By Elena Voropay

When you think about nutrition, what comes to mind? Most people think of vitamins, minerals, and protein, getting enough calcium and iron, and not eating too much fat. Although it doesn't contribute to the nutrient value of food per se, it is still the most important nutrient that governs our metabolism and all other functions of the body. Can you guess what it is? Water. Yes, plain pure water. It is tasteless, boring and very common, hence its underestimated value.

About 60 percent of your body is made up of this vital component. Water transports nutrients throughout the body necessary for survival, helps regulate body's temperature, forces fat to be used as fuel, prevents sagging skin after weight loss by keeping it firm, maintains muscle tone, serves as natural appetite suppresser, helps to boost your metabolism, and is necessary for digestion and elimination.

There are many reasons why you should stay well hydrated every minute of your life. About 60 percent of your body is made up of water comprising nearly 85 percent of your brain, about 80 percent of your blood and about 70 percent of your lean muscle. Water

• transports nutrients throughout the body necessary for survival
• keeps your digestive system in good health
• helps regulate body's temperature and blood pressure
• forces fat to be used as fuel by boosting your metabolism
• prevents sagging skin after weight loss by keeping it firm
• maintains the integrity and tone of skin and muscle
• serves as a lubricant around joints, the spinal cord, foetus, inside the eyes
• serves as natural appetite suppressant by regulating nutrient exchange

The more water you drink the less fat deposits you have. Why? Because without enough water your kidneys are unable to function properly, thus the liver picks up the slack. When this happens, the liver cannot properly metabolize stored fat as energy. The results are a decrease in fat metabolism, leading to more fat stored in the body. And did you know that many over-the-counter appetite suppressants make you drink more water, so you end up eating less? Swallow a pill, and you get a burning feeling in your stomach and throat, so you want to drink as much as you can to get rid of that burn. The result---more water and less food goes through the system. If you become bloated, then start drinking water regularly.

If you are dehydrated, the body will hold on to every last drop of water, perceiving the low water levels as a famine. This extra water is stored under the skin, showing up in the form of swollen feet, hands and ankles, as well as puffed eyes. Only after proper hydration the body will start releasing the stored water. Also, the more salt you eat, the more water you retain; so watch the salt shaker as well.

The need for water increases when you exercise. As you bring your heart rate up and increase metabolism, more water is lost through increased rates of perspiration and respiration. Dehydration causes a decrease in blood volume, reduces the body’s ability to get rid of excess heat, thus leading to possible heat exhaustion or even heat stroke.

If you are only two percent short of water in your system, your aerobic capacity is decreased, bringing physical and mental performance down by 20 percent. Research shows that dehydrated people perform worse on arithmetic tests than well-hydrated ones. H2O acts as a means of healing by encouraging the immune system to work overtime, activating important chemicals that stimulate germ-killing cells.

Since the weather is getting colder, and the air is getting dryer, all kinds of viruses and bacteria are following you around. Water will keep you healthy, constantly cleansing your system. Unfortunately, only 34% of Australians drink eight or more 8-ounce servings of water per day; nearly 10% don’t drink water at all, as stated by the International Bottled Water Association.

Drink at least eight cups of water daily, spreading it throughout the whole day. Regular, non-carbonated water is the best. Never wait until you are thirsty--that is a sign past dehydration. Don't like water? Try 100% juices, milk, and eating juicy fruits and vegetables. While all these things will help, nothing is as good as pure water. After a while you will crave water, and prefer it over all other drinks. Surround yourself with visual reminders to drink, such as a water bottle on your desk and in your car and a pitcher on your kitchen counter. Thirst is a poor reminder, because it doesn't kick in until you're already mildly dehydrated. Early symptoms of fluid deficiency include fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of body weight, and heat intolerance. Severe water shortage is marked by muscle spasms, exhaustion, excessive temperatures, heat stroke, and death.

You can taste it, you can smell it, you can see it – the cocktail of chemicals added to your tap with intention to make it safe for drinking. And if it really helps, then why do half of Australians worry about the impurities in their tap water?

Unfortunately, the natural water is not always safe to drink. Before tap water comes to your faucet, it goes through disinfection and purification processes which improve water's taste, smell and colour. Most of the time, Australians shouldn't be concerned about the safety of tap water. According to The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, water is controlled for 70 contaminants.

