Healthy or fattening? Nutritional values of 8 kopitiam drinks
SINGAPORE – With the weather in Singapore predicted to get even hotter, it is all the more important to stay hydrated, particularly if you exercise frequently outdoors.
Our bodies are made up of about 60 per cent water, which is needed to help to keep the body temperature normal, to get rid of waste or to carry nutrients to cells and so on.
Water needs vary from day to day, and from person to person. For instance, if you have diarrhoea or are running a marathon, you will need to increase your water intake.
The water in drinks such as tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices and soft drinks, for instance, all count towards a person’s daily fluid intake. This includes the water in fruit and vegetables too.
Food, on average, provides about 20 per cent of your total fluid intake.
People here often quench their thirst with beverages such as barley, sugarcane or lime juice, in the belief that these are healthier than soft drinks. But these may also have a high sugar content.
“As a general rule of thumb, take these drinks in moderation. Water is always the best choice,” said Ms Lynette Goh, a senior dietitian at National Healthcare Group Polyclinics.
Watch out for symptoms of dehydration such as increased thirst, dry mouth or tongue, fatigue and irritability, and decreased urine or dark coloured urine, said Mr Derrick Ong, the owner of Eat Right Nutrition Consultancy.
And drink up. Studies have shown that dehydration can reduce concentration levels and lower cognitive and physical performance, he said.
Proper hydration is even more important for children, cautioned Mr Ong, as they tend to heat up faster than adults when they lose fluids.
“Children can usually replenish the water in their bodies through the regular intake of fluids. But they may forget to drink enough during active play.”
Source: Asia One
Published: 26 Oct 2014
Category: Features, Wellness and Complementary Therapies
