Category: Nosh

Do you eat before you work out? This question sparks a lot of controversy; I meet clients and fitness experts alike who are on both sides of the fence. Some are convinced that working out on an empty stomach optimizes fat burn, while others claim that working out without fuel does more harm than good.
Let’s take a closer look at each argument.
PROS: Really, there is one primary argument for eating before exercising, and it’s kind of a big deal: our bodies need energy to perform. You wouldn’t expect your car to run on empty, so don’t expect your body to, either. Food is fuel. Without it, you risk running into the following problems:
– Sluggish workouts; you can’t push your hardest and get the most out of exercise
– Protein losses; in the absence of other sources of energy, your body may need to break down muscle to meet demand
– Injury (theoretically, at least)
– Low blood sugar and dizziness, particularly if you have diabetes
– Slowed metabolism, which can occur if your body perceives the stress of energy demand (what you burn) to greatly exceed the amount of energy available (what you’ve eaten)
– Potential overeating afterward, though the research is mixed on this one
– Lower afterburn, meaning even if you technically burn more fat during the workout, you will burn way less after it ends
CONS:
– Eating too much too close to a workout can also cause sluggish workouts; the energy isn’t yet absorbed for the body to use, and in fact, digestion slows dramatically during exercise, which can cause discomfort and cramps.
– Exercise does not burn that many calories, so a pre-workout meal or snack could very easily “cancel out” the calories burned in a workout, which is particularly troublesome if your goal is weight loss.
THE BOTTOM LINE: FIT!
Although there are arguments to be made for both, there are more benefits to eating before exercising than there are risks, and vice versa. However, it’s equally important to consider the amount and timing of the food to maximize the benefits of a pre-workout snack and minimize the unwanted side effects:
– If it’s time to exercise and you ate a full, well-balanced meal in the past three hours, you don’t need an extra snack. A well-balanced meal contains adequate calories, protein, fiber-rich carbohydrates, and heart-healthy fats.
– If your workout is scheduled for more than three hours after a meal, consider a small, easily digestible snack about an hour before the workout. This should consist mostly of simple carbohydrates with a little bit of protein (a cup of yogurt or an apple with a hardboiled egg, for example); keep fat and fiber to a minimum, as these can slow digestion. (Normally, slow digestion is awesome, but right before a workout, it’s a recipe for discomfort.) And remember, if your goal is weight loss, these calories are part of your daily needs, not in addition to them.
– If you’re a morning workout kind of person who doesn’t want to wake up an hour earlier to allow for complete digestion of a pre-workout snack, try liquid forms of carbohydrates at least 15 minutes before starting your workout. A glass of low-fat milk is my favorite recommendation, but 100% fruit juice works, too.
Consider the intensity and duration of your workout. If you’re taking a light stroll around the park for an hour, you probably don’t need to worry too much about fueling up. If you’re going to a kickboxing class or are about to run a 5K, then yes, you should probably avoid doing it on a totally empty stomach. I’ve worked both with clients who insist on snacks to fuel their 45-minute leisurely walks and those who attempt three-mile runs immediately upon waking up. Neither is ideal.
In the end, you may need to experiment a little to find the right timing, amounts, and specific foods for you. Pay attention to how your body responds to different combinations. Do you feel energized after peanut butter and a banana, or a little sluggish? Do you try to go for a run first thing in the morning, only to wind up fading or feeling a bit out of sorts? That’s your body telling you that it’s time to try something different.
Remember, food is fuel. Calories are not the enemy, but too often we underestimate what we eat and overestimate what we burn. And, if you stop to listen to it, your body may well be the best tool you have in this crazy game called life. It’s about time we sat up and paid attention to what it has to say.

I have a confession: I used to drink soda a lot. I come by it naturally; my dad drank Coca-Cola for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and all I wanted was to be allowed to do the same. As it was, I drank at least one tall glass nearly every day.
I never really decided to “quit” soda; it happened much more organically (and much less dramatically!) than that. Before I knew it, it had been months since my last glass and I hadn’t even missed it. I simply no longer enjoy it, a concept that, as a kid, I would have found foreign. (And if you’re wondering, my thrice-a-day soda loving dad has also cut back, savoring a bottle of his new, favorite craft root beer on special occasions.)
If we can do it, I promise, so can you.

Educate yourself.

We all know soda is “bad;” that is, we “shouldn’t” drink it. I liken this to how everyone knows smoking is harmful, but that no longer works as a motivator to quit. We get it, right? Still, dig deeper than “soda is bad.” Do you know what, exactly, soda does to your body? Type “soft drink soda infographic” into Pinterest and you can find a laundry list of worrisome effects. If that feels like too much work, here are my top concerns about too much soda:

• Empty liquid calories: they won’t fill you up or nourish you but will eat up your energy allowance for the day. I know people who lose weight without changing anything except their soda habit. Seriously.
• Over 100 percent of the recommended maximum daily intake of sugar in found in one 12 oz. can. High sugar diets are being linked to everything from increased risk of diabetes to fatal heart disease.
• High fructose corn syrup is found in most sodas, and due to its fructose content it is metabolized differently in the body (not in a good way).
• Too much phosphoric acid and caffeine, two components of colas, may damage bones.
• Diet soda does not seem to fare much better, confusing our body and potentially altering healthy gut function.

Cut it back, not out.

This process should be a slow one, and everyone starts at a different place. If you normally drink soda three times every single day, your first goal might be to limit it to two times a day, two days a week; the remaining five days, you would still drink soda three times. If you tend to nurse bottles of soda throughout the day, you could try first confining them to mealtimes only. Every week or two, as you get more comfortable with a goal, progress it.

Add in other carbonation.

Sometimes what we really crave is the sensation or memory of a food. A similar beverage that reminds you of soda can help you transition. Start with flavored (preferably not sweetened) sparkling water; you can even add a splash of 100 percent fruit juice if you need a little extra sweetness. This isn’t a permanent solution, but it can help fill the soda void while you adjust to a life without fizz.

Pour it out.

This is where things get serious. When you have decreased your intake to less than once a day, gather up all of the soda in your house and get rid of it. If you have trouble wasting, simply donate it or give it to a friend (with explicit instructions to not give it back). I’d encourage you to keep one bottle to symbolically pour down the drain. Though wasteful, this is an important and empowering step to mark your commitment to change.
Now that soda is out of your home, it becomes something only available when out at restaurants and celebrations. (If you eat out frequently, you may want to consider also avoiding soda at restaurants and reserve it for truly special occasions that occur less often.)
Of course, if other people in your house drink soda and are not interested in stopping, this step may be more difficult. In this situation, you could consider labeling the sodas with other family members’ names or placing a note near them reminding you of what you aim to achieve by not drinking them.

Cut the cord, if you like.

The truly occasional glass of soda, when part of an overall nutrient-dense diet, is not likely to be particularly harmful. If possible, opt for one of the varieties made from real sugar as opposed to artificial sweeteners or high-fructose corn syrup, and consider splitting a can or bottle with a friend for a smaller serving.
Pretty soon, I’ll bet you’ll have gone months without soda and you won’t even miss it.

The term “foodie” has been somewhat maligned in recent years. Some feel these hipster food lovers are overly precious about food and should stop Instagramming every single meal.

You probably know people like this. Friends who shop at farmers markets and always have a restaurant recommendation. A relative who frowns when you mention McDonald’s. A co-worker with an array of special ordered chef’s knives. 

They might be on to something, though. 

According to a study conducted by the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, those who seek out things such as sushi, lingua tacos, and tabouleh might be healthier than their more picky counterparts. The study surveyed 500 American women about their eating habits, perceptions about food, life choices, weight satisfaction, and a number of other personal characteristics. 

A questionnaire asked participants if they had tried 16 different foods uncommon in American diets such as Kimchi, seitan, polenta and beef tongue. Those that had tried nine or more of the foods were deemed neophiles, or “adventurous eaters.” The researchers found that the adventurous eaters had lower BMIs, weighed less, exercised more often and were more health conscious in general.

The co-author of the study, Dr. Brian Wansink released a statement on it saying, “These findings are important to dieters because they show that promoting adventurous eating may provide a way for people–especially women–to lose or maintain weight without feeling restricted by a strict diet.”

The study makes the connection between adventurous eating and health, but the exact cause is a bit murkier.

Some dietitians theorize that trying new foods can lead you to develop a taste for foods that are healthier and more nutritious than your typical fare. Another factor is a love for cooking. Adventurous eaters are more likely to cook at home, which can be healthier than hitting the drive-thru. They’re also more likely to have friends over for dinner and be more excited about food in general. 

There are some less positive implications from the study, though.

For one, the BMI (or body mass index) isn’t a very precise indicator of health. A mathematician, who had no background in the human body, developed it hundreds of years ago. Furthermore, it doesn’t take into account relative proportions of bone, muscle and fat. Thus, someone with high muscle mass can be classified as overweight, even if he/she is perfectly healthy.

Consequently, reporting that adventurous eaters have lower BMIs might not say as much as you would think. There might be a more uncomfortable implication hidden in the study, as well. 

Being an adventurous eater, or a foodie, requires a certain amount of resources not everyone has access to. Eating out at hip ethnic restaurants and shopping for specialty ingredients takes time and money. It’s time and money a lot of people don’t have. Residents of low-income neighborhoods don’t have nearly enough access to fresh, nutritious foods much less edgy, new eateries. It’s not complicated to see being a foodie is often possible due to a certain amount of privilege and that health is directly aided by that privilege. 

As The Telegraph’s Amy Fleming notes, “It could be money. Surely anyone with an economic advantage will be more likely to be neophilic by the study’s criteria? (I think it’d be pretty hard to find many comfortably-off folks who haven’t tried nine of the foods on the list). If you’re better educated about health and culture, well travelled, can afford exotic foods and experimental restaurants, then you’ll be a neophile for this study’s purposes.”

Those sticking points aside, a varied diet does seem to make sense in terms of health.

For example, introducing people to Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian food is a great way to show how vegetables can be packed full of flavor. It could be the first step in changing your tastes and, potentially, your cravings. That’s only the beginning. Assuming you have the means, you’re missing a whole world of interesting and healthy food if you eat the same few things each week. 

So go ahead and try something new! Your health just might depend on it.

It used to be that nothing was more wholesome than a glass of milk. Now, it seems that little is more hotly contested. More and more people are turning to almond milk out of fear of dairy, but is this really a healthy swap?

Before we launch our debate, we have to first understand what almond milk is, and how it is made. At home, I make my own almond milk with just two ingredients: almonds, and water. A small amount of almonds are blended up with a lot of water, then the mixture is strained to remove the sediment or almond “pulp.” What you are left with is still mostly water, with a hint of almond flavor and an opaque “milky” color. The almond milk you buy in the store also contains extra vitamins and minerals, thickeners, and sometimes added sugar or sugar alternatives. Still, these beverages remain mostly water.

THE PROS

There are certainly benefits to almond milk over dairy, though they stem more from the negatives of modern day dairy than with almond milk’s own inherent virtues. First and foremost, by opting for a plant-based “milk,” we can start to reap the benefits of consuming fewer animal products.

More than that, the dairy industry often employs less-than-savory practices. Large-scale dairy farms rely on corn and soy-based feeds over a cow’s natural diet of grazed grass, which adversely shifts the ratio of heart-healthy omega 3 fats compared to inflammatory omega-6 fats. This feed is often genetically modified, which comes with its own baggage of controversy. There is additional controversy over the use and abuse of growth hormones and antibiotics with dairy cows, too.

Many claim that consuming dairy is associated with increased risk of inflammation, which can set the stage for a host of conditions, including heart disease, acne, and joint paint. There is even doubt being cast on the well-accepted notion that dairy is crucial for bone health. These claims, though worth exploring, raise more questions than they do answers, and actual research to back them up can be difficult to track down.

With that laundry list of concerns, it’s no wonder so many people are looking for an alternative, but is almond milk really any better?

THE CONS

The first thing to consider when debating purchasing almond milk is whether you can palate the unsweetened versions. Though dairy milk contains naturally occurring sugars in the form of lactose, sweetened almond milks can contain even higher amounts of added sugars, which we consume more than enough of as is. The ones with stevia or splenda are no better.

Both the sweetened and unsweetened almond milks on the market, though, have other downfalls, the largest being their lack of protein. Remember how we said above that almond milk is really mostly water? Almond milk was created as a way for anyone who is vegan, lactose intolerant, or has a milk allergy to continue to enjoy foods like cereal, oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies, and any recipe that calls for milk. It wasn’t made to be a nutritional powerhouse, and it’s not.

Almond milk is also a surprisingly processed product. It takes a lot to turn crunchy almonds into smooth, creamy milk. The thickeners added to store-bought almond milks are there to prevent separation, and though they are considered safe for consumption by the FDA, some experts question this. Carageenan in particular has raised some health concerns in the past, though any ingredient with “gum” in the name suggests, in general, that the beverage is more of a processed product than a whole food.

THE BOTTOM LINE: FIT OR FLOP?

FIT: Although almond milk has its drawbacks, it can be part of a well-balanced diet. Always choose unsweetened varieties and pair them with a little protein and fat to make up for what almond milk lacks. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even try making your own for a less processed version that is far tastier than any carton sold at the store.

…BUT ALSO FLOP. A lot of the health concerns of conventional dairy can be avoided by sourcing 100% grass-fed, organic milk, ideally one from a local farm and non-homogenized, if possible. Sure, this costs more than regular milk, but so does that pricey carton of almond milk you’re buying. If you aren’t lactose intolerant, vegan, or have an actual milk allergy, there really isn’t a strong argument suggesting almond milk is any more or less healthy than a truly high-quality dairy milk.

Either way, remember that your health is not defined by any one, individual food or drink, but rather by the dietary tapestry of all of your food choices woven together.

Note: It is beyond the scope of this article to assess the environmental or ethical arguments for choosing dairy versus non-dairy milk.

Before I start this exposé of sorts, I have to tell you, I am not usually one for alarmism. I am about to share with you some very popular “diet” and “health” foods that, in reality, lack serious nutrition, but that does not make them “evil” or “forbidden.” Everyone eats unhealthy food sometimes! What irks me about these products is not that they aren’t particularly nutritious; it’s that advertisers have convinced us that they are, leading us to believe that eating them regularly will help us to achieve our health goals.

YOGURT

Would you eat a candy bar or drink a small can of soda for breakfast? Ok, maybe you would (the dietitian in me will pretend I didn’t hear that), but I doubt even if you did, that you would consider it healthy. Yet that is exactly what we do with yogurt. Now, let me back up, because yogurt does have some very important nutrients in it that candy bars and soda lack: namely, calcium, but also a little bit of protein, particularly if you opt for a Greek yogurt. However, the sugar content of most yogurts is identical to, if not greater than, some of our favorite “junk” foods! I tell my clients to stick to plain yogurt, flavored themselves with fruit and spices (the trick is to start with a ton of fruit and gradually decrease over time so your taste buds adjust), and to think of flavored varieties as liquid ice cream. Oh, and while we’re on the subject? Frozen yogurt is just low-fat ice cream, too. Sorry.

AGAVE

“Natural” sweeteners have really gained momentum over the past few years; none, arguably, more-so than agave. However, did you know that agave is almost exclusively made of fructose and that it is actually a pretty refined, processed ingredient? Even Dr. Oz said, “Just kidding!” after being called out on the reality of agave’s nutritional properties. Stick with 100% pure maple syrup, sucanat, or coconut sugar for something more natural, and remember: all sweeteners, even “natural” ones, are best consumed at a minimum.

PROTEIN BARS

Who here can honestly say they don’t wish they had a few more hours in the day? We are all busy, and when time gets tight, healthy habits are often the first to be compromised. In place of full, balanced meals, more and more we are turning to portable bars to tide us over while we work. Unfortunately, these are usually little more than candy bars with protein powder mixed in. You are better off with a handful of nuts, some hardboiled eggs and a piece of fruit, or carrot sticks and hummus.

