Water for health

Drink plenty of water and take beverages in moderation

Rationale: Water is the most important nutrient of all and helps in the upkeep of our health

• Water is the major constituent of the human body.
• Beverages are useful to relieve thirst and to meet fluid requirements of the body.
• Some beverages provide nutrients while others act as stimulants.
• Milk is an excellent beverage for all age groups as it is a rich source of nutrients.
• Drink enough of safe and wholesome water to meet daily fluid requirements.
• Drink boiled water, when safety of the water is in doubt.
• Consume at least 250 ml of boiled or pasteurized milk per day.
• Drink natural and fresh fruit juices instead of carbonated beverages.
• Prefer tea over coffee.
• Avoid alcohol. Those who drink should limit its intake.

Why do we need water?

Water accounts for 70% of our body weight. It is a constituent of blood and other vital body fluids. Water plays a key role in elimination of body wastes and regulation of body temperature. The body loses water through sweat, urine and faeces. This loss must be constantly made good with clean and potable water. A normal healthy person needs to drink about 8 glasses (2 litre) of water per day. During very hot weather and while undertaking vigorous physical activity, this requirement increases as a considerable amount of water is lost through sweat.

When water is considered safe and wholesome?

Water should be safe and wholesome i.e., it should be free from disease-causing agents like bacteria, viruses, parasites etc., and harmful chemical substances like pesticides, industrial wastes, heavy metals, nitrates, arsenic and excess of fluoride. Fluorosis, a disease with bone deformities and dental problems, results from drinking water containing an excess of fluoride over long periods. Generally, a concentration of 0.5 to 0.8 mg of fluoride per litre of drinking water is considered safe.

How water is rendered safe?

If a water source is not safe for drinking, boiling it for 10-15 minutes is a satisfactory method of purification of the water. It kills all disease-causing organisms and also removes temporary hardness. However, boiling will not remove other chemical impurities. Tablets containing 0.5g of chlorine can disinfect 20 litres of water. There are many modern gadgets which claim to provide safe and wholesome water. However, they vary in efficacy

How nutritious is milk?

Milk is a well accepted and wholesome food and beverage for all age groups. It contains most of the nutrients necessary for growth and development. It is, therefore, specially useful or feeding infants, toddlers, growing children and expectant women and nursing mothers. All the macro and micro-nutrients are present in an easily digestible and assimilable form in milk. Milk proteins possess high biological value which is almost equal to that of meat, eggs and other high quality animal proteins. Milk proteins are valuable supplements to most vegetarian diets.

Milk is a rich source of bioavailable calcium which helps in the building up of strong bones. Milk fat serves as a vehicle for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E. Since, milk fat is of the saturated type those who have to be on a low fat diet can consume skimmed/toned milk. For strict vegetarians, milk is the only source of vitamin B12 . Milk is also rich in riboflavin, but is a poor source of vitamins C and iron. However, only pasteurized or boiled milk should be consumed to ensure protection from disease-causing agents.

What is lactose intolerance?

Lactose, the sugar present in milk, helps in the establishment of lactic acid bacteria in the intestinal tract. If lactase, an enzyme required for digestion of lactose, is not present in sufficient amounts, such individuals develop abdominal symptoms on consumption of excess of milk. This is common in children following diarrhea and is described as lactose intolerance. Drinking small quantities of milk at a time does not usually cause any gastrointestinal problems and there is no need to discourage intake of milk by children except in severe cases of diarrhea.

What are soft drinks?

