THE intense advertising of fizzy drinks now means that many of us are consuming a bath full of carbonated drinks each year. This unsurprisingly wreaks havoc with our gnashers.
For people who want to reduce their intake of sugar a new study has shown that reaching for a glass of 'good ole tap water' could be the answer. The study examined the dietary habits of more than 18,300 American adults. It found that the majority of people who increased their consumption of plain water – tap water, from a cooler or bottle – by just one per cent reduced their total daily calorie intake as well as their consumption of saturated fat, sugar, sodium and cholesterol. Control your weight and reduce sugar in one fell swoop.
People who drank one to three extra cups of water daily consumed five to 18 grams less sugar and seven to 21 milligrams less cholesterol a day, according to the paper by University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Ruopeng An.
"The impact of plain water intake on diet was similar across race, education, income levels and body weight status," Prof An said.
Water is the best thing you can put in your body. It is required to lubricate your joints, soft tissues, teeth, protect your brain, regulate your body temperature, and remove waste from your body – so why do many of us ignore it throughout the day? Is it a case of just being out of the habit or is it the taste that puts people off?
Initially all new habits take a bit of focus but eventually they happen naturally. Try making drinking water part of your morning and bedtime routine. You can still have your morning coffee, but add a glass of water in beforehand.
Choose a water bottle that you really like. Using a glass you love will make you feel better about drinking from it. Especially for children, make it fun – for example, a superhero bottle could give them super powers.
Alternatively consider a fun straw. If a crazy straw will get you to drink more, do it. I would be encouraging parents to take back control and not give in to the “I don't like water” whine. Persevering with water will give you and your children stronger teeth that don't hurt. Focus on the long term and not the immediate pacifying of children. Finally consider all the money you would save by drinking free water.
