An Overlooked Essential Nutrient
Water plays crucial roles in the body, and its one of the indispensable nutrients in one’s life. Normally, water is supposed to comprise around sixty percent of the body weight. High water content in the body is necessary in the enabling the body cells to carry out all the biochemical activities, that is catabolic and anabolic reactions which lead to energy generation and formation of energy molecules in the body. Water importance in the body is also not limited to provision of energy for movement, reproduction, and even in the maintenance of basal metabolic activities (Harper, 2001).
Based upon the six classes of the primary nutrients including fats, water, minerals, vitamins, proteins and carbs, water seems as the most neglected nutrient in our daily meals. For most of us, this is perhaps a mistakes that we commit out of ignorance while others are misled by the labels or information which are bombard through advertisements (Hark, 2003).
Sources of water in the body
There are different sources of water for the body functions. As early mentioned, about 60 to 70 % of the body weight is water. Twenty percent of the total water required is derived from the food we take in our body, which are cooked foods, vegetables and fruits as well as milk. The water remainder is supplemented drinking of water and drinking beverages. Drinking beverages are classified as either alcoholic or non-alcoholics. Whereas alcoholic beverages are widely campaign against for their known deteriorating health effects especially the loss of one’s consciousness which brings about ant-social behavior, scientist have also discovered the enormous water effect in the body. Most the non-alcoholics are generally encouraged for human consumption, and the modern generation has developed the habit of taking in energy drinks like the coca cola and Pepsi product including the Powerade and Gatorade (Gordon and Kessel, 2002).
Water nutrients content
Like the Powerade and Gatorades, water conation mineral salts which are very necessary in the performance of certain body function. Sodium and potassium which is the chief mineral in the two energy drink beverages and natural dissolved the drinking water from different sources. Even though fresh water lacks such important mineral, sodium is supplemented as food additive in our daily meals. Thus, water is an alternative substitute for keep the body electrical balances of the nervous system.
Water cost as compared with Gatorades and Powerade
In the market place, it has been a habit of the consumer to go for the cheap or cheapest products with the greatest benefits. However, in the areas of beverages, there overtly a jargons and it can be described as mosaic of contradiction. For instance, most people have decided to spend to purchase the sweetened claimed energy drinks which on average cost twice as much as the price of water, yet these have got numerous negative effects on their health particularly damaging of vital organs including kidney, heart and brain. Whereas Powerade Berry 600ml cost $ 36.96, Gatorade 600ml cost $40 and coca cola costs $ 69.42 which is generally highly priced as compared to MT Franklin Spring water costing $14.14 and Aqua Pura costing $5.24.
Properties Powerade and Gatorades drinks
There is general inclination to the usage of the modern energy drinks such like Gatorade and Powerade both in adults, teenager and children. There is little attention which has been paid to the health effects of these products. However, almost all energy drinks contains caffeine which is popularly known as stimulant in medical field. The caffeine content in these beverages is enjoyed for its desirable effects, but recent studies have shown that caffeine has numerous negative health effects. Like most of the alcoholic beverages, the consumptions of caffeinated food substance are like to cause numerous health problems especially through dehydration process. Caffeinated drinks increase the dilation and permeability of the cell membranes. This cause increased water loses from the body through transpiration, urination and even through sweating.
Effects of water dehydration
Caffeinated foods affect the body functions through dehydration of the body cells. Commonly associated with water dehydration includes constipations due to poor soaking and subsequent poor digestion process. Headaches, back pain and chronic pain in the muscle and joints are commonly known as problem due caffeine dehydration. The mild stimulation of the brain which later produces undesirable effects of addiction is mainly related to the dehydration of the brain.
Significance in the body water
Unlike caffeinated beverages, water obtained through drinking of non-caffeinated beverage and more specifically pure water is far much advantageous over the caffeinated beverages. The significance of water nutrient in the human body is divided in two major categories: building and structural functions and excretory/ medicinal functions
