How important is water in the diet and is it possible to live only on coffee, juices and tea

Everyone agrees that the body needs some form of fluid. Are there any acceptable alternatives for H20, and exactly how much water should you drink? Guardian.

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Drinking water has become something of a badge of honor among celebrities, with Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow admitting to drinking up to three liters a day. But not everyone does it so easily. For example, Florence Pugh recently stated that she found water "too boring to drink." In addition to the lack of taste, she complained about the constant toilet breaks associated with high water consumption, calling them "a waste of time." Instead, she prefers orange juice, pressed elderflowers, and tea.

Expert opinion

Chester-based GP Chris Richison says NHS guidelines suggest drinking six to eight glasses of water a day, which is around two litres. “While this is a general guideline, there is very little specific research or data on the optimal amount of water to drink,” he says. “People have different levels of sensitivity to dehydration, so it can vary from person to person.”

When symptoms of dehydration do occur, they can be difficult to spot and easily confused with something else. “Insufficient fluid intake can increase the risk of urinary tract infections and headaches, as well as fatigue, confusion, darker urine, dry, cracked skin, and irregular bowel movements,” Richison says. It can also lead to low blood pressure or postural hypotension, a condition in which standing up can cause sudden dizziness and a fall.

Meanwhile, drinking more water can help prevent conditions like migraines, frequent headaches, and kidney stones.

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While plain water is the healthiest source of hydration, Richison says any soft drink can prevent dehydration. When researchers at the University of Stirling tracked students' hydration levels for four hours after drinking various liquids in 2016, they found that a liter of instant coffee — and even beer — hydrates the body just as much as the same amount of water. But hydration levels remained highest, even above water levels, after drinking milk.

The Problem of Substitutes

Despite general recommendations, there are very few specific studies and data on the optimal amount of water to drink.

But you shouldn’t drink a lot of water substitutes regularly. “Tea and coffee are diuretics, which means they make you go to the toilet more often,” says Richison. “Sodas and juices also provide adequate fluid intake, but we don't recommend people drink too much of them because of the high sugar content, which can lead to other health problems in the long term.”

According to Nishtha Patel, a functional medicine practitioner and clinical nutritionist, the caffeine in tea and coffee can cause other side effects as well. These include heart palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues such as nausea and diarrhea, sleep disturbances, high blood pressure, and even caffeine addiction. “The recommendation is to limit your caffeine intake to about 400 mg per day, which is the equivalent of about four to five cups of coffee or eight to XNUMX cups of tea,” she says.

When it comes to sugar, the NHS recommends consuming no more than 30g of 'free sugars' per day, including sugars added by food manufacturers, as well as natural sugars in fruit juices, honey and syrups. Patel says some soda or energy drinks contain enough sugar to exceed the recommended daily intake in just one serving. “Diet drinks aren't really much better. They affect the gut microbiome and, like other highly processed foods, have been linked to other health conditions, including memory loss and liver problems,” she says.

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Fresh juices contain more nutrients than sodas, but Patel warns that it's easy to exceed your daily recommended sugar intake. “The average serving (225g) of freshly squeezed orange juice contains about 20-25g of sugar. Consuming too much sugar, even from natural sources, can have negative health effects and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Water hydrates us with zero calories,” she says.

What are the alternatives

If you, like Pugh, find drinking water "too boring" or tasteless, nutritionist Talia Pellegrini recommends adding fruit or cucumber to a pitcher of water and storing it in the refrigerator. “For some people, that's enough,” she says. — You can also try herbal teas and diluted freshly squeezed juices. If you really can't stand the taste of water, try adding pumpkin. It does have a lot of sugar, but it’s better for you than going without liquid at all.”

A plant-heavy diet can help, as you'll get extra hydration from fruits and vegetables. “Some ingredients, like celery, lettuce, tomatoes and watermelon, are more than 90 percent water,” she says. “You can also try eating a lot of peaches, pineapples, oranges and pears.”

What about people who avoid drinking water because they are afraid of using the toilet too often? Veerpal Sandhu, an advanced clinical pharmacist at a GP practice in Essex, says it is particularly common in pregnant women and older people, who may have more problems with bladder control. “People generally manage to avoid drinking too much before traveling, going out, or going to bed,” she says. — One solution is to drink more when you are near toilets. And there are pelvic floor exercises you can do to improve bladder control.”

Richison adds that for older adults, limiting fluids may lead to more toilet breaks. “It makes the bladder more sensitive, so they actually need to go to the toilet more times,” he says. “We tend to find that many people, especially in the summer months, underestimate how much they need to drink.”

Sandhu notes that water is essential for human health. “It makes up more than two-thirds of a healthy person’s body. It lubricates joints and eyes, aids digestion, flushes out waste and toxins and keeps skin healthy,” he says.

And if it's too much

Of course, too much water is bad too. “As a result of some publicity—often from celebrities—to drink more, we sometimes see people feeling unwell from drinking too much,” Richison says.

“Overhydration can lead to a condition called hyponatremia, which means your salt levels have become too dilute. This can cause headaches, dizziness and, in extreme cases, loss of consciousness. If you're going to increase your water intake, I recommend doing it gradually and drinking little and often throughout the day,” says the specialist.

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How much is too much will depend on the person and how quickly they drink. “That’s why we always recommend little and often,” Richison says. “The kidneys can process 20 to 28 liters of water per day, but no more than one liter per hour, so it’s important to spread your intake throughout the day.”

“For most people, unless they exercise, live in a hot climate or are sick, 1,5 to 3 liters of water per day will always be enough,” the expert said.

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