We all know that water is a crucial part of health, as it is responsible for regulating and maintaining several body functions. There’s no doubt about the importance of water and hydration, but what factors influence how much water we need? Do the containers we use stainless steel, plastic, or others – alter the quality of the water? What else should we consider when it comes to hydration?
Drips and drops
The amount of water we need varies daily depending on a variety of factors including everything from medications and activity level to overall temperature and nutrient intake.
Typically, men need 15.5 cups of water each day while women need 11.5 cups, according to Harvard Health Publishing. However, consider the other factors that can change the amount of water you need each day.
Food and other beverages consumed can greatly impact this. In combination with coffee, tea, juice, fruits and vegetables, you might only need 4-to-5 cups of water to be properly hydrated.
There are several medical conditions and medicines that may also reduce your necessary water intake. Some of these include thyroid disease, kidney disease and heart problems, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opiate pain medication and antidepressants.
Conversely, exercise, outdoor temperature and age are all factors that might increase the necessary amount of water needed to reach full hydration levels.
Harvard Health Publishing notes there are other drinks that contribute to hydration, such as milk, sugary drinks and beverages with water. Caffeinated drinks can be hydrating; though they can dehydrate over a longer period of the day, they will ultimately be a net positive for your daily hydration. Sugary drinks should be sparingly used for hydration because they are correlated with weight gain, increased inflammation and more cases of diabetes.
Bottled up
It is advised to always have water with you, and choosing the right container for your water is essential.
From plastic to stainless steel bottles, there are so many choices!
It is commonly known plastic bottles are not considered the healthiest option for drinking water because the bottles can be easily altered by external factors, such as heat. According to The New York Times, there are 10-to-100 times more nanoplastic particles in bottled water than was previously thought.
In fact, the article cites a new research study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showing that a liter of bottled water contains nearly 250,000 pieces of nanoplastics on average. However, there is no strong, conclusive evidence to suggest how nanoplastic, or its larger form, microplastics, affect our health.
Regardless, it is generally better to be cautious about using plastic bottles to minimize exposure to these particles, which may prove to be harmful to our health.
Hackensack Meridian Health’s HealthU Magazine notes that stainless steel that is 18/8 or 18/10 are the best bottles, as they are high quality. The numbers 18/8 and 18/10 refer to percentages of the materials making up the stainless steel, with 18 percent of chromium and the eight and 10 percent respectively of nickel in the bottle’s composition.
This source refers to stainless steel as “the gold standard water bottle material” because they are durable against different circumstances such as dropping or temperature changes, non-reactive to the drinks you put inside, and easy to clean and maintain with a good, thorough cleaning. The 18/8 composition, also known as 304 grade stainless steel, is used in equipment for food processing because it does not need lining, does not leech chemicals or flavor into your drink.
TheRound.org, a website dedicated to environmental issues and sustainability, agrees that stainless steel bottles are the best, and safest, option. It is important however to watch out for the potential traces of lead that TheRoundup.org says “is usually found as a lead sealing dot around the base of cheaper double-walled water bottles.” Do research on your specific bottle brand before purchasing.
Some metal bottles are aluminum, not stainless steel, which is bad because this material is reactive to acidic drinks, making it necessary to put a plastic lining in the bottle. This plastic liner is not great, because it can leach chemicals into your water or become damaged and expose your water to aluminum. Aluminum is also not dishwasher safe or heat resistant.
Jane Dimel is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
