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Water:
The Crucial Nutrient
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
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Identify fluid sources from solid foods.
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List 2 reasons why you might need extra fluids throughout the day.
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Describe at least 2 ways to increase your fluid intake throughout the day.
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Know the difference between water versus other beverages.
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Please do not use ENTER to move through the fields, use the TAB key.
Welcome to the Municipality of Anchorage WIC program Website. If you (or your child) are a WIC participant, please enter your first and last name here:
First and Last Name
Activity 1:
How much water do you and your child drink per day?
Water is a crucial nutrient!
Water is an essential part of our everyday living. Like the oxygen you breathe, you can't live without water! One can live for up to two months without food but only a few days without water. In fact, losing more than 10% of your body weight from dehydration, or water loss, causes extreme weakness and potential heat stroke. A 20% loss is life threatening.
What does water do for the body?
Water does far more than satisfy thirst. Thirst is actually more like a warning light that's flashing on the dashboard of your car. This physical sensation signals to you that your body needs more fluid to perform its many functions. To satisfy thirst, you drink fluids.
Water aids in digestion and absorption of food, protects tissues and organs, regulates body temperature and blood circulation, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells and removes toxins and other wastes. To keep your body functioning normally and to avoid dehydration, your body needs an ongoing water supply. During a strenuous workout, losing water weight is common, especially on a hot day. Losing just one or two pounds of your body's water weight can trigger a feeling of thirst. With a little more fluid loss, the body loses strength and endurance. With even more water loss and prolonged exposure to high temperatures, a person may suffer from heat exhaustion or risk heat stroke.
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Water and other beverages are the main sources to avoid dehydration. Foods also supply your body with fluids, especially fruits and vegetables. Watermelon contains more than 90% water. Take a look at the following list of foods to see how much water is provided.
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Food
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Percent Water by Weight
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lettuce (1/2 cup)
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95
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watermelon (1/2 cup)
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92
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broccoli (1/2 cup)
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91
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grapefruit (1/2)
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91
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milk (1 cup)
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89
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orange juice (3/4 cup)
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88
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carrot (1/2 cup)
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87
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apple (1 medium)
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84
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cottage cheese, low-fat (1/2 cup)
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79
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yogurt (1 cup)
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75
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potato, baked with skin (1 medium)
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71
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tuna, canned, drained (3 ounces)
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70
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rice, cooked (1/2 cup)
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69
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kidney beans, boiled (1/2 cup)
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67
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pasta, cooked (1/2 cup)
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66
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chicken, roasted, no skin (3 ounces)
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65
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beef, lean, roasted (3 ounces)
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64
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cheddar cheese (1 ounce)
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37
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whole wheat bread (1 slice)
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38
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bagel (1/2)
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29
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honey (1 tablespoon)
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17
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butter or margarine (1 tablespoon)
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16
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raisins (1/3 cup)
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15
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pecans, dried (2 tablespoon)
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5
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vegetable oil (1 tablespoon)
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0
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What are common signs of dehydration?
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thirst
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constipation
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frequent joint pain
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stomach pain
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ulcers
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low energy
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mental confusion
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disorientation.
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How much fluid do you need?
