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Why Drink Water?
By Sandra Gordon | 9/13/2005





At first glance, water doesn't seem to contribute much to your health. After all, it has no vitamins. No fiber. No protein. No carbohydrates. So why bother drinking it? The truth is, water is vital to your well-being — and staying adequately hydrated can even help you control your weight.

"Water is needed for every cell in your body," says Barbara Levine, RD, PhD, codirector of human nutrition at Rockefeller University in New York City. That's because the chemical reactions that happen in your body need a watery environment. Among its many tasks, water helps your body maintain its optimal temperature. It also helps your body digest food, convert it to energy, get rid of waste and avoid constipation.

Effects of Dehydration
If you're not properly hydrated, you're apt to suffer from dehydration, which can cause symptoms such as headache and fatigue. Drinking enough water — six unce glasses each day at a minimum — may also help you avoid overeating. If you're hit by a craving, try drinking some water, seltzer, or juice and seltzer mixed. This will hydrate you and help fill you up.

Being even slightly dehydrated can also make you feel irritable and cranky — a mood that leads many of us to eat unwisely. "People tend to seek out comfort foods when they're not feeling their best," says Therese Franzese, MS, RD, director of nutrition at the Peninsula Spa in New York City.

Drink Up
"A lot of us are walking around mildly dehydrated," says Levine. In fact, according to a recent Rockefeller University survey of 2,818 Americans, only 34 percent drank the recommended amount of water daily. To make sure you're getting enough water:

* Track your water intake. Try recording every glass of water or other beverage you drink.

* Drink more water and fewer caffeinated beverages and alcohol. Both substances are diuretics that are less hydrating than water. After your morning cup, stick to decaffeinated beverages for the rest of the day. Drinking water or seltzer between alcoholic beverages can help you stay hydrated — and save calories, too, by filling you up.

* Spike your drink. Don't like the taste of plain water? Try a home water-filtration system to improve the quality of your tap water. Or try cutting it with a bit of fruit juice or lemon. Another option is to try mineral water, which has an added bonus: Many brands contain calcium, a mineral that can help prevent bone-weakening osteoporosis.