These drinks are even more effective than water in the summer

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When it gets hot, we have to drink a lot, preferably water – but there are sensible alternatives. Some drinks are even a little bit better!

Water makes up more than half of our body weight. To keep it that way, we should drink enough fluids every day. Best water. This is sugar and calorie free. Sugary foods can also dehydrate us in the short term. But is water really always the best choice for rehydrating on hot days?

To better absorb liquid – milk as a water alternative

“If you just replace lost fluids with water, you end up with too much water and too little salt in your body,” says Ron Maughan, a professor at the University of St. Andrews School of Medicine. Because of this, milk can be even more effective than water. Milk naturally contains salt and lactose, a sugar we need in small amounts to encourage water absorption in the gut, says Maughan. Coconut water is also effective because it contains salt, potassium, and carbohydrates. Milk is also rich in electrolytes and macronutrients. This means that the body can absorb and store liquid better.

Sports drinks contain carbohydrates, which means: mainly sugar. This is not necessary if you sit at a desk all day. However, there is evidence that sports drinks, which contain electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, can keep us hydrated better than water.

“Professional athletes lose large amounts of sweat over long periods of time, making it important for them to replace the lost electrolytes. But the rest of us don’t necessarily need to drink sports drinks to stay hydrated. In addition to the normal drinks we consume, a balanced diet contains enough liquid so that people get everything they need,” says Sophie Killer, consultant for competitive sports.

Not only what you drink is important, but also how

Clear water is sufficient in most cases. Whether we drink enough fluids depends not only on what we drink, but also on how we do it. In order to prevent that, if you drink enough, you wash out all your nutrients when you go to the toilet frequently, you should consider the following. “If you gulp down a liter of water in a relatively short period of time, it’s going to overwhelm your bladder. You’re not really getting hydrated,” says Killer.

Instead, you should drink throughout the day. “The easiest way is to drink water with a meal, because then the body can slowly absorb and store the liquid. It thus crosses the membranes and goes where it is needed to keep the body hydrated, rather than going directly to the bladder. This would simply result in increased urine production. And nobody wants that.

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