Water is an amazing substance. It helps us to stay clean, gives plants what they need to grow and sustains our bodies so that we can live healthily. It is part of the fluid that sustains us in our mother’s womb and it soothes and relaxes us throughout our lives.
The most abundant substance in our bodies, water makes up 75% of our bodies’ weight. It is central to making all bodily functions work and is an essential nutrient to our livelihood.
How important is water to our bodies? Well, our bodies can survive six weeks without any food but couldn’t love for more than a week or so without water.
Water does many very basic things for our bodies:
- It helps the body maintain its 98.6 degree body temperature.
- It transports nutrients and oxygen to all cells.
- It carries waste products away to be eliminated from the body.
- It helps maintain blood volume.
- It helps lubricate joints and body tissues (like those is our mouth, eyes and nose).
- It is a liquid asset to maintaining a healthy body weight.
Since water is sugar, caffeine and calorie free it is the perfect drink for human beings – and especially children – to consume.
Exactly how much water a child should consume is dependent on several factors including age, weight and gender. Also the temperature of the air, the humidity, activity level and overall health are also factors to determining how much water a child requires daily.
Eatright.com published a Kids’ Total Daily Water Requirement Chart that can help to identify the amount of water a child should consume. According to that information girls and boys 4-8 years old, for example, should consume at least 5 cups of water per day. This is in addition to eating the recommended daily allowances of fruits and vegetables.
That might seem like a lot! But remember that this amount means TOTAL water. (not just water we drink but also water from solid foods and other beverages)
Fruits and vegetables are important to eat in order to consume enough water. They have a very high water content when compared to other solid foods. The water helps to balance the calorie level of fruits and vegetables while keeping nutrient levels high. So logic tells you that it is important for children to eat more from fruit and vegetable food groups.
It is important to monitor water consumption in children and balance it with their level of physical activity – because we also know that keeping bodies hydrated during exercise is important to the bodies ability to perform and recover. Before, during and after any physical activity – especially during hot weather – children need to drink plenty of water. While exercising, the goal is for children to maintain a consumption rate of ½ to 2 cups of water every 15 to 20 minutes.
Read the complete Eatright.com article and Kids’ Total Daily Water Requirement Chart.
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