Here in sunny Dubai the one thing we consume more than the beloved karak chai is a bottle of water. But how many of us are tempted to grab the “low-sodium”, super healthy looking water as opposed to just regular water? Why do we constantly feel like we’re not hydrated enough and still have to excessively go to the washroom? This could be because your water lacks a little something.
Sodium is the main positively charged ion outside the body’s cells. It attracts water. Therefore, your body needs salt to actually retain the water. What normally happens is that we drink water constantly, especially the water that lacks sodium and we urinate about the same amount out of our body and the cycle repeats. The logic is to keep your body hydrated and give it the amount of water it requires without losing all that water quickly. Ofcourse we all need to use the washroom after hydrating ourselves and neither are we camels that can store water in our bodies to use it for later (although that would be super helpful), but there is a way to help retain water for a long while.
How do we counter this?
Add a pinch of salt to regular water. Do remember, the salt retention is bad for the body, however, retaining water is good and is what leads to a healthier you in all aspects! Your skin starts to look better, you feel more energized and you actually feel hydrated and not bloated. If you would like to purchase the best-bottled water, most bottled water in the UAE have their sodium levels that comply with the normal standards, however, Fiji (for example) is an international water brand available in the UAE that is known to be one of the best-bottled waters out there.
Know your sodium!
The recommended sodium intake for people between the ages of 19-50 is 1,500mg and for those between 51-70 is 1,300mg per day while for those 71 years and older, it’s 1,200mg per day is the advisable amount. Less than 5 to 10% of a person’s daily intake of sodium typically comes from water. Most bottled water has sodium content that is less than 20mg/L. Typically, this is the recommended amount as well.
Does it affect people’s weight?
What normally happens is that we drink excess amounts of water when we’re thirsty and we feel bloated. Furthermore, people say they don’t lose weight by drinking water because they are drinking water to quench their thirst as opposed to actually hydrating the body to flush out all the toxins. Bottled water with normal levels or higher levels of sodium does not affect weight as people may think. Higher sodium levels, on the other hand, are known to cause a variety of heart diseases. In fact, people have died from heart attacks caused by high sodium levels in their blood. As a result of these factors, people with any type of heart disease are bound to carry defibrillators, AED pads, and defibrillator batteries with them wherever they go.
Even though, this is a concept that is misunderstood as the additional sodium that enters the body gets excreted out, but still higher level of sodium may cause problems. The body retains the levels required. When a person is thirsty, they consume water till the sodium to water level has been satisfied. Then the body lets go of the excess water along with the extra sodium. So don’t worry about gaining fat when consuming too much water or having foods with high levels of sodium. Water will be retained but this will leave the body along with the extra salt in no time. When there is enough water, the salt is then naturally excreted as the body keeps the salt under control with the additional water that is consumed.
To summarise: If you want naturally feel full with water in order to lose weight, add a pinch of salt to your ‘low sodium’ water to neutralize the sodium content.
Conclusion
Yes, the sodium content is good for the water but nothing should be taken in excess. Excess sodium could increase the risk of hypertension, heart diseases, and strokes. But of course, everything has its pros and cons and must be consumed in moderation. The sodium found in drinking water is responsible for only a small percent of a person’s overall sodium intake but is beneficial to retain water in the body.
If you would like to install faucets in your kitchen for water, check out www.mrkitchenfaucets.com
Few best water brands
Fiji, Badoit, Acqua Della Madonna, Blk and Mountain valley spring water
Written and Researched by Serena Sibi and Naomi D’Souza
