What happens when you replace all drinks with water

The sweetness of carbonated beverages or other flavoured drinks can be enticing, but is it wise to replace them with water? While many of these beverages plaster tall claims about them being healthy (and hydrating), one cannot overlook the benefits of plain simple water. There is a great difference between drinking plain water and choosing other beverages. So, what happens to your body when you replace all other drinks with water? Let’s have a look…

WATER DETOXIFIES YOUR BODY, EFFECTIVELY: Adding various detoxifying drinks to your diet like green tea may help in the detoxification process, but only if taken in a limited quantity. But if you replace these detoxifying drinks with water, it not only cleanses your body better but aids digestion and keeps your kidneys clean. Water has the essential nutrients that are required for a healthy body and no other drink can replace them. Water flushes out harmful substances from the body, making your internal system clean.

INCREASES METABOLISM: Drinking water speeds up the metabolism, which in turn, increases energy levels. This is why it is advised by the health experts to drink water more frequently as it provides you energy and you stay active during the day. According to a study, there is a direct link between low metabolic rate and decreased kidney function. In case kidneys don’t get the required amount of water, their functioning gets impaired. Water is required to remove toxins from kidney and dehydration can cause various health issues. Also, drinking water aids weight loss as water is a natural appetite suppressor which stabilizes metabolic rates. You tend to eat less and lose extra kilos.

AIDS COGNITIVE SKILLS: Considering the fact that 70 per cent of our body is comprised of water, drinking it is certainly beneficial for the body. Our brain is comprised of 85 per cent of water and lack of water can impact your concentration, memory, brain fatigue, headache and can even cause sleeping issues. So, by drinking water, you fuel up our brain and it works efficiently.

HAIR AND SKIN BENEFITS: Hair and skin cells also require an adequate amount of water to function properly. If you are drinking ample amounts of water, it will leave your skin glowing and spot free and will make your hair shinier. Hydrated skin will be more radiant and fresh.

Dehydration can lead to dry and flaky skin, which in turn, can also lead to early aging.

SODA: If you prefer soda over water, you might get obese. These beverages contain aspartame, an artificial sweetener which could be responsible for causing birth defects, diabetes, and even brain cancer.

CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES LIKE COFFEE AND GREEN TEA: These beverages can impact your adrenal glands. And drinking them in excess can make you prone to several health conditions.

LOVE FOR FRUIT JUICE? (flavoured and sugary ones) These drinks contain calories as they have more amount of concentrated sugars.

PREFER MILK AND OTHER DAIRY PRODUCTS? For some, they might work but they are known to cause digestive issues especially for those who are intolerant to lactose. Dairy products are also considered as common cause for bloating and certain skin problems.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: They are also high in calories and drinking them in excess puts stress on your liver, which could be responsible for many diseases.

But before we ditch other drinks over water, there are certain myths and facts that surround this controversy.

8 GLASSES OF WATER EVERY DAY? This is one of the common myths about drinking water. Never restrict yourself to a certain number. The water requirement varies from person to person. For example, if a person is involved in physical activities, he/ she requires more amount of water than the one who has a sedentary job. If you sweat more, your body demands more water. Drink what your body demands not what others say.

AVOID OVERHYDRATING YOURSELF! You should never push yourself to overhydrate your body. Overhydration could lead to hyponatremia, which is a condition that dilutes sodium in the body, making you ill.

DRINK WATER AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP? Waking up after 7 – 8 hours of sleep doesn’t make you dehydrated. While sleeping too, your body takes care of itself. So, not drinking water early morning shouldn’t bother you much.

DRINK ONLY WHEN YOU FEEL THIRSTY? Certainly not! Sometimes, you may not even realize that you are thirsty but your body might need hydration. When you replace other drinks with water, you are making sure to drink enough water.