Water: An Overlooked Essential Nutrient - Essay Example

?Running head: WATER Water: An Overlooked Essential Nutrient (school) Water: An Overlooked Essential Nutrient Introduction Water is a chemical made up of the formulation of two molecules of hydrogen and one molecule of oxygen. It comes in liquid form and generally covers a huge percentage of the earth. It also makes up a significant part of the human anatomy. It is considered a universal solvent and its health benefits have generally been acknowledged by health experts. This paper shall compare and discuss the value of water in terms of hydration. It shall compare water, Gatorade, and Powerade based on the following points: daily recommendations, nutrient content, varieties/sources, cost, advantages of consumption (including research reviews), safety levels, and disadvantages of consumption (including research reviews). Concluding remarks shall summarize and establish a general conclusion for these three substances. This paper is being undertaken in order to establish a comparative understanding of three liquid drinks based on specific parameters and to establish a basis for recommendations in their use. Body Daily recommendations There are different recommendations on adequate water daily intake, the most common being the intake of at least eight glasses of water a day. Due to constant water loss from our body through breathing, perspiring, urinating, and bowel movements, the body also needs to replenish its water supply (Mayo Clinic, 2012). The Institute of Medicine recommends that sufficient water intake for men is at about three liters daily or 13 cups of water a day, and for women, they recommend at least 2.2 liters or 9 cups a day (Mayo Clinic, 2012). For Gatorade, the daily recommended intake is of a lesser amount because it contains a lot of calories – calories which are meant to increase a person’s energy. Excess of these calories in the person’s system can sometimes exceed the daily required intake of a person. The American College of Sports Medicine highlights that for the athletes who engage in intense exercise for longer than 60 minutes, they should consume carbohydrates at a rate of 30-60 grams for each hour in order to maintain their energy and prevent fatigue (Turcotte, 2011). The recommended intake for Gatorade is at 6 to 8 percent carbohydrate solution or 6 grams of carbohydrate per 100 mL of fluids; this is equal to 14 grams of carbohydrates per 8 fluid ounce servings (Turcotte, 2011). As for Powerade, which is recommended for high intensity exercises, the daily recommended intake is much even much less compared to water and to Gatorade. The intake is also based on the person’s energy needs. Based on an average adult diet of 8700 kj, the daily recommended and maximum intake of Powerade is at 2 cans per day (Powerade, 2011). For best effects, the consumption of one can of Powerade before sports or exercise is recommended (Powerade, 2011). Nutrient content The World Health Organization (2005) discusses that water contains the following nutrients: calcium, sodium, Chlorine, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Cromium, Cobalt, Carbon monoxide, molybdenum, and selenium. These are nutrients essential for human health. Depending on the source and the processing which water undergoes, other nutrients may be present or absent in the water (WHO, 2005). As for Gatorade, as this drink is meant to replace lost electrolytes, it is packed with more nutrients and power nutrients than water. One Gatorade serving which is about 32 ounces has 50 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 110 milligrams of sodium, which is 5% above the daily recommended value (Turcotte, 2011). One serving of Gatorade also has 30 mg of potassium which is 1% of the daily value, and it also has 14 grams of carbohydrates, mostly from sugar (Turcotte, 2011). As for Powerade, it has 25 grams of carbohydrate per 300 mL serving, 20 g of sucrose, 83 mg of sodium, 42 mg of potassium, and 96 mg of caffeine (Powerade, 2011). These nutrients give Powerade more energy boosting power as compared to water and Gatorade. Varieties/sources There are various sources for water, including tap water, spring water, and other fresh water sources (WHO, 2005). Tap water is often processed water and goes through various process of desalinization and decontamination. With various processes to decontaminate it, and to remineralize it, bottled mineral water is made available (WHO, 2005). Gatorade is made by the company Pepsi and it has been produced with different variations and flavors as well as benefits for users (Pepsico, 2012). Powerade on the other hand is by Coca Cola and also has variations based on strength and general flavors (Powerade, 2011). Cost As compared to the Gatorade and Powerade, water is the cheaper option. Expenses needed for water mostly relate to its processing and decontamination process (WHO, 2005); for those marketing mineral water, the cost is higher but is still not as high as the cost for Gatorade and Powerade. The cost of production, processing, and packaging for Gatorade and Powerade is higher when compared to water; as a result, it is also marketed at a higher price. Advantages of consumption Consuming water on a daily basis is very much advantageous because of the nutrients it gives the body and because it helps bring much needed