10/28/2021
Spooky Facts about Your Water and Hydration
Without a steady supply of H2O, it’s only a matter of time before you become a dusty mummy or a bone-dry skeleton. According to Healthline, more than half of your body is composed of water!
Water is the magical elixir of life, but you need to check your potions book to make sure you know the facts from fairy tales and fiction. Many spooky water myths persist to this day – let’s dispel them now, so they don’t give you a fright!
Water Tricks and Treats
Ghouls and goblins aren’t the only creatures that go bump in the night. Discover what water tricks you might believe so we can turn them into water treats. Get your water facts straight after the jump.
Trick: Eight Glasses of Water a Day
You’ve heard it time and time again: drink eight glasses of eight ounces of water every day. But can the same guideline be accurate for everyone?
Treat: Water Intake Varies
There is no one-size-fits-all standard for the amount of water you should drink every day. The U.S. National Academies for Sciences water intake recommendations are 3.7 liters of water per day (15.5 glasses) for men ages 19-50 and 2.7 liters of water per day (11.5 glasses) for women ages 19-50. About 80% of that water comes from drinking, and the rest comes from the food you eat every day, like fruits and vegetables.
Other factors affect how much water you should drink. If you live in high altitudes, have a humid climate, or exercise regularly, you will need to boost your hydration to keep up.
Trick: Coconut Water Is Better Than Regular Water
The coconut water hydration myth is similar to what you might hear about sports drinks: that the electrolytes, such as potassium and sodium, make it “better” than filtered water for hydrating.
Treat: Stick with Filtered Water
Coconut water is not a “better drink” for recovery than plain water. According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, coconut water “is no more hydrating than plain water.” Weighing the evidence, Zeratsky says that “plain water is still the smart choice” after exercise.
Trick: Sports Drinks Are Hydration Superstars
Alright, so maybe coconut water isn’t the magic hydration spell. But what about popular sports drinks – aren’t they concocted specifically for maximizing your H2O intake? When are sports drinks appropriate for hydration?
Treat: It’s Best to Drink Water
Drinks enhanced with electrolytes are not necessarily the best option for pure hydration after a workout. Sometimes it’s appropriate to reintroduce electrolytes into your system, but popular sports drinks often contain high levels of high fructose corn syrup and sugar that add unnecessary calories.
According to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, a 32-ounce sports drink can contain between 14 and 19 teaspoons of sugar, which is four-to-six times the daily recommended amount for kids. You’ll see that level of sugar in your Halloween candy haul! Drinking water will hydrate you without the sugar rush.
Trick: Overhydration Isn’t Possible
Water is the fundamental element of life. Many people believe that your body can’t get “too much” hydration. Water is a refreshing way to hydrate, but is it possible to drink too much?
Treat: You Can Drink “Too Much” Water When Exercising
Contrary to popular belief, you can overhydrate, especially if you’re a marathon runner. According to a 2015 narrative review published in Nutritional Reviews, incidences of overhydration in endurance athletes can vary between 3% and 29%.
Drinking too much water can lower sodium levels in your body, the Mayo Clinic reports. Next time you plan to sprint to every house in the city for your trick-or-treating, consult with a physician to keep your hydration on pace!
Trick: Energy Drinks are a Hydrating Drink Option
When you’re plowing through a movie marathon or work session, you might turn to energy drinks as an easy way to stay caffeinated and make it to the morning.
Energy drinks are infamous for their caffeine content and sugary taste. They are popular beverages, but do energy drinks hydrate you?
Treat: Energy Drinks WON’T Hydrate You!
Energy drinks include a concentrated kick of sugar, caffeine, and other stimulants. The CDC warns that the dangers of energy drinks include dehydration, anxiety, and irregular heartbeat. Skip the energy drinks – you can make your own caffeinated drinks like oolong tea using great-tasting filtered water.
Keep the Water Monsters at Bay with Pentair Water Solutions
Avoid these spooky hydration myths and enjoy refreshing, high-quality filtered water from every tap in your home. Tailored water softening and filtration solutions can help you reduce whatever water concerns you may have, from hard water and treatment chemicals to contaminants like lead and PFAS.
