International Bottled Water Association | News Release | December 19, 2023
Every organ in the body needs water to function properly, and research shows that staying adequately hydrated could also help stave off serious illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes, kidney disease progression, and cardiovascular diseases. (source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060834/)
“Maintaining adequate hydration at this time of year is tricky because the warning signs of dehydration can be subtle or not at all apparent. This is why it’s important to maintain good, healthy hydration habits year-round by regularly consuming water – from the tap, filtered, or bottled – throughout the day and night,” says IBWA Vice President of Communications Jill Culora.
“People tend to feel less thirsty in winter months, so they drink fewer fluids, which compounds the risk of health issues due to dehydration,” says Culora.
“It’s also important to be mindful of your loved ones’ drinking habits, particularly the elderly, who often intentionally drink less so they make fewer trips to the restroom.”
A 1-2% loss in body water can affect a person’s mood, energy level, and mental awareness, yet they might not realize that dehydration is to blame. Drinking water can help you achieve a normal level of hydration and thus improve mood, energy, and cognition. Drinking adequate amounts of water also helps your skin, as cold temperatures leave it dry and parched.
“An easy way to determine your hydration status is to observe the color of your urine. It should be the palest of yellow. Anything darker means your body is low on fluids.”
People should avoid waiting until they are thirsty to drink because they’re already dehydrated at that point.
“In the winter, since people are less likely to feel thirsty, it’s important to be mindful about regularly consuming water in order to stay well-hydrated throughout the day,” says Culora. “If you drink a lot of water during the summer, that’s a good habit you should maintain during the colder months of the year.”
“During the holiday season, bottled water is the perfect beverage choice for those who want to avoid or moderate calories, caffeine, sugar, artificial colors or flavors, alcohol, and other ingredients,” says Culora.
“Whether as a replacement for high-calorie beverages or as a nonalcoholic drink option, bottled water offers consumers a refreshing, hydrating, and convenient beverage that provides consistent safety, quality, and good taste. And with the variety of types available – from spring and purified, to mineral and sparking bottled water – consumers have many choices to suit their specific needs and preferences.”
“Like at any other point during the year, bottled water is an excellent choice for healthy hydration — helping consumers who want to stay hydrated or avoid calories, caffeine, sugar intake, artificial colors or flavors, and other ingredients,” says Culora. “Consumers continue to increasingly choose refreshing, healthy, hydrating, and convenient beverages such as bottled water that provide consistent safety, quality, and good taste.”
Here are some handy tips to help people stay adequately hydrated in the months ahead:
- Drink a glass of water as soon as you get up in the morning.
- Make a habit of keeping a water bottle within arm’s reach.
- Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to hydrate.
- Drink a glass of water with each meal.
- Add fruit or vegetable flavoring to plain water to make it more interesting.
- Keep an eye on the color of your urine. It should be the palest yellow if you are adequately hydrated.
- Choose water instead of high-sugar drinks to cut back on unnecessary sugar.
How much water do you need?
About 20% of our daily fluid intake comes from the food we eat, and the liquids we drink provide the rest. How much water you need to drink depends on your weight, activity level, environment (the climate where you live), and the type of clothing you wear, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).
Recommendations vary, but the AHA follows guidance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which has determined the following as the adequate daily fluid intake for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate:
- For women: About 11 cups (2.7 liters or about 91 ounces) total daily fluid intake (includes all beverages and water-containing foods).
- For men: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters or about 125 ounces) total daily fluid intake (includes all beverages and water-containing foods).
For more information about bottled water, visit IBWA’s website: www.bottledwater.org.
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Media Contact:
Jill Culora
jculora@bottledwater.org
703.647.4609
The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters, including spring, mineral, purified, artesian, and sparkling. Founded in 1958, IBWA’s membership includes U.S. and international bottlers, distributors, and suppliers. IBWA is committed to working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates bottled water as a packaged food product, to set comprehensive and stringent standards for safe, high-quality bottled water products.
In addition to FDA regulations, IBWA member bottlers must adhere to the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice, which mandates additional standards and practices that in some cases are more stringent than federal and state regulations. A key feature of the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice is a mandatory annual plant inspection by an independent, third-party organization.