oxygen to our cells (WHO, 2005). The study by declares that optimum daily water consumption brings various benefits including: moist and supple skin, good kidney functions, weight loss, and detoxification (WHO, 2005). Gatorade also presents with various benefits including electrolyte balance during high intensity exercises. Gatorade also prevents dehydration (Danielson, 2006). For Powerade, it also presents with similar advantages with Gatorade, only that Powerade is preferred by during high intensity activities because it helps sustain energy longer and also prevents dehydration. Safety levels The safety level for water consumption is based on a person’s body weight. The International Sports Medicine Institute established a formula for safe levels of water intake which is ? ounce per pound of body weight if one is active and 2/3 per pound if one is not active (Perry, 2012). For Gatorade on the other hand, safety levels are also based on one’s level of activity. Higher safety levels are allowed for active individuals, including athletes; and lower safety levels are indicated for less active individuals (Pepsico, 2012). For Powerade, no more than 2-3 cans per day are needed (Powerade, 2011). Disadvantages of consumption There are little disadvantages seen in the consumption of water. Overhydration can be a possibility in water consumption as it can cause hyponatremia (Clark, 2012). Over-hydration can also cause stress to the heart and the kidneys (Clark, 2012). Generally however, with adequate intake of water, no serious disadvantages can be seen. Gatorade and Powerade seem to present with similar disadvantages because of their similar ingredients and effects on patients. For one, the acidity of the drinks can cause the teeth to rot and the sugar content of the drinks can exacerbate the situation (Allison-Aldrich, 2012). Another disadvantage is that some people replace their water intake with these sports and energy drinks. These drinks however are not enough to sustain daily activities because they only provide brief sources and surges of energy (Allison-Aldrich, 2012). They are also high in sugar which may cause diabetes, high blood pressure, and weight gain. The caffeine content for these drinks, especially for Powerade is also high. Caffeine can present a danger to the nervous system if prolonged in its use; it can also cause insomnia, dizziness, and hypertension (Allison-Aldrich, 2012). Conclusion Based on the above discussion, the recommended beverage is water because for one, it provides the essential nutrients and energy for longer periods of time and for most employees (Royal College of Nursing, 2007; Ahmad and Minch, 2009). Secondly, it is also the cheaper option for the law firm because Gatorade and Powerade are expensive drinks to purchase (United Nations, 2012). Lastly, the recommended beverage is water because it has fewer health risks whereas Gatorade and Powerade contain risks to the health of the employees (Bestervelt, 2004); moreover, the activities for the law firm do not require intense or fast-paced energy which would have served Gatorade and Powerade well. References Ahmad, Z., and Minch, D. (2009). What are “energy drinks”?. Rutgers University. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://somerset.njaes.rutgers.edu/pdfs/fs1108.pdf Allison-Aldrich (2012). Advantages and disadvantages of sports drinks like Gatorade. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://allison-aldrich.wikispaces.com/Advantages+and+Disadvantages+of+Sports+Drinks+like+Gatorade Bestervelt, L. (2004). Raising the red flag on some energy drinks. NSF. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.nsf.org/business/athletic_banned_substances/energy_drinks.pdf Clark, R. (2012). The disadvantages of the consumption of water. eHow. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.ehow.com/list_7185261_disadvantages-consumption-water.html Danielson, A., Morris, L., Neiderhauser, L., Stanek, K., and Wolter, J. (2006). The physiological effects of water vs. Gatorade during prolonged exercise. J. Undergrad. Kin. Res., vol. 1, no. 1: pp. 15-22. Mayo Clinic (2012). Water: How much should you drink every day?. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283 Pepsico. (2012). Gatorade Brands. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.pepsico.com/Brands/Gatorade-Brands.html Perry, L. (2012). Think you're drinking enough water?. Naturodoc. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.naturodoc.com/library/nutrition/water.htm Powerade. (2011). Powerade Fuel. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.powerade.com.au/Products/Powerade-Fuel-Plus.html Royal College of Nursing. (2007). Water for health: hydration best practice toolkit for hospitals and healthcare. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/70374/Hydration_Toolkit_-_Entire_and_In_Order.pdf Turcotte, M. (2011). Gatorade nutritional information. Livestrong. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/82912-gatorade-nutritional-information/ United Nations (2010). Clean Water for a Healthy World. UN Water. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.unwater.org/wwd10/downloads/WWD2010_LOWRES_BROCHURE_EN.pdf World Health Organization. (2005). Nutrients in Drinking Water. Retrieved 30 May 2012 from http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/nutrientsindw.pdf Read More