“The greatest form of medicine is water”
The human body comprises around 60% water which is why there is no surprise why there is a recommended daily intake to fuel your body (4L for men and 3L for women). Water aids the body to perform a variety of functions as well as provide aid to your body’s systems and organs. Water is beneficial for the body in a wider variety of ways, from maximizing physical performance, energy levels and brain function to aiding the digestive system, regulating temperature and flushing out toxins from the body.
The two main ways to consume water is either by drinking it or eating it through high water content foods such as fruits and vegetables. Although the most popular way to stay hydrated is to drink water, there has been growing research supporting the theory that eating your water might be more beneficial and efficient way of staying hydrated longer and some of the reasons have been outlined below.
‘Healthy hydration is about the water you hold in the body, not the water you drink that passes straight through,’ says Dr Howard Murad, associate clinic professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and author of The Water Secret.
The two key points in water consumption, is the ingestion (drinking water) and the retention (keeping it in your cells). Drinking too much water can actually deplete your body of vitamins and minerals if they are flushed out of the body too quickly. To reiterate, there is nothing wrong with drinking water, however, if we don’t improve the capacity to get it into our cells and keep it there, it goes straight into the toilet without doing us any good.
Dr Howard Murad added, “ You can drink eight glasses of water - and while that is still a way of putting water into your body, it could mean eight trips to the bathroom without it actually reaching your cells.’ Inefficient use of water in the body can be detrimental as it floats between our cells, ageing us and making us feel fat and sluggish. In fact, bloating, puffy eyes and swollen ankles is a sign of your body not handling water efficiently.
However, the water consumed through eating is different. This is because the water in food is surrounded by other molecules that aid absorption into our cells, and ensure it remains in our system for long enough to be put to good use, leading to longer hydration.
‘When we eat water-rich foods, we absorb water more slowly because it is trapped in the structure of these foods,’. ‘That slow absorption means the water in food stays in our bodies longer, and brings a multitude of additional benefits.’ – Dr Murad.
One study, by researchers at the University of Aberdeen Medical School, found that the natural sugars, proteins, mineral salts and vitamins in water-rich fruits and vegetables means they also supplement the nutrients lost through exercise. Dr Murad calls this type of hydration ‘structured water’.
The aim is NOT to completely discount drinking water from your diet but to ensure that a portion of your water intake comes from vegetables and fruit in order to increase the efficiency of water usage in the body.
Sources and Further Reading
https://www.aquasana.com/info/waters-journey-through-the-body-pd.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water#7.-Can-aid-weight-loss