How much water?

We've all heard the recommendation to drink 8-10 cups of water each day. But research came out recently saying maybe we don't really need that much fluid. What's the real story?

The estimated need for water is about 15 cups a day for men and 11 cups a day for women. These amounts include the water we take in from BOTH food and beverages, not just from plain water. Since many foods contain a lot of water, we meet part of our fluid needs through eating. Fruits, vegetables and soups contain significant amounts of water. Even foods like pasta and rice contain water that was absorbed during cooking. It's estimated that we get about 1/5 of our fluid needs from foods.

I continue to shoot for 8 glasses of liquid each day. Good choices are water, milk, 100% juice, tea and coffee. The caffeine in regular tea and coffee will have a diuretic effect, whereas decaf tea and coffee won't. During hot weather or during exercise, more water is required to meet the body's increased needs due to perspiration.

So keep that water bottle handy and drink to your health!