However, some experts say that the treatment solutions may be as dangerous as the indigenous contaminants. Additionally, even properly treated water may become polluted in the distribution system before reaching your house. If you can detect a pungent irritating chlorinated odor while drinking  a glass of cloudy solution with floating mysterious undissolved particles in it – then you know that your water is not suitable for human consumption. Additionally knowing that about 10% of the water in your tap has been drunk and re-used before is not going to spark your thirst centre. No need to worry! If you apply your knowledge and use the water wisely, you can greatly improve your health and vitality by drinking more water. 

If you are worried about the purity of your tap, filtered water may be one of the best options. Filtered water comes in a range of options depending on the type of filter used. These are available from your local shops and can be used at home or you can purchase the final product of filtered H2O.

Carbon (Cartridge) Filters consist of activated carbon or charcoal, these remove chlorine and volatile organic  compounds, pesticides, benzene and radon, improving water's taste and smell. However, cartridge is ineffective against heavy metals or bacteria and virus. Made for home use, carbon filters are relatively inexpensive, but require frequent replacement which adds up the cost of maintenance. Examples include over-the-counter Pitcher System or faucet filter.

Ion Exchange Filters contain resins that attract heavy metals, fluoride, nitrates. Because resins do not remove organic chemicals, pesticides,or chlorine, these filters usually have a build-in carbon-type filters.

Reverse Osmosis is also known a hyper-filtration, passes the water under high pressure through the membrane with very small pores that can filter out single ions. Removing most particles and dangerous chemicals, including bacteria, cysts, viruses, chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals, this is considered the most effective method of water disinfection. But it can be costly, slow and not suitable for all households due to installation mechanism. Bottled water is usually a product of Reverse Osmosis.

Another terrific alternative, which is quite costly, is buying bottled water. Despite the price, the demand for safe drinking has grown tremendously over the past few years. Now Australians buy approximately 700 million litres of bottled water annually - twice the amount of that six years ago. There are different kinds, and it's good to know what exactly you are getting.

Spring water must come from underground, but it doesn’t necessarily come from the picturesque location implied by the graphics on the label. Unless the label specifies that the water has been ‘bottled at source’, it’s probably been transported to a bottling plant in a bulk tanker. Many spring waters are filtered and some may be chemically disinfected (usually with ozone).

Artesian water is similar, except that the water probably comes from deeper underground. In nature, artesian water is confined underground between layers of impervious rock which puts pressure on the water, so it comes to the surface without pumping.

Distilled water is made by boiling ordinary water, capturing the steam and allowing it to cool. The result is pure H2O — no minerals, no chemicals, no bacteria, viruses or parasites. In other words, distillation removes almost everything that’s not H2O. Some practitioners worry that people who consume only distilled water don’t get enough minerals or electrolytes which normally come from the soil, rocks and other earthy materials.

Purified water may not be as pure as you expect it to be. It can be simple tap water that’s been distilled or otherwise treated to remove bacteria, dissolved organic material and minerals. Some brands may use spring water and filter it to remove bad taste, smell and heavy metals like lead and arsenic, nitrates, parasites, bacteria and viruses.

Vitamin-rich, Oxygenated and Enriched water is a novelty. Certain brands try to sell their bottles by adding minute amounts of beneficial additives making you pay more. The additives used in bottled water depend on the marketing strategy. You may find water with added electrolyles (Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium) promising better sports performance, vitamins B, C, Zinc and antioxidants for increased vitality, but these are all chemically derived and you get a lot more of these from natural foods or from the separately sold pill.

Other ingredients sound interesting, but may benefit you only in theory, have no proven effect, are not regulated and may actually be dangerous. For example, L-Carnitine, D-Ribose, ChromeMate is sold for weight loss, Glucuronolactone, Ginkgo biloba, Ginseng, Guarana for energy and alertness. Oxygenated water is not any better than regular and your body will get more O2 from a walk in the park.

Flavored water is usually just that – water and flavor from natural or artificial sweeteners. It may have added nutrients, but the benefits of the minute amounts are usually not worth the price of added chemicals. These drinks vary in their salt and electrolyte content, and some may have too much sugar and salt than you really need. Want the benefits of flavored water without giving up taste? There are some sugar-free calorie-free waters, but watch out for the additives used as some of them may disrupt your metabolism, increase hunger and thirst instead of quenching it. Splenda or natural juices are your best options. If you are looking for a liquid nutrient boost, go for freshly squeezed juices, iced herbal teas and bottled filtered or mineral water with natural flavors, such as lemon or mint.