Soft drinks are generally of two categories, natural soft drinks and artificial or synthetic soft drinks. Water is the main constituent of all beverages. Orange, lemon, grape, mango, pineapple and apple are generally used in making fruit juice. Sugar cane juice is also extensively used in India, particularly during summer. Natural fruit juices provide in addition to energy, some vitamins (beta-carotenes, vitamin C) and minerals (potassium, calcium). Fruit juices being potassium rich are ideal beverages for those suffering from hypertension. However, they cannot be equated with fruits which also provide dietary fibre. Compared to natural fruit juices, synthetic drinks do not contain nutrients unless they are fortified. Generally, synthetic drinks are prepared using preservatives, artificial colors and flavors such as cola, orange, mango and lime, and mostly they are carbonated. Carbonated beverages contain phosphoric acid and may damage the enamel of teeth, and affect appetite if taken in excessive amounts. Water used for preparation of beverages should be free from disease-causing agents and harmful chemical impurities. Beverages like buttermilk, lassi, fruit juices and coconut water are better alternatives to synthetic drinks

Tea and Coffee

Tea and coffee are popular beverages. They are known to relieve mental and muscular fatigue. This characteristic stimulating effect is due to their caffeine content. A cup (150 ml) of brewed coffee contains 80-120 mg of caffeine and instant coffee 50-65 mg, while tea contains 30- 65 mg of caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and induces physiological dependence.

Generally, low doses (20-200 mg) of caffeine produce mild positive effects like a feeling of well-being, alertness and being energetic. Higher doses (>200 mg) can produce negative effects like nervousness and anxiety, especially in people who do not usually consume caffeine-containing beverages. Therefore, moderation in tea and coffee consumption is advised so that caffeine intake does not exceed the tolerable limits. Tannin is also present in tea and coffee and is known to interfere with iron absorption. Hence, tea and coffee should be avoided at least for one hour before and after meals.

Excess consumption of coffee is known to increase blood pressure and cause abnormalities in heart beat. In addition, an association between coffee consumption and elevated levels of total and LDL cholesterol ('bad' cholesterol), triglycerides and heart disease has been demonstrated. Therefore, individuals with heart disease need to restrict coffee consumption. Also, those who experience adverse effects from caffeine should stop drinking coffee.

Besides caffeine, tea contains theobromine and theophylline. These are known to relax coronary arteries and thereby promote circulation. Tea also contains flavonoids and other antioxidant polyphenols, which are known to reduce the risk for coronary heart disease and stomach cancer. However, as a result of its caffeine content, excess tea consumption is deleterious to health. Decaffeinated coffee and tea are being marketed to obviate the adverse effects of caffeine.

Tender coconut water

Tender coconut water is a nutritious beverage. It has a caloric value of 17.4 per 100 gm. The concentration of sugar steadily increases from 1.5% to about 5.5% in the early months of maturation and this slowly falls to about 2% at the stage of full maturity. Tender coconut water contains most of the minerals such as potassium (290 mg%), Sodium (42 mg%), Calcium (44 mg%), magnesium (10 mg%), Phosphorus (9.2 mg%), iron (106 mg%),and copper (26 mg%). It is an oral rehydration medium and keeps the body cool. However, in patients with hyper kalemia such as renal failure, acute adrenal insufficiency and in patients with low urine output, TCW should be avoided

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages contain ethyl alcohol in varying proportions. Beer contains 2-5% and wine 8-10% of alcohol, while brandy, rum and whisky contain much higher concentrations (30-40%). Alcohol has been extensively abused as an appetite stimulant and as a sedative-hypnotic drug. Alcohol intake, which is initiated as an innocent social habit may gradually result in a serious addiction. It may lead to several serious psycho-social problems and accidents.

Alcohol provides higher calories (7 Kcal/g) than carbohydrates and proteins and thus, can contribute to obesity. Ironically, excessive intake of alcohol is known to suppress appetite and interfere with absorption and metabolism of nutrients, leading to various nutritional deficiency diseases.

Excessive intake of alcohol suppresses appetite and as a result, leads to several nutritional deficiency diseases. People who regularly consume more than two alcoholic drinks (one equals about 30 ml of ethanol) are at a higher risk for hypertension and stroke. Alcohol intake has also been shown to increase the risk of cancer of the mouth, larynx and oesophagus, prostate and of the breast in women. Excessive alcohol intake weakens the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) and also damages the liver (cirrhosis), brain and peripheral nerves. It also increases serum triglycerides.

Source: National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad