How much water should we drink in a day? You have probably heard the recommendation of drinking eight glasses of water a day. Yes, drinking eight glasses of water is very common and easy to remember.
However, our daily water requirements may vary depending on different factors such as physical activity, weather, salt intake and many more. Some people might need to drink more than eight glasses of water, while some might require less.
As we know having good hydration is very important and essential to maintain normal body function and performance level. Now, let’s see what are the tips for staying hydrated.
3 Useful Tips Helping You to Stay Hydrated
Bring a water bottle with you all the time.
Sip or drink water steadily throughout the day. Drink more water especially when you are active or when the weather is hot to replace the fluids loss through sweating. Don’t wait till you’re thirsty to drink. It is because you might have got slightly dehydrated when the thirstiness hits.
Add flavor to your water
Getting bored of drinking plain water? Don’t worry, you can add flavor to your water. Get yourself a refreshing drink by adding a slice of lemon and mint leaves into the water.
Be mindful that alcohol, soda and other sugary drinks should not be the option to replace plain water. The high sugar content will cause you to end up taking in more calories than needed and leading to weight gain.
Eat fruit & vegetables with high water content
Actually, do you know that drinking water is not the only way to meet your fluid needs? What you eat matters too. Certain fruits and vegetables contain plenty of water in addition to vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Not sure what fruits and vegetables to pick? Watermelon, oranges and strawberries are the fruits that are high in water content, while vegetables, such as lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes are excellent options too. Similarly, blending juices with these water-rich fruits and vegetables can be a healthy and tasty way to stay hydrated.
Sign & symptoms of dehydrated
Apart from focusing on eating and drinking, you should also keep an eye out for the signs and symptoms of dehydration. Your body will often tell you if you are dehydrated. The most common sign of dehydration is having dark yellow urine. Drink more water so that your urine stays light colour or clear in color, and you feel the need to urinate every 2-4 hours. Other symptoms of dehydration include dizziness, tiredness and dryness of the mouth, lips and eyes.
How much should we drink per day?
So, how much water should we drink in a day to stay hydrated? We don’t have an exact answer for that. Different individuals have different fluid requirements. BUT if you are able to follow these tips, you are less likely to get dehydrated.
Again, hydration plays an important role in our daily life. Now that you have finished reading this article, it’s time to drink water now!
Get pumped up and get high on life and health better! Chat with our dietitian at Diet Ideas for more helpful nutrition tips to elevate your life.
Prepared by Aileen Low,
Final Year Student, 2022
BSc (Hons) Dietetics with Nutrition,
International Medical University (IMU)
Checked by Mohd. Siddeq Azha,
Dietitian,
Diet Ideas Sdn. Bhd.
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