Water is the healthy beverage option
Natural Hydration Council offers support for British Nutrition Foundation new advice on healthy hydration (BNF announcement 22/2/10) The Natural Hydration Council (NHC) welcomes the new fluid intake recommendations released today by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) which highlight a renewed importance to address the fluids we drink and in what quantities.
The average Briton drinks just 200ml of water a day - less than one glass out of the six to eight glasses of fluid - 1.2 litres - the Food Standards Agency says we should be drinking daily to remain well hydrated. Guidance already exists on the types and proportions of foods that constitute a healthy and well balanced diet , however fluid consumption has never been clearly addressed until now, so the BNF drinks guide is an important start in addressing this. As part of their recommendation, the BNF states that water is the only fluid people should be drinking ‘plenty of’.
The Council agrees that water – from bottle or tap – plays a vital role in staying well hydrated. Water is a macro nutrient and is the only liquid we need to hydrate when consuming a healthy balanced diet. It contains zero sugar, calories, preservatives or additives; aids digestion and metabolism; flushes out toxins and impurities from the body; replenishes natural fluids depleted by other diuretic beverages; and is a key part of the body's cooling system.
The Council also welcomes the advice on checking calories in drinks. Drinking more water in place of a drink that contains calories is one way to reduce calorific intake – a simple and decisive step towards a healthier lifestyle. Natural Hydration Council Director of Communications Ian Hall commented: “We particularly support the advice that water is the only fluid of which you are advised to drink ‘plenty’ while other drinks are recommended only ‘in small amounts or ‘in moderation’.
The BNF illustration on what you should drink is very useful as a quick reference guide we can all use. “There are three principal reasons that we offer this support to the BNF; to welcome this authoritative advice that helps people make healthier choices about drinking; to highlight the leading role that water plays in healthy hydration; and to demonstrate that further research into hydration needs in the UK is essential. The message for most of us is simple - you ought to drink more water.” -Ends-
For further information please contact Anna Forster on 08452 100 222 or email: press@naturalhydrationcouncil.org.uk
Please find a link below to the BNF's new guidelines on fluid intake:
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