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The average adult loses about 2½ quarts (about 10 cups) of water daily through perspiration (even when sitting), urination, bowel movements, and even breathing. During hot, humid weather, or strenuous physical activity, fluid loss may be much higher. Unlike some other nutrients, the human body doesn't store an extra supply of water for those times when you need more. To avoid dehydration and to keep your body working normally, you must replace the fluids you lose through normal body functions. |
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Your need for water actually depends on the amount of energy your body uses:
For adults: 1-1½ milliliters of water per calorie of expenditure. That's 1-1½ liters for every 1,000 calories, or about 8 cups of water daily in a 2,000 calorie-a-day-diet. (A liter is about as much as a quart) |
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Most people need 8-12 cups of water daily- from drinking water, other beverages, and water in solid foods. Body weight is one factor affecting fluid need. Additional factors that may cause a need for more water include climate, level of physical activity, diet, and other physical differences. For example:
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When you're exposed to extreme temperature- very hot or very cold- your body uses more water to maintain its normal temperature. |
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With strenuous exercise, your body loses water through perspiration, or evaporation from your skin. To figure how much water you need daily, start with 8 cups of water. Drink 1 to 3 more cups per hours as you increase the intensity and duration or your activity. |
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When you're exposed to heated or recirculated air for a long time, water evaporates from your skin. For example, the dry, recirculated air on planes promotes dehydration. |
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Pregnancy and breastfeeding increase the amount of fluid a women's body needs. |
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Being sick makes a difference, too. Fever, diarrhea, and vomiting all cause increased water loss. Follow the advice of your health care provider, and drink plenty of water and other fluids to prevent dehydration. |
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If you eat a high-fiber diet, your body needs extra water to process the additional roughage and prevent constipation. |
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In healthy people, water intake and water loss balance out. If you consume more than you need, your kidneys simply eliminate the excess. You probably won't overdo it on water. When you don't consume enough, your body may trigger a sensation of thirst. Thirst signals the need for fluids, but it isn't a fool-proof mechanism, especially for elderly people, children, and during illness, hot weather, or strenuous physical activity. Waiting until you feel thirsty to drink may be waiting too long. By then, 2 or more cups of body fluids may be gone - even when you're healthy. |
Activity 2:
True or false:
How do I know if I'm drinking enough fluids?
To see if you're drinking enough fluid, check your urine. A small volume of dark-colored urine indicates that you aren't consuming enough fluid. Besides feeling thirsty, this is your signal to drink more. Almost clear urine means you're drinking enough. (Note: If you are taking vitamins, your urine may be a bright yellow.)
Caution: If you always seem thirsty or urinate too much, talk to your health care provider. This may be a sign of diabetes. On the other hand, water retention, for reasons other than premenstrual syndrome, may suggest kidney or a liver problem.
Drinking for Health
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If you need to increase your water intakes...
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Take water breaks during the day instead of coffee breaks.
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"Water down" your meals and snacks. Complement food with water, milk, or juice.
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When you walk by a water fountain, take a drink!
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Refresh yourself at snack time with juice, milk, or sparkling water.
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Before, during, and after any physical activity, drink water, especially in hot weather. Don't wait until you feel thirsty! If your children are playing, make sure you supply them with enough fluids. Sometimes children are to "busy" to ask for a glass of water.
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Travel with a supply of bottled water. Even for day outings, pack along some bottled water.
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Caffeinated beverages-coffee, tea, and some soft drinks-and alcoholic beverages aren't your body's best sources of water. Caffeine and alcohol act as diuretics, causing the body to loss water through increased urination. Decaffeinated beverages, however, don't have this effect.
When you're feeling thirsty, reach for a glass of water! Water has no calories, low in sodium and has no fat and cholesterol. If you feel like having a "fruity" beverage, which will you reach for: fruit juice or a juice drink? Either one will replace fluid lost, but depending on the fruits they're made from, fruit juices and juice drinks supply varying amount of vitamin A and C. Juice drinks may also be called "juice beverage" or "juice cocktail" on the product label.
You might think that 100% Vitamin A or 100% Vitamin C is nutritionally superior. Yet the percentage of vitamins has little bearing on the amount of actual fruit juice. Be sure to choose juice made with 100% fruit juice (or 100% vegetable juice).
Be aware that all juice products contain water and sugar. Fruit juice contains naturally-occurring fructose, or fruit sugar, whereas juice drinks also have added sugars, such as high-fructose corn syrup. Depending on the amounts of sugars added, there may be a difference in the amount of calories per serving between fruit drinks and fruit juices.
Activity 3:
1. Describe at least 2 ways to increase your fluid intake throughout the day.
For more information on safe drinking water for children try the following site:
US Environmental Protection Agency
Which WIC Office do you go to?
Where are you taking today's lesson?
Answers:
| Activity 2: |
1.True
2.True
3.True
4.True
5. Vegetable oil will not provide the body with fluids.
6. Very hot or cold temperatures, strenuous exercise, recirculated air, pregnancy or breastfeeding, being sick, eating a high fiber diet. |
| Activity 3: |
1. Take water breaks instead of coffee breaks, take a sip of water when passing a water cooler, pack bottled water when leaving the house, refresh yourself at snack time with water, juice or milk.
2. Water is the best source of fluids. |
Back to WIC Lessons
Revised: 06-13-2008
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