CEREALS THAT ADVERTISE AS BEING HEART HEALTHY OR GOOD FOR WEIGHT LOSS

We won’t name names here, but there are certain cereal brands that have marketed themselves successfully as staples in a healthy diet. However, if you turn over the package, the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list tell quite a different story. Before falling for marketing hype, check your cereal for the following criteria: it should have at least five grams of fiber and less than 8 grams of sugar per serving (in fact, the best cereal options don’t contain any sugar!). The fiber should not be coming from ingredients like “cellulose” or “inulin” either, which studies have yet to show have any true health benefits. Flavor cereal naturally with cinnamon, berries, or a dash of vanilla extract.

VEGGIE PASTAS

Vegetables can be a tough sell. They are often the last part of the healthy eating equation that individuals tackle, and they look for any shortcut they can. Here is the bad news: there is no way around eating your vegetables. Pastas that promise to deliver a full serving of vegetables in every serving are nothing more than regular white pasta with some spinach or tomato puree added in. They are low in fiber and not so great in the vitamin and mineral department, either. 100% whole grain pasta is your best bet, but honestly, even if you go with a good quality white pasta and replace a third or half of the serving with non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach are particularly great for this), you’d be better off than with a full serving of the veggie pasta. Plus, it’s way cheaper.

Did you find any of your “healthy” favorites on this list? Don’t despair! Remember, eating these foods sometimes because you enjoy them is perfectly ok. A good rule of thumb is to make 80-90% of your food choices solid nutritionally, giving you 10-20% wiggle room for treats. Ultimately, nothing beats good, old fashioned healthy, whole foods.

You’re hungry, so you eat. You eat so you won’t be hungry anymore. Or at least you’re not supposed to be hungry anymore (unless you’re eating Chinese food). Have you ever eaten a full meal, only to be perplexed when you find yourself starving an hour later? The problem is that Chinese food isn’t the only problem. Equally problematic is that most of the time you don’t even realize you’re hungry and eating more.

Proper digestion and optimal health is a complex process affected by the ingredients in food. What you eat–or don’t eat–can affect the rate of absorption of food into your bloodstream or the satiety hormone known as leptin, making you hungrier quicker. This sabotages not only your health and your weight, but also your pocketbook, causing you to eat more than you actually want to.

Here is a list of 10 foods you need to avoid to help protect your body, your belly, and your budget.

1. Alcohol

With no fiber, protein, or fat to buffer the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, your favorite cocktail can make your blood sugar soar then quickly plummet, leaving you grabbing the nearest snack, no matter how unhealthy. Not only that, new studies find that three servings of alcohol can lower your body’s levels of leptin, making you forget that you shouldn’t be hungry.

2. White bread

Studies have shown that the effect of white bread on your blood sugar mimics that of white sugar. In other words, when you’re filling up on white bread, you might as well be eating tablespoons of sugar. What’s the problem? White bread has been stripped of all of the fiber, the main ingredient that slows sugar in the blood and makes you feel full. Furthermore, most white bread contains high fructose corn syrup, a cheap sugar substitute that enters your blood system quicker and spikes your insulin, causing you to be hungry pretty quickly afterward.

3. Chinese food

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer commonly found in Chinese food, has been used for years to fatten up laboratory animals. Studies show that people who eat MSG are three times more likely to be obese than those who don’t. Scientists believe that it may dull the effects of leptin, making you eat more.

4. Juice

It’s not just the calories in juice that fatten you up. No pulp and no fiber, combined with high fructose corn syrup, can make your favorite drink a fattening one by sending your blood sugar skyrocketing (and you to the fridge).

5. Artificial sweeteners

They have no calories yet still taste sweet and yummy. Sound too good to be true? Indeed they are. Artificial sweeteners mimic sugar in the body and cause your blood sugar to rise and fall rapidly. The problem gets worse when you drink beverages that contain artificial sweeteners without eating, because there is nothing to combat your falling blood sugar, so you quickly get voracious. Kind of negates the whole reason to drink diet soda, right?

6. Cereal

White flour, no fiber, sugar, and high fructose corn syrup are a seriously problematic combination for your blood sugar that will leave you hungry in the morning and craving sugar all day.

7. Coffee

Caffeine, in moderation, can help you lose weight…but drink too much and you’ll be doing more harm than good. Excessive caffeine raises your blood sugar, and unless you’re pairing your morning java with a snack or meal, your blood sugar (and willpower) will plummet fast.

8. Fast food

The trans fats contained in most fast food can potentially be pretty bad for your appetite by inflaming your stomach and hurting your body’s ability to produce appetite-controlling hormones. Not good. Additionally, most fast food contains ridiculous amounts of sodium, which can dehydrate you. Oftentimes it’s hard to tell the difference between being thirsty and hungry, and many people eat when all they need is water.

9. Sushi rolls

They’re fat free so they should be good for you, right? Not so fast. Each sushi roll is made with a cup of rice, which amounts to three servings of carbs. The typical person eats three sushi rolls at a meal–the equivalent of nine whopping, blood-sugar-soaring servings of carbs. And unless you’re choosing brown rice, it gets worse. White rice is stripped of its fiber, which raises your blood sugar even faster.

10. Flavored potato chips

Flavored potato chips can contain ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and MSG, making these a healthy snack no-no. Make sure to check food labels. You need to watch out because before you know it, you’ll finish the bag and go looking for even more.

I don’t know why but there is just something about dark chocolate that is so satisfying. The rich, full and robust flavors combined with just enough sweetness are the qualities that differentiate it from the rest of the pack.

It easily quenches my sweet tooth and it doesn’t make me crave more sugar like the milk chocolate candy bars do. Since this newfound love for dark chocolate, I have found myself becoming a connoisseur, picking up a new brand or variation whenever I come across one.

With this daily intake of dark chocolate, fitting perfectly into my diet might I add, I still get strange looks from people because there are some out there that think you cannot be healthy and eat chocolate every day.

With these naysayers in the forefront of my mind I delved deep to find the health benefits of dark chocolate so I could refute any of those that thought I was doing damage to my body. Also by doing so, I gave myself a little piece of mind I am actually doing my body a favor by eating dark chocolate.

1. Dark chocolate acts as an antioxidant. Dark chocolate is high in flavanols which are also found in red wine, green tea, strawberries and lychee. Antioxidants are classified as polyphenols and Flavonoids (flavanols is a subtype of flavonoids).

2. Decreases blood clotting by inhibiting platelet activation and aggregation. It keeps our cells smooth and disc shaped, instead of an irregular shape which can stick together and build up to form a clot.

3. Dark chocolate reduces blood pressure by increasing the release of Nitric Oxide (NO), which acts as a vasodilator to relax the blood vessels to let blood flow more easily.

4. A study showed those with higher dark chocolate consumption had a lower relative risk for having a stroke. Impaired release of NO can cause the blood vessels to constrict and impede blood flow. This can cause endothelial dysfunction which can then lead to inflammation, stenosis, blood clot formation and an occlusion and then eventually a heart attack or stroke. So by consuming dark chocolate, it increases NO production, which can help lower your risk of having a stroke.

5. Decreases insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is characterized by decreased endothelial NO bioavailability with impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and increased oxidative stress. Insulin resistance was decreased by improvement in endothelial function.

6. Dark Chocolate improves insulin sensitivity by improving β-cell function. β-cells are cells in the pancreas which store and release insulin.

Now that you know some of the health benefits of eating dark chocolate, we need to get down to the questions that everyone wants to know the answer to. How much dark chocolate do I need to eat and what percentage of cacao does it need to be?

The higher the percentage of cacao, the more flavanols and antioxidant powers the chocolate contains. The threshold seems to sit around 49g of at least 71% cacao. Now you wonder, how much is 49g. Not everyone has a food scale that they can whip out on a whim so I’ll give you an example.

Most of the fancy, dark chocolate bars come in a bar a little larger than your average Hershey’s chocolate bar. On average those bars weigh around 100g (or 3.5oz). So to get the health benefits of dark chocolate you would need to eat roughly half of the big bar of chocolate.

Now you have another dilemma on hand, do I have enough calories saved up to eat half of this dark chocolate bar every day (~300-350 calories per 50g) that I do not gain weight and still reap the health benefits of dark chocolate.

If you fail to take into account the new calories from the chocolate into your daily intake, you could inadvertently set yourself up to be gaining 1/2 pound of weight per week, that’s 26 pounds in a year. The composition of that weigh (fat/muscle) is entirely dependent upon the other aspects of your daily intake and exercise regimen (or lack thereof).

