LIQUID ASSETS

Tuesday March 11, 2008

Stop neglecting and start respecting the daily intake of water

Eveline Gan
eveline@mediacorp.com.sg

From designer bottled water to decadent water menus at restaurants such as
Taste at Red White and Pure, humble H2O has suddenly become fashionable.
It’s about time, say nutrition experts.

After all, despite having our mothers and doctors nag at us to “drink more
water!”, we’ve been neglecting the importance of this unassuming
thirst-quencher for far too long.

Said Ms Gladys Wong, chief dietitian at Alexandra Hospital: “We need
adequate water to help carry and get rid of toxins in the body that can
affect one’s skin integrity, immune system and kidney stones. Toxins are
excreted from the body through our perspiration, faeces, urine and
breath,”

Remember those times you were ill and your doctor told you to drink more
water? Water also helps to regulate your body temperature.

“This is a general doctor’s advice when someone suffers an infection where
there might be inflammation and fever,” said Assoc Prof Michael Chia, head
of physical education and sports science department at National Institute
of Education (NIE).

“There is an increase in body temperature and water loss from the body.
Hence, it is prudent to replace water and cool the body by drinking more
water.”

Apart from dehydration – which is considered extreme – insufficient water
can  affect concentration and even be embarrassing. “Lack of water can
affect sports performance negatively so performance suffers as
concentration wanes. Dehydration may also cause foul-smelling breath,”
said Assoc Prof Chia.

“Not drinking sufficiently over the long term may also result in kidney
stones which cause excruciating pain.”

How much water a day?

Over the years, different studies have produced varying recommendations of
daily water intake.

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) recommends that six to eight glasses of
fluids should be consumed daily, in addition to water that is found in our
food, from sources such as fruit and vegetables.

“This can include water or other liquids consumed in the form of porridge
or soup,” said HPB’s nutritionist, Benjamin Lee, who estimated that an
average person loses about eight to 10 cups of water daily – via the skin,
lungs, kidneys and intestines.

While everyone has varying fluid requirements, drinking more water, rather
than less, is always welcome.

“If your kidneys are working properly, they will get rid of the excess
water by making more urine,” said Ms Wong.

But plain water is boring …

Soft drinks and other sugary beverages can also quench thirst, but Mr Lee
reminded that they also give “empty calories” without other nutritional
value.

“The additional calories in these drinks can lead to weight gain and
obesity, especially since a person doesn’t feel full after drinking them,”
he added.

How about mineral water then?

Though it may be fashionable now to take a swig from the bottle, Mr Lee
said that bottled mineral water is not significantly more nutritious than
tap water, which is safe to drink in Singapore and “probably more
cost-effective”.

If you really can’t stomach plain water, Ms Wong suggested squeezing a few
drops of lemon or lime to “give it a tangy flavour”.

“Or you could use floral or herbal teabags to ‘taint’ the plain water,”
she said.

Are you drinking enough?

Interestingly, thirst is a poor indicator of hydration.

Assoc Prof Chia said that if you feel thirsty, you would have been
dehydrated over the last hour. To check if you’re adequately hydrated,
peep into the toilet bowl after you’ve had your toilet break.

According to the head of NIE’s physical education and sports science
department, you’re adequately hydrated if your urine looks like water.

“If it looks like a lemon drink (light or pale yellow), you are still
okay. If it looks like apple juice, you need to drink more water or a
sports drink if you’ve been exercising for more than 30 minutes.

“If your urine looks like the colour of a cola drink, you need to get a
check up immediately,” he advised.

Fresh from the tap

It’s common knowledge that Singapore’s  tap water is safe to drink even
without  boiling. However, it is advisable not to drink tap water that has
been sitting around for days. Drink it fresh from the faucet, advised Ms
Wong.

“At room temperature, tap water that has been sitting in a jar will
promote the growth of micro-organisms. It can also breed mosquitoes,” she
explained.

It is also important to ensure that filters are replaced regularly.

“Otherwise, the water from the tap may carry even more microorganisms
after passing through the dirty filter.”

Visit TODAYonline website at http://www.todayonline.com
THIS DOCUMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THIS PROGRAM ARE
FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.The information type should not be
interpreted to be a commitment on the part of MediaCorp Press Ltd and
MediaCorp Press Ltd cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information
presented after the date of publication. INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS
DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. The user
assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
TODAYonline newsletter e-mail may be copied and distributed subject to the
following conditions:
1. All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be
included
2. All copies must contain MediaCorp Press Ltd’s copyright notice and any
other notices provided therein
3. This document may not be distributed for profit