Water: an Overlooked Essential Nutrient

"Water: An Overlooked Essential Nutrient."

Tyrease White

DeVry University

I’m here today to discuss the one essential nutrient. How many people would agree that adequate hydration is important for the body and mind. One fact as an infant your body is made up of 75% of water body weight but it decreases significantly by the time you reach old age. The human body consists approximately of 60% of water. For males it is 62 percent and for female it is 51 percent. The correct water balance is essential for optimum muscle function.

According to Valtin (DMS physician Heinz Valtin, MD.) the eight, eight ounces of water is not needed. From childhood we are told to drink plenty of water. No one ever tells you that when you eat certain food it counts towards your water consumption, for example that salad you ate for lunch contained ninety-five percent water. About eighty percent of water intake comes from drinking water and twenty percent comes from food. According to this women would drink about nine cups and men would drink about twelve and a half cups.

Water should always be the first choice for rehydration. Water contains magnesium sulfate, potassium bicarbonate, and potassium chloride. Gatorade and PowerAde almost contains the same contents like sodium, potassium, carbohydrates calories, vitamins and sugars. But if you are working out more than an hour in high humidity climate then Gatorade is best for rehydration because it gives your body the energy it needs. Many people prefer Gatorade and PowerAde over water because they want flavor.

Since we don’t have a Gatorade or PowerAde river you can only purchase it at a grocery store. With water you can either purchase it or drink it from you kitchen faucet and let’s not forget that fruits and vegetables are also counted as a water source. So it is hard to go anywhere in the world and lack water, but some places don’t have sports drinks.

Typically water is free unless you want bottled water then it ranges from a...