Spotlight On: Water

This article is part of our Spotlight On series. Each month we shine a light on a powerful and important superfood that we love at Foodhak for its flavour and its impact on your body.

A quick bite

You already know it’s important to drink water. From keeping you cool to flushing out toxins, water is the most powerful and important thing you can put into your body as every bodily process relies on it to perform its best. And it’s possibly one of the easiest things to consume too! Simply carry a bottle of water with you wherever you go for easy hydration.

The main course

Water is involved with just about everything the body does. It helps facilitate various systems and without it, the body starts to suffer. Let’s dive into a few of water’s main powers together!

Hydration is a major factor in strength, power and endurance. It helps with nutrient absorption as well as breaking down the food that we eat. It then dissolves vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in our food and delivers them to the rest of the body. Drinking can also activate your metabolism, helping you lose weight and keep energy levels high.

Cognitive function relies heavily on proper hydration as it helps your brain remain switched on and ready to work. Dehydration can lead to a lack of focus, reduced alertness and even short-term memory. Beyond just cognitive function, a lack of water can have a significant impact on your mood as it can become easier to feel fatigued, confused or anxious.

But how do you know you haven’t had enough water? Well the body tends to signal this by producing pain. It may be a headache or just general muscle aches, but when you’re dehydrated, you’ll feel it. In its most serious instances, dehydration can lead to degenerative diseases including asthma, hypertension, lupus and multiple sclerosis. So drink up!

Something to takeaway

Water is essential. It’s an important part of maintaining a healthy body, inside and out. When it comes to deciding how much water you should drink each day, the best way is to listen to your body. If you feel thirsty, fatigued or have a headache, water is the cure. Remember that replacing water with tea, coffee or sugary drinks is not a means of hydration and actually tends to have the opposite effect. 

Adding a small pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon can also enhance water’s effect helping maintain fluid and electrolyte balance within the body. Alternatively, you could even add turmeric or ginger to your glass for a bit of a kick. Either way, water is an absolute must for taking care of yourself.