Water not only fills all cells of living organisms, but also surrounds them. Do you know that water has a similar volume - approx. 75 percent. - both on the surface of the Earth and in the human body? So what is water, what are its types, how do we lose it and what kind of water should we properly hydrate our body with?

Wateris needed for breathing, it moisturizes the air inhaled and protects vital organs. It does not contain calories, so it is not an energy component, but allows you to turn food into energy. The amazing properties of water could be multiplied.

Water: composition, characters, features

Water is one of the most common chemical compounds in nature. Its formula is:H₂O(hydrogen oxide), i.e. one water molecule consists of 2 hydrogen atoms linked by 1 oxygen atom.

Water is in the form of a transparent liquid (at room temperature), but it also takes on other states:

  • gas, i.e.steam- high temperature,
  • as a solid, i.e.ice- at low temperature

Water has a polar structure. Water molecules can attract each other to create beautiful phenomena such as snowflakes and ice crystals, but they can also affect molecules of other substances. Water is a commonly usedsolvent . Substances of a similar structure, e.g. saccharase or vinegar, dissolve well in water. Substances of a different structure do not dissolve, but when mixed with water they form suspensions - e.g. flour or oil.

The water has no smell. It is also colorless, but only in small amounts. In a larger volume, it takes on a slightly blue shade. This color is the result of the absorption of visible light by water.

Worth knowing

Physical properties of water

  • Freezing point - TK=3.82 ̊C
  • Boiling point - TW=101.42 ̊C
  • Density - 1 kg / l
  • Heat of vaporization - 2257 kJ / kg
  • Heat of fusion - 333.7 kJ / kg
  • Reaction - 7.0

Water: where is it?

Water is present in many planetary objects, in interstellar matter and, of course, on our planet. On Earth, water comes in the following forms:

  • water vapor and clouds,
  • glaciers,
  • oceans,
  • seas,
  • rivers,
  • lakes,
  • artificial reservoirs (including water supply),
  • groundwater.

Read more: Is tap water he althy?

Water is an important component of the Earth's mantle, i.e. the layer of the Earth about 2,900 km thick between the Earth's crust and core.

Water: types of water in nature

Water that occurs in nature is not pure, but is a mixture of gases and mineral s alts. The most abundant of these s alts are: sea water and mineral water obtained from natural sources, which is one of the he althiest drinks for man.

Check what mineral water is and how it affects he alth>>

It is also worth knowing that it is the content of mineral s alts that makes the watersoft(few of them) orhard- this water is characterized by a high content of calcium and magnesium s alts.
Both soft and hard water, as well asdistilled , i.e. free from the distillation process of substances that may be harmful to he alth, include to the group of water, the so-called utilities. It also includes the most important water for humans, i.e.drinking water , which is obtained from wells, water supply and mineral deposits.

Still water from Żywiec Zdrój

Spring waters, such as Żywiec Zdrój, are the most optimal drink to drink every day, also for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Crystal clear, mountain spring water Żywiec Zdrój contains an optimal composition of minerals that have been saturated with Żywiec nature. The water owes its delicate taste to the natural filtration through the sandstone layers of the Carpathian flysch.

Worth knowing

What is heavy water?
This is water that is obtained in the process of centrifuging ordinary water. Heavy water is rich in the heavy isotope of hydrogen, ordeuterium , and is mainly used in nuclear techniques. Heavy water is highly toxic to living organisms!

Water: role in the human body

Water is the substance of which the human body consists in70-75 percent . For example: blood plasma consists of 90% of water, the brain - 80%, and muscles - 75%.
Water acts as a transporter for nutrients, enzymes and hormones in our body, regulates body temperature , ensures the proper functioning of the electrolyte economy, and most importantly: enables metabolism, i.e. the implementation of all reactions that lead to the use of energy and nutrients from food and to support life processes.

  • Check what metabolism is and how important it is for life!>>
  • Can I overdose on water?

How exactly does water work in the human body?

  • Thanks to it, blood circulates in the blood vessels and reaches all organs.
  • Water is a kind of "lubricant" - as a component of mucus, it prevents internal organs from rubbing against each other and bones in the joints.
  • Protects against injuries, incl. eyeball, brain, spinal cord, fetus.
  • It is a solvent for most substances and chemical compounds - without it, the reactions in the body would not be possible.
  • Allows digestion and absorption - it is in the saliva necessary for chewing and forming bites in the mouth, and in the digestive enzymes that work in the further parts of the digestive tract.
  • Waste products dissolve in the water and can be removed from the body.
  • It is our thermoregulator - it absorbs heat and distributes it evenly. Allows the cooling of the body surface thanks to the evaporation of sweat.

