In this article, we will try to demonstrate the paths and actions of water in the human body. It does not contain calories, but the body would die in a few days in its total absence. It comprises close to two-thirds of our body weight, and in healthy people, there is a good balance between the water we take in and the water we expel. How do we take in WATER?
We need an average of 2.5 litres of water daily. Sometimes our body asks for more, and should be given more, such as in cases of intense physical exercise, high environmental temperatures, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and other symptoms.As a very clear message to those who eat too much, we say that sometimes thirst is wrongly interpreted as hunger. In that case, one should begin by drinking a glass of water and once the thirst is sated, the tendency to eat too much is also reduced.
Healthy people should drink as much water as they want when thirsty, because the excess water is quickly and easily eliminated through our kidneys.
We take water in three different ways - drinking it as a liquid, consuming it as an element of solid foods and through our internal metabolism, as a part of processing proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
The foods rich in water, with 90 to 99 percent composition, include non-fat milk and skim milk, soda, melon, lettuce, tomato, asparagus, bell pepper, eggplant, cabbage and onion.
The ones with the least water are pasta, legumes, dried fruits, sugar, cookies, and chocolate, with a modest content of 1 to 9 percent water.
In the middle are semi-fatty meats, salmon, chicken breast, meatballs, baloney, pizza, cherries and semi-cured cheeses.
The only food completely free of water is oil
It is good news for those trying to lose weight that drinking more water helps, because it increases calorie-burning by the body as it is absorbed, distributed, metabolized and eliminated. We can also say it is the only nutrient that does not add a single calorie.
Eliminating water
The body has four ways of eliminating water and maintaining a healthy balance. The kidneys are the principal way by producing urine. For that reason, drinking too much water is not a problem for a healthy person-the excess is eliminated quickly and easily.Sweat is the second way, but is very volatile, and depends on physical exercise and the environmental temperature. It may vary from 100 ml daily to one or two litres hourly in a very hot climate or with intense exercise.
Third is defecation, which usually accounts for a modest quantity of 100ml daily. This may increase when the quantity of dietary fibre is increased, requiring more water, which in turn benefits the entire process.
The fourth way water is eliminated is imperceptible losses that occur constantly in all living beings, representing 700ml daily. This includes through the skin, independently of sweat and evaporation through our breath. Extremely large amounts are lost, for example by burn victims.
Distribution and functions of water
If you are an average, normal adult weighing approximately 154 pounds (70 kg), it is good to know that your body holds no less than 42 litres of water, representing 60 percent of your weight.Body liquid is distributed in two compartments. The 75 billion cells of our body hold 40 percent of total body weight (about 28 litres) - and it is called intracellular liquid. The rest, which is extra-cellular, is distributed in the spaces between the cells, in our blood plasma and in the liquids found in our joints, membranes and brain.
Water is involved in many body functions, and is felt in all chemical reactions. It is also the vehicle for transporting nutrients to all our cells, and for taking away waste to be eliminated. It also lubricates and provides structural support for tissue and joints, and plays an extremely important role in regulating body temperature.
To answer the question in this article’s headline, we can categorically say that water is not fattening, and in every case contributes to reducing body weight, because its processing alone makes the body burn calories. We can also say that normal individuals should not experience water retention, given the body’s natural balance between what is consumed and what is expelled. One final piece of advice: when thirsty, drink all the water you want.
Professor of Medicine and Chief of Endocrinology Services Teaching Hospital, Havana, Cuba Dr Salvador Allende
Courtesy By Daily News
