There are a handful of things that are imperative to our being, water probably tops that list. It is vital to our existence and is yet taken for granted, as it should be given that it inhabits close to 70% of the earth. Nonetheless, ironically not even half of that amount is consumable. So how and why is water so important?
Water is your body's principal chemical component, comprising, on average, 60 percent of your weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions
Water is more than just what come out of our taps, it's important to understand all that it stands for...Clear fluid makes up water and besides that many dissolved minerals and ions go in to the making of this element. There are many varieties of water and depending on the type, the levels of minerals vary. Mentioned below are some well known varieties.
Mineral Water: This is the water that contain Minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value. Minerals like zinc, manganese, boron etc are present. In mineral water bottles, the heavy metal and chemical impurities are removed and minerals are left behind in the composition of 250 parts per million of total dissolved substances. These minerals are essential to our body's wellbeing.
Sparkling Water: Carbonated water, also known as sparkling water, fizzy water and seltzer, is plain water into which carbon dioxide gas has been dissolved. Unlike aerated beverages (Colas etc.) which have been shown to cause increased bone fracture risk, sparkling water is as harmless to consume as regular water.
Spring Water: A spring is a point where groundwater flows out of the ground, and is then that the aquifer surface meets the ground surface. Minerals become dissolved in the water as it moves through the underground rocks. This may give the water flavor and even carbon dioxide (CO2) bubbles, depending upon the nature of the geology through which it passes. Spring water is often bottled and sold as mineral water.
Purified Water: This is the water which has been purified with the help of reverse osmosis, de-ionization. Typically, it is found that during purification, the water is stripped of all the good minerals that are required by the human body to stay healthy.
State of Water Today
While we have huge basket to choose from as far as drinking water is concerned, the market is also flooded with water that consists of many heavy metals and traces of environmental pollutants like pesticides and other chemicals. Diseases such as hypothyroid are caused by iodine depletion in the water which leads to a deficiency in the body. In other cases companies also tend to add aspartame into the water to give a slight sweet taste to the water, which is not healthy in the long run.
How much Water to Drink?
The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3.0 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day, meaning this includes your daily intake of tea/coffee/fruit juices/soups etc.!
Drink that glass of water even when you are not thirsty. It's the best alternative to all things aerated and better than a glass of fruit juice too!
