“We are kind of like a grape,” said Dr. Stanley Goldfard, Associate Dean for Clinical Education and Professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “When you squeeze a grape you get rid of all the water, and it becomes a little raisin. Our bodies are like that.” 

Thirsty for more information we asked Dr. Goldfarb a few hydration questions about why our bodies need water. 

“Our bodies are made up of 60 to 80 percent water,” Dr. Goldfarb said. “We have a need for water intake every day, mostly because we have natural water losses from our body.” 

Our bodies generally take in about 2,500 milliliters (about 10.5 cups) of water a day either through the fluids we drink or through the food we eat, he said.  Our natural thirst mechanism lets us know how much water we need to take in to replace the water we have lost through our skin and urine. 

“Our bodies require water in order for various chemicals and proteins to function properly,” Dr. Goldfard said. 

Too much water or too little can impair the cells ability to work properly.  The proper balance of water in our bodies will ensure our cells are functioning properly. 

We know hydration is important, but do you have to drink water to stay hydrated?  Dr. Goldfarb says not necessarily. 

“If you drink a soda for example, that is made up of about 95 percent water.  It is still a liquid – basically water in some way,” Dr. Goldfarb said. If you prefer to drink coffee, tea or soda it is perfectly fine to drink those instead since all fluids accomplish the same thing, he said. 

“I should point out that if you have problems with being overweight, it is better to drink water than sweetened beverages that can lead to excess caloric consumption,” Dr. Goldfarb said. 

When it comes to hydrating, sports drinks seem to have a leg up but that is not always the case.  Sports drinks do contain a small amount of electrolytes, which are basically minerals, but they often contain a large amount of sugar, as well. 

“For those who are exercising at peak physical exertion in a very hot and dry climate, they may benefit from a sports drink that helps replenish lost vitamins and minerals,” Dr. Goldfarb said. “But, for the average person, under average physical strain, most sports drinks are unnecessary.” 

Hydration is important but what are the consequences of not drinking enough water every day?  According to Dr. Goldfarb, the consequences can vary.  When we do not drink enough water we start to feel thirsty.  If we continue to lose water, we can start to become dehydrated which can be dangerous if not addressed.  Some signs of severe dehydration include: 

• Low blood pressure 
• Changes in neurological function 
• Skin becomes very dry 
• Intense sensations of thirst 

However, just going three to four hours without drinking water will result in a slight sense of dryness in the mouth and a slight sense of thirst.  At this point, less than one percent of your total body water has been lost. 

“That does not mean you have reached a level of dehydration, it is just a point where you need to drink some water.  But, if you let it go to a severe state, it could become a severe problem,” Dr. Goldfarb said. 

A common question asked is whether drinking water can aid in weight loss.  According to Dr. Goldfarb, there is no evidence to believe that is true.  People who drink water right before or after a meal tend to consume the same amount of calories.  “This idea of drinking water as part of a diet program really has not been shown to be effective in a controlled study,” he said. 

We are often told that drinking eight glasses of water a day is a must.  We asked Dr. Goldfarb if that statement is accurate. 

“On a normal basis, we take in about eight glasses of water per day, and people are sometimes confused that they need to drink eight glasses above and beyond what they are already taking in.  Based on your natural response to thirst, eight glasses a day is a normal amount to take in,” he said. 

Dr. Goldfarb agrees with the National Academy of Science and recommends, “Drinking when you are thirsty. Unless you have a medical condition where a physician has recommended that you drink more fluid, it is perfectly healthy to drink when you are thirsty.”  

To stay hydrated, drink fluids, whether water or other drinks, when you are thirsty. Most of us get enough fluids to stay hydrated through what we eat and drink, but it is essential to replenish lost fluids every day. 

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To test out our experiment, we ran to the local grocery store and picked up limes and lemons. We tested our fruit three different ways – whole, peeled and sliced. Each time, we noticed that the lemons floated to the top of the bowl while the limes stayed relatively close to the middle/bottom of the bowl. When we peeled and sliced the fruit, the separation just continued to grow.

What we found strangest, however, was that when we peeled the fruit the limes only continued to sink deeper in the bowl while the lemons began to sink a little bit further into the bowl, but remained close to the top. The phenomenon continued when the fruit separated further after they were sliced. We assumed this happened because the fruit was sliced, therefore making the individual pieces lighter.

