As soon as we start going to school, we start hearing about the benefits of water and that we must consume as much fluids as we can to avoid health problems. However, there are some things that we still haven‘t learned in the school table. Here are three little known facts about the fluid balance in our body.
We lose the fluids not only in summer but in winter as well
We all know that during summer period our body starts losing more fluids and the mode we stay in hot air, the more fluids it loses. However, the risk of fluid loss also remains in the cold season, especially when doing winter sports such as skiing, skating, snowboarding or just digging the snow. Physical activity and warm clothes make us sweat only little less than in summer. It should also be noted that the sea level also affects the fluid balance in the body.
All types of drinks meet our body’s fluid needs
Women should get 2 liters of fluids during the day , while men – 2.5 liters of fluids. It is estimated that about 80% of fluid needed for the human is obtained by drinking water and the remaining 20% of the fluid come from the food. So, women should drink about 8 glasses of fluids every day, while men – about 10 glasses of fluids. This amount includes all types of drinks, not just water. You can include different types of drinks in your diet, like natural or flavored water, milk, juice, soft drinks, coffee, tea, etc. The higher variety of your intake of drinks, the easier it is to maintain fluid balance in the body. However, keep in mind that eating and drinking should be in moderation.
Regular consumption of caffeine does not have diuretic effects
There is a widespread myth that caffeine acts as a diuretic and promotes fluid excretion from the body. However, studies have shown that, although it may have a mild, transient diuretic effect, lasting for 3-5 days for people who normally do not use it, this does not happen to those who regularly consume caffeine. However, in order to maintain good health, it is important to control the consumption of caffeine. One large cup of coffee has the same amount of caffeine as three cups of tea or 4-5 glasses of soft drinks. Remember that some foods such as chocolate may also have caffeine.