Water: how much do we need to live?

Every day we excrete about2 liters of water from the body . We lose her with:

  • with urine - 53.6%,
  • then - 21.4%, depending on weather conditions and physical activity,
  • exhaled air - 19.6 percent,
  • feces - 5.4 percent

Vigorous physical exertion at high temperatures may result in the loss of up to5 litersof water. Symptomsdehydrationare sleepiness or agitation, restlessness.

Water shortage of10 percent body weightalready causes weakness, problems with breathing, salivation and pressure. And dehydration20 percentcan lead to unconsciousness, tongue swelling, and even death, especially in the elderly and infants.

The reason fordehydrationis not only not drinking water, but also:

  • draconian diet,
  • alcoholism,
  • diabetes,
  • violent diarrhea,
  • hemorrhage,
  • vomiting,
  • burns,
  • long-term fever.

Long-term dehydration may result inpoisoningas a result of the accumulation of toxic metabolic products.

Read also: Dehydration of the body - symptoms and treatment>>

In order for our body to function properly, we need to provide it with as much water as we expelled in a short time!

Important

How much water should we drink each day?

Minimum amount of water,which makes the body work properly is800-1000 ml / day . The maximum amount should not exceed the excretory capacity of the kidneys. Total: 1 adult for every1 kg of body weightneeds approx.30 ml of waterdaily. Nutritionists recommend that adults drink min. 2 liters of water, and even 3 liters a day in hot weather. Natural water should account for most of this requirement. Of course, water is also found in other drinks, but they are not the best source of hydration and should be limited in the diet.

Water: types of drinking water

The best product for hydrating the body is simply water. Many drinking waters are available in stores. There are so many types that we usually divide them into:carbonated and still , highlighting favorite brands among them. Colloquially, we also refer to any water purchased in a bottle as mineral water, which is not true. The waters available for sale are divided into:

  • natural spring
  • natural mineral
  • tableware
  • healing

Take a look here if you want to know more about the types of water!>>

In recent years, the so-calledflavored waterscontaining fruit extracts, from which we prepare homemade lemonades on a daily basis, i.e. with lemon, lime, apple, orange, grapefruit, peach, mango, strawberries, watermelon and mint. Due to the fact that they are low in calories (i.e. they haveless than 5 g of sugar in 100 ml ) and contain at least half the calories than regularly sweetened drinks, such as fruit drinks or cola drinks, "water taste "can become a good alternative for them, allowing them to reduce the energy consumed with drinks.

Flavored waters will work especially in the diet of people who have not drunk water at all and used mainly high-sugar and high-calorie drinks. Thus, by gradually reducing their sweet taste preferences, they can help them change their habits and be a bridge to drinking water in general.

Flavored waters are also eagerly used by people who eat a he althy diet every day, water is the main fluid in their diet, but from time to time they want a little sweetness in a low-calorie edition. It is also a good proposition for people who want to limit calories in their diet, but find it difficult to give up the sweet taste. The offer of "flavored waters" includes products completely sugar-free and calorie-free (e.g. Sparkles or Żywiec Zdrój with a hint of Zero Sugar fruit), as well as products with a reduced sugar content, in which sugar was replaced inparts of stevia.

If flavored waters are to become a he althy supplement to a balanced diet, it is important that they do not replace natural water, but are a step towards introducing it into the diet. Of course, it is worth paying attention to the composition - let the selected variants be not only tasty, but above all low-calorie or without calories, without dyes, preservatives, artificial flavors or glucose-fructose syrup.

You must do it

How to keep your body hydrated:

  • have water always at hand - make it at least half the amount of liquids you drink,
  • Drink water regularly, in small amounts, in small sips - this way it penetrates the tissues better; too much fluids drunk at one time are quickly excreted by the kidneys and our body cannot use them effectively
  • drink water at room temperature both in hot weather and in frosty weather,
  • If you want to reduce your appetite - drink a glass of water 20-30 minutes before a meal.

Excerpts from the article come from the monthly "Zdrowie"

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