Based on our observations, we wanted to know the science behind why this was happening. Why, based on our observations, were the larger fruits floating to the top while the smaller fruits were sinking to the bottom? Does it have something to do with the acidity of the fruit? The weight of the peel? Or just the overall mass? We asked Sarah Downs, RD, for an explanation.

So, why do lemons float and limes sink?

Sarah Downs, RD: “The reason limes sink and lemons float is due to density, or the mass per unit of volume. An object will float if it is less dense than the liquid it is placed in and will sink if it is denser than the liquid it is placed in. Lemons and limes both have densities that are very close to water, so you would expect that they would both float. However, limes are slightly denser than lemons, which is why they sink and lemons float.”

Intrigued? Check it out for yourself in the video below:

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According to Dr. Dahl, infused water is a simple and healthy way to make tasteless water more appealing without adding any artificial ingredients or extra calories.

How is it made?

The general procedure involves using fruits, vegetables, or herbs to “infuse” or “permeate” water by sitting in or near the water for at least 4 hours. Infusing at room temperature often speeds up infusion rate and typical infused water lasts 3-4 days refrigerated. Rinds from citrus fruits can add a bitter taste, so if using citrus, you may want to cut off the rind portion of the fruit.

Are there any benefits to infused water besides taste?

Some benefits of infused water include the potential for nutrients, colors and flavors found naturally in the ingredients you use to seep into the water with little to no added calories. Water-soluble vitamins such as B vitamins and vitamin C may leak out in the infusion process and can be found in the water.

It’s getting easier to infuse water as more infusion products are available in stores. Big infusion pitchers or individual infusion water bottles with a place to put fruits or vegetables can be found at your local supermarket. If you don’t want to break the bank, you can use a mason jar and strain out the fruit and vegetable pieces left in the water.

Looking for some infused water recipes? Here are a few worth trying!

Strawberry, Basil and Cucumber from BudgetSavvyDiva.com

Blueberry Orange Water from ThePeachKitchen.com

Strawberry, Orange, Lemon and Mint from EatDrinkShopLove.com

_{“Fruit Infused Water” by Dave Leonhardt is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

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So why do our bodies need water, and how much water should we drink per day? Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, Associate Dean for Clinical Education and Professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, explains.

Why is it important to drink water?

Dr. Goldfarb: “We have a need for water intake every day, mostly because we have natural water losses from our body. Water loss occurs two ways – from our urine and from our skin. Generally, we need about 1 milliliter of water for every calorie consumed. That’s why most people take in about 2,500 milliliters (about 10.5 cups) of water per day, either by food or drink, in order to maintain a balance. Water that is lost from skin, whether you sweat or not, is lost through evaporation. Those two sources of water loss require us to take water in, and we know how much water to take in because of our natural thirst mechanism.”

Why do our bodies need hydration?

Dr. Goldfarb: “Our bodies are made up of 60 to 80 percent water. Unfortunately, we’re kind of like a grape. When you squeeze a grape, you get rid of all the water, and it becomes a little raisin. Our bodies are like that. Our bodies require water in order for various chemicals and proteins to function optimally. Each cell in our body needs a certain level of water to function optimally. If we take in extra water, we need to get rid of it, because extra water doesn’t do the cell any good. On the other hand, if the cell loses water, then the cells also don’t function well. We need to maintain the proper amount of water in our bodies for cells to function.”

What should we drink to stay hydrated? Water? 

Dr. Goldfarb: “You don’t necessarily have to drink water. If you drink a soda, for example, that is made up of about 95 percent water. It’s still a liquid – basically water in some way. You don’t have to restrict yourself to plain water – any fluids will accomplish the same thing.

Tap water is probably the safest form of water to drink because it’s tested, several times a day, by municipalities in the United States. Now, obviously, if you’re in a country that doesn’t have a good water system, that’s different, but in the United States, drinking tap water is very safe. Drinking bottled water is safe, as well – it’s just water. But bottled water is very expensive and produces a lot of waste. Also, there’s no evidence that drinking water from different parts of the world has any benefits.

