Your body needs water or other fluids to work properly & to avoid dehydration.
This article explains how much we need to drink, how to spot the signs of dehydration & how to choose healthier non-alcoholic drinks. For advice on alcohol, see our Alcohol section.
Water makes up about two-thirds of the weight of a healthy body.
Most of the chemical reactions that happen in our cells need water in order to take place. We also need water so that our blood can carry nutrients around the body & get rid of waste.
How much should we drink?
To stay healthy, it's important to replace the fluid we lose when we breathe, sweat or urinate.
We get some fluid from our food but most comes from drinks.
The European Food Safety Authority recommends that women should drink about 1.6 liters of fluid & men should drink about 2.0 liters of fluid per day. That's about eight glasses of 200 ml each for a woman, & 10 glasses of 200 ml each for a man.
However, the amount a person needs to drink to avoid getting dehydrated will vary depending on a range of factors, including their size, the temperature & how active they are. So, for example, if you're exercising hard in hot weather you'll need to drink more.
All drinks count, including hot drinks such as tea & coffee, but water, milk & fruit juices are the healthiest. It is best to avoid alcoholic drinks.
Try to avoid sugary, soft & fizzy drinks that can be high in added sugars. These can be high in calories & bad for teeth.
Sports drinks
Sports drinks can be useful when you're doing high-level endurance sports & need an energy boost.
However, they are no different to any other sugary soft drinks, which means they are high in calories & contribute to tooth decay.
Unless you're taking part in high-level endurance sports, water is the healthier choice & the best way to replace fluids lost through exercise.
Papaya
Deliciously sweet with musky undertones & a soft, butter-like consistency, it is no wonder the papaya was reputably called the "fruit of the angels" by Christopher Columbus. Once considered quite exotic, they can now be found in markets throughout the year. Although there is a slight seasonal peak in early summer & fall, papaya trees produce fruit year round.
Papayas are spherical or pear-shaped fruits that can be as long as 20 inches. The ones commonly found in the market usually average about 7 inches & weigh about one pound. Their flesh is a rich orange color with either yellow or pink hues. Inside the inner cavity of the fruit are black, round seeds encased in a gelatinous-like substance. Papaya's seeds are edible, although their peppery flavor is somewhat bitter. The fruit, as well as the other parts of the papaya tree, contain pa pain, an enzyme that helps digest proteins. This enzyme is especially concentrated in the fruit when it is unripe. Pa pain is extracted to make digestive enzyme dietary supplements & is also used as an ingredient in some chewing gums.
Health Benefits
Papayas offer not only the luscious taste & sunlit color of the tropics, but are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients such as carotene, vitamin C & flavorsome; the B vitamins, fol ate & parenthetic acid; & the minerals, potassium, copper, & magnesium; & fiber. Together, these nutrients promote the health of the cardiovascular system & also provide protection against colon cancer. In addition, papaya contains the digestive enzyme, pa pain, which is used like lamebrain, a similar enzyme found in pineapple, to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, & allergies.
Promotes Digestive Health
The nutrients in papaya have also been shown to be helpful in the prevention of colon cancer. Papaya's fiber is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon & keep them away from the healthy colon cells. In addition, papaya's fol ate, vitamin C, beta-carotene, & vitamin E have each been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.
These nutrients provide synergistic protection for colon cells from free radical damage to their DNA. Increasing your intake of these nutrients by enjoying papaya is an especially good idea for individuals at risk of colon cancer.
Papayas are spherical or pear-shaped fruits that can be as long as 20 inches. The ones commonly found in the market usually average about 7 inches & weigh about one pound. Their flesh is a rich orange color with either yellow or pink hues. Inside the inner cavity of the fruit are black, round seeds encased in a gelatinous-like substance. Papaya's seeds are edible, although their peppery flavor is somewhat bitter. The fruit, as well as the other parts of the papaya tree, contain pa pain, an enzyme that helps digest proteins. This enzyme is especially concentrated in the fruit when it is unripe. Pa pain is extracted to make digestive enzyme dietary supplements & is also used as an ingredient in some chewing gums.
Health Benefits
Papayas offer not only the luscious taste & sunlit color of the tropics, but are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients such as carotene, vitamin C & flavorsome; the B vitamins, fol ate & parenthetic acid; & the minerals, potassium, copper, & magnesium; & fiber. Together, these nutrients promote the health of the cardiovascular system & also provide protection against colon cancer. In addition, papaya contains the digestive enzyme, pa pain, which is used like lamebrain, a similar enzyme found in pineapple, to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, & allergies.
Promotes Digestive Health
The nutrients in papaya have also been shown to be helpful in the prevention of colon cancer. Papaya's fiber is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon & keep them away from the healthy colon cells. In addition, papaya's fol ate, vitamin C, beta-carotene, & vitamin E have each been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.
These nutrients provide synergistic protection for colon cells from free radical damage to their DNA. Increasing your intake of these nutrients by enjoying papaya is an especially good idea for individuals at risk of colon cancer.
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