Saudi Gazette Nothing quenches thirst and refreshes a dry, perched mouth as a chilled glass of crystal clear, sugar-free, and calorie-free water. Here are some cool facts about water: The brain is 75% water. Blood is 92% water. Bones are 22% water. On hot days, we lose up to 16 glasses of water per day from sweating. Almost anything can dissolve in water, except oil. Nutritionists and physicians recommend you drink 8 to 10 glasses of water each day because it is essential to optimal health. Water is involved in almost every body function and it carries the nutrients, electrolytes, and hormones in the body. The question we must ask ourselves is: Are we drinking enough water? Surveys show that only 2 out of 3 people drink the recommended 8 glasses of water a day. It appears that Saudis are pouring other beverages in their glasses, rather than water. Sharif Monther Al-Harthi, CEO of Al-Rabie Company stated: “We conducted a study in the Kingdom and we found that residents in Saudi Arabia consume 1,300 million liters of juice per year. And it is expected that next year this number will reach to 1,400 million liters of juice that we are drinking in the Kingdom.” Al-Rabie company is fervent in providing customers with high quality products, but nonetheless this trend is alarming and quite disturbing when you consider its health implications on our society. All juices contain a high amount of sugar. Excess sugar in the diet is a culprit in the increased incidence of tooth decay, weight gain, childhood obesity, and the onset of diabetes. Drinking too much juice of course is not the only reason, but is a factor that we can control. Even if it is freshly squeezed at home, the over consumption of juice is still discouraged. The benefits of eating a whole, natural, fruit far outweigh the nutritional benefits of drinking its juice. Fruits contain fiber, vitamins, and flavonoids that are lost after juicing. Compare the amount of calories in a piece of fruit and a glass of juice: Nutritional advice to Saudis and expats is to drink more water and less juice. There is no harm in enjoying some tasty fruit juice once in a while; it is the excess that should be avoided. __
