We know that we need to drink regularly to stay fit and healthy. But is water really the most hydrating drink? Researchers have looked into the question.
Summer is well and truly here, and with it the heat! Faced with temperatures that can easily exceed 35°, it is more than necessary to stay well hydrated. Indeed, our body is composed of 65% water. In addition to hydrating all our cells, it provides them with many minerals and trace elements. It is also the one that eliminates digestive waste and helps maintain body temperature. However, we constantly reject it, whether through urine, stools, exhaled air or sweating. Also, for our body to continue to function well, it is imperative to 100% renew the natural loss of water by staying well hydrated, even if we do not feel thirsty.
But against all expectations, water is not the drink that hydrates the most! A study published in 2016 in the journal The American Journal of Clinical Nutritioncarried out on 72 individuals, reveals the best sources of hydration. And it turns out that other drinks are much more thirst-quenching.
The researchers put two groups of guinea pigs together: the first group had to drink 1 liter of still water over a period of 30 minutes, while the second had to drink 1 liter of another drink over the same period. They then analyzed the speed and duration of hydration of different drinks. The results are surprising since, among the thirteen liquids studied, water is not one of the most hydrating drinks – that is, those that remain the longest in our body before being eliminated – for the simple reason that our body will not only react to the quantity of the volume of water, but also to the nutrients in the drink.
“Although still water is the drink that hydrates the fastest, it is not the one that allows you to stay hydrated in the long term, for example 2 hours after ingestion. Conversely, drinks that contain a small amount of sugar, fat or protein retain the liquid in the stomach for longer before being absorbed by the blood and expelled through urine.”the researchers explain.
Here is the ranking of drinks according to their “hydration index”:
- Skimmed milk
- Oral rehydration solutions (medications for dehydration)
- Whole milk
- The Orange juice
- Coca-Cola
- Coca Light (since replaced by Coca Zero)
- Cold black tea
- Hot black tea
- Sports drinks like Powerade
- Flat water
- Carbonated water
- Lager beer (bottom-fermented beers, therefore low in alcohol)
- Hot black coffee
Skimmed milk is therefore the most hydrating drink. In fact, it contains electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, which help retain water in the body and therefore promote better absorption. In second place are oral rehydration solutions, powder preparations that, mixed with water, allow babies with diarrhea to quickly rehydrate.
In any case, water is obviously the drink of choice for healthy hydration. Remember that you should not wait until you are thirsty to drink. It is better to drink in small quantities throughout the day and increase your consumption in case of heat, fever or physical exercise. Not to mention that the caloric and sugar consumption of other types of drinks must be taken into account in order to maintain good health.