For such a basic part of human life, there sure is a lot of confusion around the topic of water, so Molly’s sharing the rundown on the reality behind 3 top hydration myths.
Myth #1: Everyone needs eight eight-ounce cups of water daily.
The reality: How much fluid we need is an individual thing.
To determine your individual needs, simply divide your weight (in pounds) by two, and that’s approximately how many ounces you should aim for as your baseline (plus another 16-24 ounces to replace every pound of sweat lost during exercise).
Myth #2: Coffee and tea are dehydrating.
The reality: For years it was assumed that beverages like coffee and tea were de-hydrating, but science has proven otherwise. And while caffeine itself is a diuretic, the amount of liquid in beverages like coffee or tea serves to offset caffeine’s diuretic effects.
Myth #3: Sports drinks are better than water for athletes
The reality: A widely-held belief is that sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are the best fluid options during exercise. In most cases, however, such as workouts lasting an hour or less, water is still the better choice, especially considering that sports drinks are typically loaded with sugar and food dyes.
For workouts lasting longer than 60 to 90 minutes and/or workouts that involve large amounts of sweat losses, sports drinks can provide the advantage of providing a source of glucose as well as electrolytes.
For electrolytes without the sugar, check out our “love it” options featured earlier this morning on Good Morning New Orleans.
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