Remarkable Facts About Water
A hot shower, a refreshing dip in the pool, an ice-cold lemonade, a steaming mug of tea. So many of life’s little pleasures depend on water. Actually, your very life depend on it. So drink up some fascinating facts about this humble but essential beverage. (Did we mention it has 0 calories and is fat-free and sugar-free?)
Drink Up America!
In 2017, the average American drank 37.5 gallons of soda but 42 gallons of bottled water. Botted water is, in fact, the #1 drink in America. Unfortunately, it costs as much as 2,000X more than tap water. Where does our bottled water come from? About 55% comes from groundwater, such as in a spring or well. And 45% comes from tap water.
Can You Eat Water?
About 20% of your daily water comes from food. There are many plant foods that are mostly water. These include:
- Cucumbers: 97% water
- Iceberg Lettuce: 96% water
- Tomatoes: 95% water
- Watermelon: 92% water
- Broccoli: 91% water
- Grapefruit: 91% water
Eating food that contains lots of water (such as soup) makes you feel fuller and eat fewer calories.
How You Lose Water
Some of the water you drink is lost when you sweat. Losing 4 cups of body water can decrease your mood and mental performance. But don’t overdo it. Drinking more than 4 cups of water per hour, even during exercise, can cause water intoxication, a dangerous drop in sodium levels in the blood. By the way, you can lose as much as 6 cups of sweat during 1 hour of exercise!
The Great Cry for Clean Water
Did you know that 1 out of 9 people in the world don’t have reliable access to clean water? About 1.6 million Americans don’t have running water or indoor plumbing. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 30 million people live in areas where water supplies are tainted and have violated safety rules for clean water. Other simply cannot afford to keep water flowing. Needy families living in the inner cities across America have been hit the hardest. Safe drinking water and better sanitation could save the lives of 7 children under age 5 every 5 minutes.
Compiled by Rachel E. Cabose, March/2019
