Mecca Integrated Medical Center

Since having a guest blogger was so much fun in January, I figured we should try it out again in March!  Laurie Wasserman, RD, is a registered dietitian that works with patients at Mecca to make better choices in their diet, focusing on nutritional foods that pack a great flavor. This week, she is writing about the importance of staying hydrated year-round. Read below to find out how much water you should consume daily, and the different “levels” of liquids.

HEALTHFUL HYDRATION - Survival Guide on What You Should Be Drinking and Why

Basic Hydration. Water is required for many vital functions in our body, including:

• Carrying nutrients from the foods we eat and oxygen from the air we breathe to our body’s 
cells
• Regulating body temperature by keeping it cool through perspiration.
• Aiding in the removal of waste products. 
A rule of thumb used to judge whether or not you are drinking enough is based on the color of your urine. Pale urine, the color of lemonade, means you are probably drinking enough. Dark urine, resembling apple juice, means you need to up your fluids.

Physical Activity, Exercise and Sports. Proper hydration is important before, during and after engaging in exercise or sports. To maximize your exercise performance, follow the guidelines below set by the American College of Sports Medicine:

• Two hours before exercise, drink two cups (16 ounces) of fluids, preferably water. Drink one more cup 15 to 20 minutes before your workout begins.
• During your activity, aim to sip 4-8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes. If your workouts last more than an hour, switch to a sports drink.
• After your workout, replace water lost through sweat. Weighing yourself both before and after workouts is the only true way to determine body water loss. For each pound of body weight lost, drink 2-3 cups of water.

Beverages and Weight Management. Sweetened beverages contribute excess calories to the diets of Americans and are a factor in the growing obesity epidemic, say public health experts.

• About 21% of the calories consumed by Americans come from beverages, predominantly sugar-sweetened beverages.
• 
New research in the area of beverage intake and satiety sheds more light on the problem: Scientists believe that calorie-containing beverages have weak satiety properties; the calories they contain are less satisfying than solid foods, therefore, we do not compensate for beverage calories by eating less.

*The Ultimate Beverage Guide*

This Guide ranks beverages in 6 levels: Level 1 is water, the ideal beverage choice. Level 6 includes beverages that should be consumed in limited quantities. Based on this guide, different combinations of beverages can be used to fulfill the fluid and health needs of individuals. See example at bottom of page.

Level 1: WATER

Level 2: Tea and Coffee, unsweetened. Tea provides flavonoids and antioxidants. Coffee has some limited health benefits, but addition of milk, cream or sweeteners increase calories which can be particularly significant for drinkers of gourmet coffees. Limit caffeine intake to less than 400 milligrams daily. Best Choices: Brewed black, green, oolong and white tea, decaffeinated brewed black tea, herbal teas.

Level 3: Low fat (1.5% or 1%) or Skim (Fat Free) Milk and Unsweetened/Fortified Soymilk. Milk is an important source of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and potassium. Fortified soy milk is a good alternative. Best Choices: Silk soy milk, plain; Silk soy milk, vanilla, Skim Plus.

Level 4: Non-Caloric, Artificially Sweetened Beverages. This category includes diet drinks and artificially-sweetened drinks, teas and coffees. Although the FDA has approved non-caloric sweeteners as safe, some studies suggest that diet drinks may condition adults to crave sweets. Examples: diet colas, diet iced teas, diet fruit-flavored drinks. Better choices: Naturally flavored non- caloric or low caloric beverages like Fizzy Lizzy or other flavored seltzers.

Level 5: Caloric Beverages with Some Nutritional Benefits. This category includes fruit juices, vegetable juices, sports drinks, whole and reduced fat milk, chocolate milk, and red wine. Note: Whole fruits are encouraged for satiety compared to juices; The US Dietary Guidelines Committee recommends that no more than one-third of the daily intake of fruit be in the form of fruit juices. Best choices: Reduced sodium V8 juice, Calcium-fortified orange juice, Northland Cranberry juice, sports drinks with reduced levels of sugar.

Level 6: Caloric, Sweetened Beverages without Nutritional Benefits. This category includes the least recommended beverages; those sweetened with high fructose corn syrup or sucrose, contain a high energy density and little or no nutrients. Examples: colas, fruit punch, commercially prepared lemonade, sweetened coffee drinks, sweetened tea drinks.

Suggested Beverage Pattern for a person requiring 2200 calories per day:

• Water : 50 oz. per day (about 6 cups)
• Tea or coffee, unsweetened: 28 oz. per day (about 3 to 4 cups)
• Low fat or fat free milk: 16 oz. per day (2 cups)
• Fruit juice: 4 oz. (1/2 cup)
• Calorically sweetened beverages without nutrients: 0 oz. 
*Based on The Beverage Guidance System, devised by the Beverage Guidance Panel, a group of experts who reviewed years of research on beverages and health. Details of the study can be found at www.BeverageGuidancePanel.org