THE weather in the past few weeks has been hot, and not to mention with the current temperatures, the authorities have advised the public to take precautions to avoid getting heat stroke. One way is to ensure that one stays hydrated.
But is it true that you only need to drink eight cups of water a day to stay healthy?
Verdict :
FALSE
This has been an urban health myth that everyone heard about in their household (this, and if anything bad happens, mother would say it is because “you didn't drink enough water”).
So, where did this health myth start? According to The New York Times, some believe that the source is a 1945 Food and Nutrition Board recommendation that said people need about 2.5 litres of water a day.
However, the recommendation also read that "most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods”.
This means that the consumption of H2O is directly from boiled/filtered/mineral water that you drink, and can also come from your food - like that package of nasi lemak you had for breakfast, curry mee you had for lunch, or even the ice kacang you had for dessert during this hot weather. These foods contain liquids.
Studies have also shown that the amount of water one needs per day varies from one person to another.
Factors such as sex, body size, daily activities, and living conditions could affect how much water one needs.
So, for some, eight glasses of water may be too much, for others, too little.
For example, the amount a child staying at home the whole day would need is less compared with an adult farmer working under the hot sun in the padi field.
Recently, dietitian Fiona Lai told The Star that we must replenish the amount of water lost to maintain health and equilibrium.
"Under ordinary circumstances, a reasonable water allowance is approximately 30 to 35ml/kg of usual body weight.
"If you weigh 60kg, you have to take in 1,800 to 2,100ml of water per day," she said in an interview.
So, what's the best way to consume water? While there are apps to remind one to drink water or setting up alarms on the smartphone could do the trick, the best thing to do is to drink water when you are feeling thirsty.
So if your mouth starts to feel a little dry after reading this article, go grab yourself a cool beverage and quench that thirst.
References:
1. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/upshot/no-you-do-not-have-to-drink-8-glasses-of-water-a-day.html
3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-glasses-of-water-per-day
4. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/04/24/how-much-water-should-you-drink
