How much water you need and how to easily tell if you drink enough

It's something we all know we should do, but often fall short of - drinking water. 2 litres of water a day are recommended by health professionals, but do we actually know what that means? and do we ever really achieve it? There are a lot of rumours and myths around how much water we need to consume in a day, so we've taken a look once and for all at what we really need to be doing. Of course, it's easier said than done so we've included some tips to upping your intake and let you know what counts towards your water content.

First up, why is everyone so obsessed by water: It allows you to digest your food, it lubricates everything from your joints to your eyes to your mouth to more intimate parts. Sweating helps the body regulate its temperature. At a cellular level, pretty much every part of the body is essentially suspended in water – it’s also the key to the body’s moving things around. It provides the medium for the body to get rid of toxins and things it doesn’t need. In short, if you don’t drink water, everything stops, overheats and you die.

How much to drink in a day

6-8 glasses (1.2 litres) a day - but remember you get some of this from food.

1200 ml

1.2 Litres

2.1117 Pints

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Do tea and coffee count?

Normal tea and coffee - Yes they do! Despite their caffeine content they do in fact count towards your water tally. They also have health benefits so don't feel like you have to rule them out. They’re dehydrating because they’re both diuretic – i.e. they make you wee a lot – but they contain enough water to make up for this.”

· Green tea has also been shown to speed up metabolism and aid weight loss.

· In theory, fruit juice and fizzy drinks do count towards your water intake, but some of them have lots of sugar and calories, which can reduce the health benefits of their extra fluid.

Eating vegetables counts!

Several fruits and vegetables such as watermelon and cucumbers are renowned for their water retention capacity and thus aid in hydrating the body.

The best way to tell if you're drinking enough water

The colour of your pee is the best way to tell! If it is clear, like water, you are fine but a darker colour indicates not sufficient water is in your system.