Water: The Best Answer to Dehydration

Coffee, tea. Water, sports drinks. Juice, beer, even snow perhaps. With so many liquids on the market today, the hydration battle can't help but chug along. Everywhere we turn, there's a better sports drink, an herbal tea, an energy infused soda all promising to offer us an enhanced performance. But, when it comes down to it, which liquids truly leave us hydrated and which leave us, quite frankly, thirsting for more.

Sports Drinks:

Gatorade, PowerAde, All Sport, Propel Fitness water. Today, there seems to be about as many sports drinks on the market as sports in the Olympics (take a sip of our fruit punch and you'll become awesome at curling). But, even with this saturation of sports drinks, many experts question their need.

Sports drinks don't hydrate better than water; actually, nothing does. But, because they contain calories, they do provide energy. Still, for anyone who is watching their weight, this energy might be an unwelcome friend. Ultimately, researchers conclude that sports drinks are only better than water when the workout is extreme, such as a marathon. During these workouts, the body needs energy and plain ol' calorie free water just might not cut it. For anyone who isn't trying to be the next Iron Man, conversely, water runs circles around its flavored counterpart, especially if you are drinking alkaline water, which can help your body run better all around.

Juice Drinks:

Juice is not without its advantages. Certain types of juice contain Vitamin C and Vitamin A, two of your body's favorite letters. But, when it comes to hydration, juice gets an F. Juice contains fructose, which can impair your body's ability to absorb water. Therefore juice, even when it looks so cute sitting in a square box with a little straw, isn't a good source of hydration. It's actually just the opposite.

Coffee or Tea:

Many of us can't live without our morning tea or cup - er, I mean, liter - of coffee. We rely on the caffeine for an extra boost. Boost and all, coffee and tea aren't good drinks to consume during a workout or when you are otherwise dehydrated. Both coffee and tea are diuretics, meaning they actually take more water out of your system than they allow in. They are one of the worst things you can consume when you are dehydrated: they will only add to the problem. In fact, the only thing worse than drinking coffee or tea for hydration is drinking alcohol.

Water:

The experts say it, but the laymen don't always believe it: when it comes to hydration, water is - glasses down - the best thing you can drink. Nothing hydrates or cleanses a body as well as water. During times of exercise and times of rest, water is the most natural and best thing you can put inside your body. Alkaline wateralso helps to balance your acid alkaline system. So, the next time you feel thirsty, reach for H2O. When it comes to staying hydrated, water's what's for dinner.