FFT: Fluid Facts

Food For Thought looks into how much we need or how little can we get away with when it comes to drinking water

NewsChannel 9 health anchor Carrie Lazarus and Registered Dietitian Joan Rogus talk about water.

Carrie Lazarus: Joan, a lot of people were surprised last week when a study came out that said we really don’t need 8 glasses of water a day. That that’s really not based on any kind of sound science so how much do we need or how little can we get away with when it comes to drinking water? 

Joan Rogus: We need 6 to 8 cups of fluid a day. Most people do, some people need more.

Carrie Lazarus: Now a cup is not this because a lot of us have these at home and we think this is one glass of water and drinking eight of these a day is a lot.

Rogus: That is a lot…

Carrie: This is a lot more than one.

Rogus: And all three of these glasses contain approximately two cups of fluid so you would only need three of those a day and plus don’t forget you get fluids in fruits and vegetables, and anything that’s a liquid at room temperature also counts as your fluid every day.

Carrie: So if you have a popsicle or soup or salad or piece of fruit, these are all part of that fluid that you get in a day?

Rogus: Exactly. Ice cream, jello and anything that’s a liquid at room temperature so when you think you’re sick, if you have  fever or something, and you give your children popsicles that’s a way of getting fluid into them.

Carrie: Now there are some people who really have to make sure that they get fluids – children are one group because they don’t’ have the same sort of thirst mechanism that we do. What’s that all about?

Rogus: They don’t, and they’re outside oftentimes running around. They have protective gear on them so they need more fluid. Our seniors need to make sure that they get fluid, pregnant women, women who are nursing, and when you fly on a plane.

Carrie: Right because you get dehydrated on the plane.

Rogus: Exactly.

Carrie: What about the vitamin waters because they’re so popular now and they are relatively low in calories but you can’t drink too many of these…

Rogus: No, but they do have calories and when they do the calories, each one of these is 2-1/2 servings so you have to be aware of that. And they promise some great things. When I was in the grocery store looking - you can take care of stress, energy, anything.

Carrie: They’re a cure-all in a bottle…

Rogus: Life should be so simple. So you have to be aware of that and don’t forget again, its 2-1/2 servings in one of these so that’s like 2-1/2 cups of fluid for you.

Carrie: Alright, so don’t be turned off by that study, continue to just have fluid throughout the day.

Rogus: Right, hydrate yourself, it’s very important.

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