What Water Does for your Body

Information adapted from "Water & Healthy Eating," by Dianne Z. Sutherland, RD, LDN.
Courtesy University of Massachusetts Food Services.

Water and Our Bodies

Water plays many vital roles in our bodies. About 60% of our bodies are made up of water so it's not surprising to know that water is considered to be THE most essential nutrient for our bodies.

You need at least 64 ounces of water a day; this may increase depending on your daily consumption of coffee, alcohol, and other drinks. Coffee and alcohol are diuretics, which are not as easily absorbed by the body and can dehydrate you more.

Water and Exercise

Fluid balance needs are dependent on the duration of the exercise.  Thirst is not always a reliable sign of dehydration.  If you exercise, it is especially important to keep your body hydrated. As much as 2 cups of water can be lost during exercise in the form of sweat! So be sure to drink before,  during, and after exercise to prevent dehydration. 

Types of Water

Is there really a difference if water is bottled or from the tap? Well, if you read the labels on the bottled water carefully, you will find out that they might not be all that different.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, bottled water needs to be labeled according to the water source.  For instance, in order to be called mineral water it is required to have a certain amount of minerals present. Spring water has to be from a natural underground spring. Purified water can be just from a reservoir or even tap water that has undergone a purification process like filtration, or reverse osmosis.

Both bottled and tap water are treated with disinfectants, so they are safe for consumption.  However, tap water has chlorine as a disinfectant whereas bottled water uses an odorless form of oxygen.  Unfortunately, the chlorine leaves an aftertaste making it seem not as appealing to some. 

Functions of Water

• Acting as the highway that moves nutrient and wastes between cells and organs.
• Helping to maintain our body temperature. It cools the body with sweat.
• Participating in metabolic processes.
• Being a component of body fluids that are essential for the proper function of organs. Some examples are: saliva (moisten food for swallowing), tears (lubricate and clean eyes), and synovial fluids (cushion joints for shock absorption).
• Balancing water and electrolytes in the body.

Water is one of the most effecitive tools in any low carber's bag of tricks, and can often help restart losses and does great things for your body and skin at the same time. So drink up!

Pictured: Goddess's Gigantic Water Jug, which she carries around unabashedly almost everywhere she goes.