For more than 20 years soda was the number one drink in the U.S. with per capita consumption peaking in 1998 at 54 gallons a year. At the same time Americans drank just 42 gallons of water per year.
Today Americans drink on average of 44 gallons of soda a year, a 17% drop from the peak in 1998. Water consumption rose 38% to about 58 gallons a year. Bottled water has led the growth, doubling almost to 21 gallons per year.
Currently, people drink 21 gallons of bottled water a year, and 37 gallons of other water, which includes tap, sparkling, flavored and enhanced waters.
Why is this so important? You should be drinking half your weight in ounces per day of clean water. Example: If you weigh 140 lbs, 70 ounces or 8 to 9 glasses a day is recommended.
Water helps you to maintain you weight and if you drink a glass of water and eat an apple (source of fiber) you can lose weight if you do this before a mea.
Water keeps your skin healthy, keeps you regular and quenches your thirst.
It also is a solvent, which means it prevents the formation of kidney stones.
Dr. Earl Mindell's Health Minute
by Dr. Earl Mindell