Is water the best drink to stay hydrated?

“Water is life”. This is what we have been educated all these years, but how would you react, if we say that water isn’t the best drink to stay hydrated? Yes, you read it right! According to a study from Scotland's St. Andrews University, water isn’t the best drink to stay hydrated. The study says, while both still and sparkling water can quench thirst, it can be defeated by sweet, fat or protein-rich beverages in keeping a person hydrated. Scroll below to find the truth! (Image: istock)

According to the study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, skimmed milk is most hydrating followed by oral rehydration solutions, full-fat milk, orange juice, cola, diet cola, cold tea, tea, sports drink, still water, sparkling water, lager, and coffee. (Image: istock)

As per the study, the reason lies in how the human body responds to beverages. The study author Ronald Maughan, a professor at St. Andrews' School of Medicine states that it happens because of the volume of a given drink, which means, the more you drink, the faster it is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it dilutes the body's fluids and hydrates you. And, the other factor is connected with the drink's nutrient composition. If we go by the study, milk is more hydrating than water because it contains more sugar, lactose, protein, and some fat too. It also contains sodium, which behaves like a sponge and holds onto the water in the body and results in less urine produced. The same logic works for oral rehydration solutions too. They also contain small amounts of sugar, along with sodium and potassium, promoting water retention in the body. (Image: istock)

Also Read: Does drinking 8 glasses of water daily really help?

If we look through the other side of the prism, beverages with more concentrated sugars - fruit juice, cola - mightn't be as hydrating as other lower-sugar beverages. When they enter the stomach, they may spend a little more time as compared to water, but once they enter the small intestine, their high concentration of sugars gets diluted during a physiological process called osmosis. And further, the mechanism pulls water from the body into the small intestine to dilute the sugars these beverages contain, and hence juice and soda are not only less hydrating, but inject extra sugars and calories in the body too. (Image: istock)

As per food and health experts, if one has to make a choice between soda and water for hydration, the latter is always good for kidneys and liver, as only water can help get rid of toxins and it also helps in maintaining skin's elasticity and suppleness. (Image: istock)

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