Water is an absolute necessity when it comes to the human body. Believe it or not, the majority of our body is made of water, so if we don’t have water, we’ll immediately notice a lot of problems. Aside from the health necessity of drinking water, it simply makes us feel a lot better. If you don’t drink water, you’ll immediately feel the negative effects of not having an ice cold drink. While this is certainly true when it comes to drinking water, plenty of people are similarly aware of how important it is to also diversify the types of things you’re consuming when it comes to liquids, but most especially water. You’ll not only learn why not all waters are created equal, but you’ll also realize when to drink it, and when not to drink it.
List of Pros of Drinking Water
1. Low Calorie Hydration
One of the best parts about water is the fact that it provides you with an easy way to hydrate without consuming a ton of calories. The main problem with juices and lots of sports drinks is the fact that they’re usually jam-packed with carbs and other macronutrients that add to greater amounts of calories. While they certainly have a time in place when it comes to hydration, it’s hard to beat water in terms of traditional hydration. Most waters on the market feature zero calories, guaranteeing that you’ll be able to achieve total hydration without having to worry about packing on a ton of calories. This is why when people plan on dieting, a lot of people will cut out sodas, juices, and high-calorie​ sports drinks. So should you ever find that you’re trying to lose weight, consider substituting your old drinks for water.
2. Pure Hydration and Nothing Else
One of the best parts about water is the fact that it’s a pure hydration source. Things like sports drinks and other sources of liquids feature all sorts of other substances inside of the water, making them less than ideal for total hydration. Oftentimes hydration is immensely critical because your body needs to cool down. One of the primary reasons why dehydration is so uncomfortable is because your body cannot properly regulate temperature, and as a result, you’ll begin to overheat. Oftentimes sports drinks and sodas are full of other stimulants and things that can exacerbate sensations of heat and warmth, meaning that it’s super important to get a pure hydration source to guarantee that you won’t make your feelings of being too warm even worse than they already are.
List of Cons of Drinking Water
1. Lack Lots of Electrolytes
If you drink pure water, you’ll notice that it’s notably smooth and pure when it comes to getting hydrated. While this taste is very good, the reason why it’s so smooth and “pure” is due to the fact that it lacks electrolytes or additional micronutrients that other drinks have. For example, while we decried juices earlier fro having excess calories, juices also have other good things as well. When you consider the phytonutrients and other micronutrients that they have, it ensures that it’s a very healthy choice, but also, you’re getting electrolytes. This is because juices are very high in potassium, an essential electrolyte for regulating muscle function as well as polarization of water in the bloodstream. While fruit juices are usually a great first choice for getting electrolytes, they can sometimes be super high in calories and sugar, thankfully, there are other alternatives for hydration.
Sports drinks are better than water for this reason also because you’re getting a little bit of water, albeit watered down, but you’re not getting the heavy amount of calories also present in other drinks.
2. Lack Flavor and Bland
No matter how pure water is, it can never match the delicious sting of alcohol or the refreshing rush of a smoothie or juice shake. This is why it’s a good idea to diversify the beverages you’re consuming, because otherwise, it can get quite boring. While water is certainly a prime, number one option when it comes to hydration, with sports drinks and other drinks, you can actually get flavors. Even though this is certainly a downside of water, you can improve upon it by adding powders or other supplements to your water. Now we’re seeing waters entering the market that are a blend of sports drinks and pure water beverages, and although they are a better alternative if flavor is your main priority, they often mix the worst of both worlds—blandness and empty calories that would otherwise be present in sports drinks.
While water certainly isn’t perfect, there is no doubt that if you are most concerned with being hydrated, it’s your number one option. However, if you would prefer other things like great flavor and carbs, consider consuming different beverages.