If you like to drink soda, and can put up with the sugar in it, or like the taste of sugar-free soda, or coffee, or tea – all of those things will provide adequate amounts of fluid, if that’s what you prefer to drink. I should point out that if you have problems with being overweight, it is better to drink water than sweetened beverages that can lead to excess caloric consumption.”

What about sports drinks?

Dr. Goldfarb: “It depends on the circumstances. The sports drinks are mostly water, and typically have a nice taste because of the added sugar. They do contain electrolytes, which are basically minerals, but it’s a pretty small amount of electrolytes, and most of the substances in these sports drinks tend to be sugar. For those who are exercising at peak physical exertion in a very hot and dry climate, they may benefit from a sports drink that helps replenish lost vitamins and minerals. But for someone working out in an air-conditioned gym for 30 minutes, it’s probably not necessary to consume sports drinks with electrolytes. It comes down to the strain put on the body and whether you need a sports drink or not. They are beneficial under extreme conditions. But, for the average person, under average physical strain, most sports drinks are unnecessary.”

What happens if we don’t drink enough water each day?

Dr. Goldfarb: “Well, first of all, you’ll get thirsty. If we continue to lose water, particularly through our skin and through our kidneys, we could become dehydrated. Severe dehydration can be very dangerous. This can occur when an individual is in a very hot environment, sweating as much as a quart or more an hour. Some signs of severe dehydration are low blood pressure, changes in neurologic function, the skin becoming very dry, and intense sensations of thirst. But that’s a very extreme situation. On the other hand, if someone goes 3-4 hours without drinking any fluids, they can show signs of being thirsty. At that point, they’ve lost less than one percent of their total body water. They’ll feel a slight sense of dryness in their mouth and a sense of thirst. That doesn’t mean that they’ve reached a level of dehydration, it’s just a point where they need to drink some water. But, if they let it go to a severe state, it could become a severe problem.”

Can you drink too much water?

Dr. Goldfarb: “Yes, and people have actually harmed themselves doing so. There’s a notorious example from a radio show a few years ago. The radio show held a contest to see who could drink the most water over the shortest period of time. A lady drank so much water that she had a seizure and died. She overwhelmed her body’s ability to excrete water. It’s not easy to drink too much water. Really, our bodies are designed to get rid of water, and if people are just sipping water throughout the day, they won’t harm themselves. You would have to drink a very large amount of water, very quickly, to harm yourself.”

Can drinking water aid in weight loss?

Dr. Goldfarb: “There’s just no evidence to that, and actually, there’s pretty good evidence against it. The test comes from experiments of people who have been given water right before a meal and then, it’s observed how many calories are consumed afterwards. If you drink water right before a meal, or after a meal, you’re going to consume the same amount of calories; you’re not going to be filled up more quickly. However, if you flavor the water, for example, with a soup flavor, individuals tend to eat less during the meal. That doesn’t mean they eat less over a 24-hour period, because what likely happens is that they didn’t eat as much during the meal, making them hungry later. This idea of drinking water as part of a diet program really hasn’t been shown to be effective in a controlled study.”

Do we really need eight glasses of water a day?

Dr. Goldfarb: “You can drink what you like. The issue has become more about people forcing themselves to drink water that they really don’t want to drink. People who don’t want to drink water have been told that drinking a lot of water is going to have health benefits. That is not necessarily true.

For the most part, our diets are balanced, and we take in a normal amount of food and are drinking a normal amount of fluids because we’re thirsty. That comes to about 2 ½ quarts or 3 quarts per day. That’s the average that people consume, and they excrete about 1 ½ quarts of urine per day. More fluid goes in than comes out because we have to remember the amount that is lost to our skin. By the end of the day, whatever fluid that is taken in, is taken out, and you stay in balance.

On a normal basis, we take in about eight glasses of water per day, and people are sometimes confused that they need to drink eight glasses above and beyond what they’re already taking in. Based on your natural response to thirst, eight glasses a day is a normal amount to take in. But there’s no evidence that you need to force yourself to drink water. The National Academy of Sciences says to “drink when you’re thirsty.” That’s the best way to approach this issue. Unless you have a medical condition where a physician has recommended that you drink more fluid, it’s perfectly healthy to drink when you’re thirsty. The only time you should change that is if you’re going to be in a hot environment for a long period of time.”

_{“bottle” by Mike Williscorsometal is licensed under CC BY ND.}

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