[WATCH] Is there a substitute for water?

With fruit juices and soft drinks readily available, do we really still need to drink water?

July 12, 2016

Ghia ten Doeschate 1 minute read

We live in an age where caffeine and sugary drinks reign, re-hydrating us and keeping us energised. But are they really that much better than water?

Drinking too little water can actually cause you to gain weight, because when you’re not drinking enough water, your body holds every drop to prevent severe dehydration.

Dehydration can also lead to a lack of energy, which in turn results in a lack of focus.

Two studies from the University of Connecticut put men and women through a series of cognitive tests and found that even being mildly dehydrated affected their moods and caused fatigue and headaches.

Soft drinks contain large amounts of sugar, and have the ability to strip metal. They also significantly increase your risk of developing diabetes, put you at higher risk for cancer, and add the bonus of increased heart attack and stroke risk if you drink them daily. And as if that wasn’t enough, the phospohoric acid in soft drinks contributes to tooth and bone weakening by facilitating calcium loss.

The philosopher Kevin R Stone said: “Drinking water is like washing out your insides. The water will cleanse the system, fill you up, decrease your caloric load and improve the function of all your tissues.”