Phone: (413)-545-2472
Fax: (413)-545-9673
Email: dietitian@mail.aux.umass.edu

Water & Healthy Eating

University of Massachusetts Food Services

www.aux.umass.edu/diningservices

Great Food! Great Fun!

Water and Healthy Eating

ood Services
Worcester Dining Commons, 3rd floor
110 Stockbridge Road
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

Phone: (413)-545-2472
Fax: (413)-545-9673
Email: dietitian@mail.aux.umass.edu

Dianne Z. Sutherland, RD, LDN
Food Services
Worcester Dining Commons, 3rd floor
110 Stockbridge Road
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

The morning (or afternoon) after the keg party, what happens? You wake up with a throbbing headache. You feel dizzy, lightheaded, and dry-mouthed. Sound familiar?? Well, these are all common signs of a hangover. But, did you know that the reason why you are hung-over is largely due to dehydration? Alcohol is a diuretic or an agent that promotes fluid loss in the body. So, if you want to avoid suffering through another agonizing morning after, here's a tip: try sneaking in a couple of glasses of water in between beers or gulp down a few glasses of water before bed. Now you are armed with the knowledge to fight dehydration --- so if you drink, drink wisely!!!

Water and Alcohol

Acting as the highway that moves nutrient and wastes between cells and organs.
Helping to maintain our body temperature. It cools the body with sweat.
Participating in metabolic processes.
Being a component of body fluids that are essential for the proper function of organs. Some examples are: saliva (moisten food for swallowing), tears (lubricate and clean eyes), and synovial fluids (cushion joints for shock absorption).
Balancing water and electrolytes in the body.

Functions of
Water

You need at least eight cups of water a day. This may increase depending on your daily consumption of coffee, alcohol, soft drinks and juice drinks. Coffee and alcohol are diuretics, which are not as easily absorbed by the body and can dehydrate you more.

How Much Water
Do I Need Daily?

Fluid balance needs are dependent on the duration of the exercise. Thirst is not always a reliable sign of dehydration. If you exercise, it is especially important to keep your body hydrated. As much as 2 cups of water can be lost during exercise in the form of sweat! So be sure to drink before, during, and after exercise to prevent dehydration. If you exercise for a prolong period of time (usually 60 minutes or longer), it might be wise to drink a sports drink as it may help replenish the loss of electrolytes. Since it also contains glucose (for better absorption of minerals), it will help maintain your blood glucose during exercise as well. Low blood glucose and electrolyte losses can make a person dizzy, weak, and suffer from exhaustion or even heat stroke. So, whether it be water or sports drinks, just remember to DRINK UP! A person who exercises requires about 12 cups of water a day to replenish fluid losses.

Is there really a difference if water is bottled or from the tap? Well, if you read the labels on the bottled water carefully, you will find out that they might not be all that different.
There are all sorts of bottled water. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, bottled water needs to be labeled according to the water source. For instance, in order to be called mineral water it is required to have a certain amount of minerals present. Spring water has to be from a natural underground spring. Purified water can be just from a reservoir or even tap water that has undergone a purification process like filtration, or reverse osmosis.
Just because it's in a bottle does not necessarily mean that it's healthier for you. Both bottled and tap water are treated with disinfectants, so they are safe for consumption. However, tap water has chlorine as a disinfectant whereas bottled water uses an odorless form of oxygen. Unfortunately, the chlorine leaves an aftertaste making it seem not as appealing to some. So, bottom line -- no matter what the source, just be sure to drink enough water to keep your body in tune.

Are all waters created equal?

Fluid Balance and Exercise

Water plays many vital roles in our bodies. About 60% of our bodies are made up of water so it's not surprising to know that water is considered to be THE most essential nutrient for our bodies.

Water and Our Bodies