Healthy You: Hydration Fixation

We’re all half water. We all need to replenish daily what our bodies expend. Gen Z, especially, has a hydration fixation. They’re said to be drinking more water than any previous generation. Embracing gallon-a-day TikTok challenges. And “emotional support water bottles.” How many gulps are really right for you? And how needed is filtration…or added electrolytes in bottled waters? Or alkalinity? Don’t sweat it. We’re here to fill your cup to overflowing with the latest in water health.

So, let’s start with the thirst-quencher of a question. How much water is enough per day?

Mayo Clinic says 11 1/2 cups for women, 15 1/2 cups for men. Cleveland Clinic says 9 to 11 1/2 cups for women, 12 3/4 to 15 3/4 cups for men. Other experts suggest one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight. By this formula, a 150-pound woman should aim for about 9 1/3 cups daily. You’ve probably heard the advice to drink eight glasses of water a day. That’s easy to remember, at least!

Read More: Healthy World: Certifying Us, Not Them

Let’s bring in a water expert. She’s Anastasia Chovan, a certified water sommelier for Vivreau, a filtered water dispenser company marketing to the hospitality sector and owned by Brita, and whose pitcher may be in your kitchen. She clarifies the conflicting advice, sort of, by declaring, “Hydration really depends on the person.” Those factors include gender, age, activity level, diet and climate. (In fairness, medical authorities cite such variables as well.)

But she also notes another crucial element. “If you look at a drop of water, the minerals that could be in it, like sodium potassium and calcium chloride, are the same as those in our body. The reason you feel thirsty is not necessarily because you’re dehydrated; it’s because you’re actually missing those minerals. So that’s why the type of water that you drink is really important.”

“The reason you feel thirsty is not necessarily because you’re dehydrated.”

The ‘Secret’ Hydration Booster

Here’s the most overlooked—almost secret—hydration source. What you eat. Fully 20% of daily water intake typically comes from food. Fruits and veggies like watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, cucumber, lettuce and celery all have water content of over 90%. Other vegetables surprisingly high in H2O include carrots, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach; most fruits are good sources, too. So are many dairy products, cooked grains and legumes, and leaner meats if not overcooked.

Read More: Healthy F&B: Prebiotics & Probiotics Explained

Let’s do the numbers. If you reduce by 20% the nine-plus cups of daily water commonly recommended for women, you’re down to less than 7-1/2 cups. Doable!

Oh, and are coffee and tea bad for hydration? You may be surprised to know studies say that for most of us, the hydrating benefits outweigh any potential fluid loss from their diuretic effect.

What’s in Your Water?

Chovan says only a fifth of Americans drink water straight from the tap. The taste and smell of chlorine added to public water to kill bacteria and viruses is off-putting, and research suggests potential health impacts, including to the gut microbiome. Certain minerals in water—Chovan referred to them earlier—are welcome. In some bottled waters and sports drinks, they’re added and collectively called electrolytes. The New York Times recently enumerated their value: cellular hydration, regulating blood pressure and heart rhythm, muscle and nerve function. Yet it also concluded we can get these same minerals from the food we eat. “When we talk about potassium, it’s in a banana,” a nutritionist was quoted as saying. “When you eat a pretzel, there’s sodium on it.”

Alkaline water—with a pH higher than seven—is touted for its potential health benefits (although scientific evidence is limited), and it comes bottled at a premium price. But Chovan points to tap water in Los Angeles, which is “perfectly alkaline… nature provides a lot of the things that we try to recreate in a bottle of water, especially if it’s filtered through a mountain range.”

Yes, not enough water—or way too much—can make you sick, but there’s a simple way to tell if you’re in the hydration sweet spot: check the color of your urine. Clear or pale yellow usually means you’re in good shape.