Water – Benefits of Drinking Water!
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, and water are all macronutrients that we must have in our diet. Therefore, drinking water is essential to our staying hydrated and healthy.
The human body is made up of about 60 percent water. Water is used to transport blood throughout the body. In this way, it keeps our organs supplied with oxygen and other vital nutrients. In fact, water is used to produce much needed energy in the body. When properly hydrated, your body temperature can be regulated, and your electrolytes can remain balanced.
Whether you are on a “diet” or not, there are many additional benefits of drinking water! So, this page will highlight some of the more superficial benefits of drinking water.
1. Aids Weight Loss
At times, we can confuse thirst with hunger. So, one of the benefits of drinking water is that we do not eat when we are just thirsty.
2. Cleanse the Body
When losing weight, the body can have an elevated amount of toxins or byproducts that need to be removed from the body. Therefore, another one of the benefits of drinking water is that it helps transport toxins out of the body via urine and feces.
3. Improves Skin Complexion
When toxins are not flushed out of the body, our skin can start showing signs of aging. So, when we drink enough water, we help the body get rid of toxins that may otherwise cause dark under-eye circles, uneven skin tones, and pimples.
4. Aid the Transport of Sodium
Excess sodium is escorted outside the body via sweat and urine. So, when we drink enough water, it can help healthy functioning kidneys regulate our blood pressure. People on dialysis or with kidney problems should follow the advice provided by their physician.
5. Helps Elimination
Water can also help prevent constipation. Therefore, eating enough low carb fiber, and drinking enough water can help keep you regular.
How Much Water Should I Drink?
For people that are not just starting a keto diet producing increased amounts of urine as their body dumps stored sugars, the recommended amount of water to drink in ounces is half your weight in pounds. So, if you are 250 pounds, you should drink about 125 ounces of water each day.
Bottled Water vs. Tap Water
Drinking bottled water instead of tap water is a decision that you will have to make. However, I am a huge fan of drinking bottled water for two main reasons.
(1) There are some high quality bottled low carb waters that can improve your health and weight loss efforts. Many of these waters are mineral rich because they come from natural springs or remote places like the Fiji Island Water.
(2) In most places, tap water is filtered sewer water. So, this is my main reason for recommending bottled water, even if it does not come from Fiji.
Why Is Drinking Water Important?
When you do not drink enough water, the body becomes dehydrated. In a dehydrated state, you can become overheated and experience an electrolyte imbalance.
When the body becomes over-heated, serious heat-related health problems can occur like heat stroke. In extremely hot weather, dehydration can occur rapidly, so the less severe symptoms that can lead up to this point may not be noticed until after a heat stroke has occurred. So, drinking water in hot weather is important to your overall health.
Starting a low carb diet does not cause severe water loss. However, a strict low carb diet (ketogenic diet) can result in substantial water and electrolyte loss. Therefore, a person on a keto diet can easily become dehydrated. Some signs of dehydration on a keto diet includes headache, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, or light-headedness.
With that said, people on a keto diet must learn how to stay hydrated with drinking water and electrolyte drinks to stay hydrated and keep their electrolytes balanced.