I was so excited when I ran into this article in this month’s Vegetarian Times magazine, because the issue is one of these myths that over time just forms a life of its own.

Water.

Do we really need 8 glasses of water a day? That is the age old question. According to the article water makes up 50 to 70 percent of our bodies. Everyday we lose the equivalent of between four and 13 8-ounce glasses of water a day – through perspiration, urine, exhaled moisture, etc. So to stay well hydrated the US government has come up with a recommended figure for both men and women. For men it’s 16 glasses and for women it’s 11 glasses each day.

image via public domain photos

So it is quite vital. But how do we get the requisite amount without overdosing on H20.

Mystery solved. You don’t literally need to drink 8 glasses to reach the allotted daily amount.

“You get much of the water you need from the FOODS you eat”.

They go on to provide several examples of foods that provide good H20, such as oatmeal – a bowl of this hearty stuff provides a whopping 8 ounces.

Quantity of Water in Popular Foods

A cup of soup – 8 ounces

A cup of rice  – 5 ounces

A pear – 5 ounces

An Apple – 5 ounces

The myth of the 8 daily glasses came from overzealous health writers who encouraged people to drink eight glasses, over and above and the water in our foods. But according to research drinking in excess of the US government recommended amount is not necessary or beneficial.

So there you have it. The 8 glasses of water myth de-mystified. Once and for all.