By Taylor Sutton, MS, RD
United Supermarkets’ Lifestyle Desk
It’s heating up out there so let’s make sure we stay hydrated! We’ve always heard we should have eight glasses of water a day. And, while that’s a great starting point, recommendations change depending on each individual person.
Things to think about when trying to figure out how much water you need each day is your physical activity schedule, surrounding climate, height, weight, personal health conditions and more. For purposes of this post, let’s say the goal is half your body weight in ounces. If this seems like a lot, and it might be, think about the fact that you are about 70% fluid. So, naturally we need to be replenishing our reserves.
Also, we are all at a different place in our hydration journey, so start where you are and set small achievable goals to build yourself up to something more, especially since it’s summer and we could all use it!
The benefits of staying hydrated range from helping keep skin clean and supple, manage weight, regulate energy levels/brain function, maximizing physical performance and a slew of other things.
We’re not just talking about just water, or traditional fluids though! Fruits and vegetables are naturally high in fluid as well as additional nutrients like fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. So, the point here is that any and all fluid counts toward your overall goal.
That being said, we suggest not slurping down a bottle of “electrolyte drink” or wine, not that these are a “bad” choice, rather they have a place. For example, enjoy a 5oz glass of wine with dinner or an 8oz portion of an electrolyte beverage after 90 minutes of intense physical activity. Another thing to be cognizant of is fat and sugar additives when drinking things other than plain water. Added calories to beverages contribute to your whole day’s worth of calories so we suggest you simply take note to make sure you have a place for them.
Spicy Strawberry Basil Mocktail
Ingredients
2 Strawberries
4 Basil Leaves
1/2 Lemon
Dash of Cayenne
1 tsp. Simple Syrup
Seltzer water
Directions
1. Cut up strawberries into smaller pieces and place in a glass.
2. Rip basil leaves a few times and place in the glass.
3. Cut lemon and squeeze into glass.
4. (Add a dash of cayenne pepper? I don’t know if it would taste good).
5. Muddle until combined, at least 1 minute.
6. Add syrup and seltzer water, stir.
7. Add ice as desired.
