It’s summer, and it’s hot. Being outdoors is great; however, when we perspire, we need to replace the fluid our bodies lose.
To stay hydrated, drink eight cups of water each day. Water is the best liquid to drink, as it is the fastest to rehydrate the body.
Children need to hydrate often. Unfortunately, they sometimes choose sugary drinks which do not rehydrate the body as quickly as water.
Sugary drinks are the largest contributor to sugar in the diet. These extra calories from added sugar can contribute to unhealthy weight and obesity. Adults who drink one or more sugary drinks a day are 27% more likely to be overweight than adults who do not.
If you drink water, that’s great. Keep up the good habit. At times, we might conscientiously choose to have a high sugar drink. However, regular consumers of high sugar drinks should check out the number of teaspoons of sugar the drink contains.
To find out how many teaspoons of sugar are in a drink, first look at the food label. Find the number of servings in the container and the number of grams of sugar per serving. Divide the grams of sugar by four to get the total teaspoons of sugar. Grams of sugar divided by four equals teaspoons of sugar.
If the product has more than one serving, multiply the number of teaspoons by the number of servings to get the total teaspoons of sugar.
Drink more water when it’s hot outside and when physically active. If plain water isn’t a favorite, try water infused with fruit. Make water more appealing by adding a slice of your favorite fruit in a glass, or use a two-gallon pitcher. There are also water infusers on the market in both single servings and two-gallon sizes.
Here are two recipes to get you started: strawberry pineapple and cucumber mint. Feel free to get creative and try coming up with your own recipe.
Strawberry Pineapple
2 cups of fresh pineapple or 1 -20 oz. can of drained pineapple slices
1 cup strawberries, rinsed and tops removed
Water
Ice
Cut strawberries in half. Add strawberries and pineapple slices to a pitcher. Add ice to the pitcher, and then fill with water. Stir fruit to mix. Serve immediately or chill, covered, in the refrigerator.
Cucumber Mint
2 cups sliced cucumbers with rind on, rinsed
7-8 mint leaves, rinsed and slightly crushed
Water
Ice
Cut slices of cucumber. Slightly crush mint leaves to release flavor. Add cucumbers and mint leaves to a pitcher. Add ice to the pitcher, and then fill with water. Stir to mix. Serve immediately or chill, covered, in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
