April 04, 2017
How Much Water to Drink for Health and Weight Loss
Drinking at least eight glasses a day of plain water is required to keep the body healthy, however it is also linked to weight loss. Water is the only beverage recommended for hydration and weight loss.
For those who do not like the taste of plain water, nutritionists recommend flavoring water with lemon or True Lemon. True Lemon is crystallized lemon with simple and clean ingredients in convenient, portable packets. Our products contain no carbohydrates, no sugar, no caffeine, no calories, no artificial flavors or sweeteners, no gluten, no sodium, and no preservatives. An independent survey by a major California university found a 61 percent increase in water consumption with daily True Lemon use.
Water for your everyday needs:
Drinking enough water is important to keep the body functioning normally. Adequate hydration is needed for:
- digestion and absorbing foods nutrients
- healthy skin
- controlling muscle and joint inflammation
- proper circulation
- eliminating toxins
Water for weight loss:
Water is not only necessary for everyday health, drinking plenty of water is also beneficial for losing excess weight. As many as 75 percent of adults in the U.S. are chronically dehydrated, which can lead to weight control issues. Research has shown that even mild dehydration slows the metabolism as much as three percent, causing weight gain.
Along with maintaining a healthy metabolism, the Franz-Volhard Clinical Research Center performed a study that found drinking six 8-ounce glasses of water per day can burn approximately five pounds of fat per year. Other research at the Virginia Tech Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise found that adults who drank 2.1 cups of water half an hour before meals ate 13% less at each meal.
How much water does a healthy adult need?
Urine output for adults averages about 6.3 cups daily. Another 4 cups of water a day is lost through breathing, sweating, and bowel movements. Many foods contain water, and can account for 20 percent of total fluid intake, so drinking slightly more than 8 cups along with your normal diet should replace lost fluids. Urine color is a good guide to your water level. If you are drinking plenty of water and your urine is nearly colorless, your fluid intake is probably adequate.
When you need more water:
- Exercise that makes you sweat requires an extra 1.5 to 2.5 cups of water.
- Strenuous exercise lasting more than an hour requires more water.
- Hot or humid weather, heated indoor air, and high altitudes require additional water intake.
- Fever, vomiting, or diarrhea dehydrates the body, and extra water should be consumed.
- Pregnancy or breast-feeding women need additional water to stay hydrated with as much as 10 to 13 cups per day.