The moral of the story is, yes you can reap great benefits from eating dark chocolate daily, but you must eat the right kind of dark chocolate and in the right doses for you to receive above said benefits, all while fitting it into a balanced and controlled diet to negate unwanted weight gain.

AM J Clin Nutr 2008;88:58-63

European Heart Journal; 2010; doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehq068

The Journal of Nutrition; 2008; 138(9):1671-1676

Am J Clin Nutr 2008;88:58-63

Food Chem 2010;120:109-112

Adding water to your diet is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your health.

Unfortunately, many kids in the United States are raised on sugary sodas and juices and grow up skipping the H20. This habit often persists into adulthood with potentially detrimental effects. 

The standard for water intake used to be eight cups a day, but many experts have backed off that guideline in recent years. In reality, everyone needs a different amount of water based on diet, exercise, and various other factors. That being said, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that drinking less than four cups of water a day is probably inadequate for a healthy adult. 

In a 2007 CDC study, 43.7 percent of respondents reported drinking less than four cups of water a day. That doesn’t sound too troubling until you consider that our brains are about 85 percent water, and our muscles are 70-75 percent water. In short, it’s an essential chemical component of our bodies that we should be replenishing.

Here are several ways that increasing your water intake can provide health benefits:

Hydration

The most obvious benefit to drinking more water is hydration. The Internet has helped spread the idea that 75 percent of the country’s population is chronically dehydrated. That’s probably an exaggeration, but there are definitely a lot of people who could use some more of the clear stuff. 

Dehydration can drain your energy, making you sluggish. It can also cause headaches when your body starts to squeeze your brain and muscles for any bit of water it can find. Try grabbing a glass of H20 to counteract these effects. You’ll feel better in no time!

Calorie Control

One of the best things about water is that it has 0 calories. Slamming bottles of water isn’t going to magically make you shed 50 pounds. But when you consider a can of regular soda contains more than 100 calories, it’s an easy substitution that could save you hundreds of calories per day. 

Water might also be valuable in curbing hunger because it fills your stomach. A 2010 clinical trial found that drinking two cups of water before meals decreased calorie intake and aided weight loss. Additionally, drinking cold water forces the body to warm up slightly to keep a consistent temperature of 98.6. It only burns about eight calories, but that’s better than nothing!

Increased Metabolism

Experts have gone back and forth on whether water truly helps people lose weight. A 2004 German study presented interesting results on the subject, though. The study showed that after drinking 17 ounces of water, the subjects’ metabolic rates increased by 30 percent for both men and women. 

The study said the increase started within 10 minutes of drinking water and peaked after about half an hour. The researchers estimated an average person could burn thousands of extra calories a year simply by drinking more water every day. It probably won’t give you a six pack, but it won’t hurt either!

Energizing Muscles

Drinking water is especially important when exercising. If your muscles don’t maintain a normal balance of water and electrolytes, this can lead to muscle fatigue. That’s bad enough, as it can result in reduced power, speed, and mental focus. However, dehydration and muscle fatigue during exercise are also thought to contribute to muscle cramps.

It’s a rather painful ordeal that no one wants to endure. To avoid this, make sure your water intake is adequate before exercising. According to the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines, you should drink 17 ounces (about two cups) of water at least two hours ahead of exercise to avoid dehydration.

Flushing Toxins 

Keeping hydrated is the best way to flush toxins from your body. We get rid of that waste primarily through urine, and drinking plenty of water helps the process because it’s a natural diuretic. More bathroom trips might be annoying, but that’s a small price to pay for your health. 

Evidence also suggests that drinking plenty of water helps prevent kidney stones (something you really don’t want to experience) and urinary tract infections. 

Gastrointestinal Tract

Water also plays an important role in digestion. It can stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, which helps digestion and intestinal transit. That’s a fancy way to say water will help keep you from becoming constipated. 

More often than not, simply drinking more water (instead of relying on harsh laxatives) will resolve problems with constipation.

Smooth Skin

Dry wrinkled skin is another nasty side effect of dehydration. Your skin contains water (like many other parts of your body) and needs it to function properly. Taking in plenty of water will keep you looking your best. 

Remember this the next time someone asks for your drink order!