How many times have you heard or read the recommendation to drink at least eight-8 ounce glasses of water a day for health reasons. Or that using thirst to drive your drinking habits is not adequate to stay properly hydrated. Or that caffeinated beverages such as soda and coffee can cause dehydration? Probably way too many considering that all these are essentially hogwash.
That’s right. According to the recent findings of an Institute of Medicine panel of U.S. and Canadian scientists than convened for the general public, none of those statements hold water. What they did conclude was that men need an average of 16 cups of water a day and women need 11 cups. But that does not mean you need to drink that much water. All the fluids you consume each day is included in that 16 cups. And don’t forget the moisture in foods. Researchers also suggest that there is an extreme variability in water requirements for every individual that depends on climate, activity level, and how much he or she sweats. This makes a recommendation like eight of “8” antiquated. When it comes right down to it, most people will be fine if they just drink when they are thirsty.
There are two reasons for individuals to consider drinking more than the recommendations here. One, athletes in training dramatically increases their fluid requirements. Two, for those dieting, drinking more water makes one feel full, enabling them to cut down on portion sizes. So, drink up if your goal is to lose fat or gain muscle. If not, you’ll be fine by letting your thirst determine the drinking.

Fluidy Foods:
Food Water Content (cups)

Cucumber (one large) 1.25
Watermelon (one wedge) 1.1
Asian pear (one large) 1
Chicken noodle soup (one cup) 1
Corn (one cup) .9
Salad (1.5 cups) .9
Low-fat yogurt (one cup) .8
Low-fat cottage cheese (one cup) .8
Baked beans (one cup) .8
Baked potato (one medium) .6
Brown rice (one cup) .6
Grapes (one cup) .6
Apple (one medium) .5
Oatmeal (One cup) .5
Orange (one medium) .5



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