Water. Are you drinking enough?

Water is classed as an essential nutrient because the body can’t produce it on its own. All biochemical reactions require water, and it is a vital component in the function of your kidneys and liver (your detox organs).

But how much water should you be drinking and how does the amount you drink impact your metabolism?

It is recommended that you drink at least 8 x 250ml glasses of fluid per day. This can be water or other no calorie options such as green tea or black coffee. Water is lost through the skin as sweat and also through breathing. If you are doing intense exercise you will be losing a lot more water so you also need to include an electrolyte (eg a sports drink) to regulate sodium.  Your body cannot hydrate without it.  Cooler water seems to have a higher impact on your metabolism than warm, water; just 500ml of cool water can increase metabolic function by 30%!

So for maximum impact on your metabolism, try to drink at least 2 litres of fluids per day, more if you work in a physical job, exercise or work in heated or air conditioned environment. This is quite easy to do if you have a drink of water or low/no calorie beverage with every meal and another one in between each meal.