Water is essential to our bodies. It helps flush away waste products, lubricate joints, and regulate body temperature.

Athletes must take extra precaution when it comes to staying hydrated during exercise; an hour of physical exertion can result in up to 2 quarts of fluid loss.

Hydration has an increasing body of evidence supporting its role in various health outcomes, such as mood and cognition; however, the strength and quality of evidence varies across health areas.

Water

Water is one of the body’s essential nutrients, serving many essential functions such as transporting nutrients and waste, controlling body temperature, lubricating joints and organs, creating saliva production and producing salivary secretions. Without enough water intake, people may experience dry mouth, lips and eyes as well as dizziness, confusion and headaches.

A person’s water needs depend on various factors, including age, gender, physical activity level and environmental conditions. Sweating during strenuous exercise or when exposed to hot environments may increase fluid needs significantly (1).

Water is generally the ideal source of hydration because it contains no additional calories or artificial additives; however, beverages like coffee, tea and milk can still form part of a nutritious diet if taken in moderation and consumed in moderation. Fruits and vegetables contain significant quantities of water for this reason as well. Ultimately, people should rely on thirst as well as urine color changes as indicators that they have consumed enough (2).

Fruits

Fruits are an invaluable source of carbohydrates, fibre and phytochemicals with many antiproliferative, antiinflammatory and antibacterial benefits. Berries and citrus fruits in particular contain abundant quantities of antioxidant-rich vitamin C – known to help prevent cardiovascular disease – along with vitamin E and A as well as bioactive compounds (such as anthocyanins, quercetin or resveratrol) with antiproliferative, antiinflammatory and antibacterial properties.

In 2016, fruits accounted for 3.1% of energy intake in an average Polish diet; these consisted largely of apples and bananas with only 0.5% coming from dried fruit/nut sources.

Infants and young children require more water for growth and development as they are less heat tolerant than adults. Therefore, providing water throughout the day if your young one is active may be beneficial; water helps break down soluble fiber found in foods for digestion as well as reduce bloating, gas, heartburn, as well as maintaining fluid balance within their bodies.

Vegetables

Vegetables are an integral component of a nutritious diet, providing vital minerals and vitamins. Vegetables provide fiber, vitamin C and A, folate, calcium and potassium – plus polyphenols which act as powerful antioxidants against disease.

Vegetable-rich foods can also help prevent constipation by maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, aid digestion and keep you feeling full for longer. Plus, their low caloric count means they’re an easy way to manage weight. Try including one cup of vegetables in your morning smoothie, having spinach salad for lunch or making something like ratatouille or steamed vegetables with hummus as dinner options!

PubMed searches were performed to locate relevant studies using the terms: (fluid or water; hydration OR dehydration) AND (gastrointestinal OR gastric OR intestinal OR colonic OR motility) NOT infant OR cancer OR kidney OR renal” In order to locate relevant articles, randomized clinical trials where available as well as comprehensive reviews and meta-analyses were retrieved while studies involving disease populations were excluded from consideration.

Nuts

Eating nuts provides many essential nutrients in one small package, including healthy fats, protein, fiber and vitamins and minerals. Nuts have been demonstrated to promote heart health by lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels while supporting weight loss, lowering diabetes risk and helping prevent depression. They’re also packed with polyphenols and phytochemicals with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anticancer properties as well as tocopherols (vitamin E), L-arginine, folic acid phytosterols and phytosterols as well as having an ideal ratio between omega-3 to omega-6 essential fatty acids – plus they provide essential fatty acid balance as well.

Drinking water is one of the best things you can do for your body, aiding digestive health, lubricating joints and supporting cellular repair processes. Aim to drink at least eight glasses a day (half your bodyweight in ounces). Include water or low-calorie beverages at meals and in between them whenever possible; sip on at least one glass upon awakening and before exercising as it’s important to remain properly hydrated to prevent dehydration.

Meat

Meat consumption remains a hotly debated subject, as its definition varies across cultures and time periods. Purists believe only meat derived from an animal carcass should qualify as meat; however, this view is being challenged by plant-based and cell cultured alternatives to conventional animal meat products.

Meat has an excellent biological value and provides essential protein, fats, minerals and vitamins. In particular, meat rich in connective tissue (e.g. tough cuts or organs) tends to lack in essential sulphur amino acids essential for muscle functioning.

Meat consumption has long been linked with cancer and heart disease, but this linkage should only be seen as an association. Observational studies do not offer strong evidence for causality; to be accepted scientifically as valid they must meet nine criteria such as strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, plausibility coherence experiment and analogy – issues made more pressing by plant-based and cell-cultured meat products that come on to market.