| Bottoms Up
What and how much you drink can be just as important as what you eat. Dr Wynnie Chan explains how to get your healthy fill of fluids We all know that water is essential for life and we can only survive a few days without it. It makes up approximately two thirds of our weight and is essential for regulating our bodily processes. But, how much do you need to be healthy? A review published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests that the average man should drink 2.9 litres of water daily and the average women should have at least 2.2 litres daily. In contrast, the British Dietetic Association's guidelines suggest the average adult should consume 2.5 litres of fluids a day, which can include squash, fruit juices, tea and coffee. To avoid dehydration, we should aim to drink enough fluids to replace what we lose during our daily activities. We need to drink more when the weather is hot, during or after exercise, and when we drink alcohol, as it has a dehydrating effect. You can achieve your daily intake of fluids in several ways. If you're aiming for a healthy, low-fat diet, the best choice is water. Even if you are not on a diet, it's advisable to moderate your consumption of soft drinks, coffee or tea. Of course, some of our daily fluid requirement comes from food, with fruit and vegetables providing the most. So assuming you're getting your five portions a day from this food group, you don't need to go overboard on liquids. Although water - whether bottled or tapped - is the most obvious choice (and has the bonus of zero calories and an additional dose of calcium), guzzling litres of this flavourless drink may not be everyone's cup of tea. The following list suggests other tipples that can count towards your daily goal. 1. Fruit juices: Juices squeezed directly from fruit contain all the nutrients present in fruit apart from fibre, and all juices make a significant contribution to our vitamin C intake. For example, a 250ml glass of fresh orange juice contains 120mg of vitamin C, which is three times the daily requirement. While concentrated and bottled juices don't retain the fruit's natural vitamins, vitamin C is often added in by the manufacturer (check the label to confirm whether or not this is the case.) If it has been added, the juice can also serve as an effective source of vitamin C. And if consumed during a meal, fruit juice has the extra benefit of increasing our iron absorption from other foods. All juice is high in sugar, but the freshly squeezed kind is your best bet if you're following a 'low cal' diet, as it has slightly less sugar than other kinds of juices. If you are dieting, it is advisable to drink no more than one glass of freshly squeezed juice a day and opt for water the rest of the time. Here's how the different kinds of juices weigh in calorie-wise: Orange juice Other juices 2. Soft drinks: These are drinks made by either mixing water, sugar and flavouring; mixing water and added fruit juice; or blending or homogenising fruit. Soft drinks include colas, lemonade, orangeade, fruit squash and tonic water. If you're on a reduced-calorie diet, remember that if soft drinks aren't specifically labeled low-calorie, they can significantly bump up your calorie intake. Here's an estimate of how many calories each of the following soft drinks has: 250ml can of cola: 103 calories Soft drinks are not the best choice for a healthy diet given their artificial nature and high sugar content. However, they are OK in moderation - just limit yourself to two cans a day. 3. Tea and coffee: Both tea and coffee contain caffeine, unless you choose decaf coffee or herbal tea, and they act as a diuretic, ridding the body of fluids. Even though caffeinated drinks are dehydrating, they can be counted towards your daily recommended fluid intake, assuming they are weakened. In other words, a cup of filtered coffee is ok, but espresso doesn't count toward your daily recommended amount. Without milk, both drinks are very low in calories - a 260ml mug of black tea contains around three calories, and the same size mug of black coffee contains approximately five calories. If you prefer these drinks with milk, be sure to choose skimmed or semi-skimmed to keep it low-fat. However the verdict is still out on the effects of caffeine, as it is a stimulant. In addition, tea contains substances called tannins, which can inhibit the absorption of iron from food. 4. Smoothies: Smoothies offer delicious combinations of fruit and milk and provide a tasty alternative to fruit juice. Because of their fruit content, smoothies can count towards your daily fluid intake as well as one of your five daily portions of fruit and vegetables. The milk included also provides an excellent source of calcium, protein and B vitamins. For those who don't like fresh fruit or veg, smoothies offer a particularly tasty yet healthy option. While smoothies can be higher in calories than soft drinks, they also fill you up more than other drinks and make a nice substitute for breakfast or snack. Choose ones with skimmed milk when possible to help reduce your overall calorie and fat count. Try these healthy smoothie recipes you can create in your own kitchen. Tropical fruit smoothie Serves 2 1 serving contains 203 calories and 0.5g fat Sunshine smoothie Serves 2 1 serving contains 150 calories and 0.4g fat |