotment (RDA) of added sugars is 10 teaspoons for a 2,000-calorie diet, many soft drinks contain more than this amount per can or bottle. Unless fortified, they also contain little to no vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, or other essential nutrients. Many soft drinks contain food additives such as food coloring, artificial flavoring, emulsifiers, and preservatives. Soft drinks may also displace other healthier choices in people’s diets, such as water, milk, and fruit juice. Therefore, in a nutshell, soft drinks or sodas are just plain bad for you. Period. The evidence is out there, it is up to you to stop drinking it and slowly breaking down your body.
Soft Drinks = Acid?
An added danger of sodas is their acid content. Soft drinks and sodas have a ph of around 1.5- 2 which is extremely acidic. Highly acidic or low ph values in humans are directly related to many diseases including cancer, heart disease, arthritis, hypertension, and many more. More information on the benefits of an alkaline (non-acidic) diet can be found in the Acid / Alkaline Diet section of www.wellness4everyone.com.
Water – the Real Fountain of Youth?
Water is classified as one of the four main nutrients along with carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The human body is comprised of approximately 70% water. Water is involved in and drives almost every body process including digestion, absorption of other nutrients, circulation, and excretion. Water helps maintain body temperature and is essential for removing waste (acids) from the body. Many health issues today can be related back to lack of hydration with water.
Water Requirements
As with vitamins and minerals, the USDA has placed a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) on the daily intake of water. Men over 18 are recommended to intake 3.7 liters of water per day, while women over 18 are recommended to intake 2.7 liters per day. As with other RDA’s the amounts really required can vary from person to person depending on body weight, physical activity, climate and more.
More Information on Hydration
To find out more detailed information on proper Hydration, Water, and other common drinks, look in the Hydration section of www.wellness4everyone.com.
References
Wikipedia, keywords: Soft Drinks