Types of drinks (fluids): water, sugary beverage, coffee/tea, dairy/dairy substitutes, alcohol

What fluids do: Hydration, fluid balance, blood volume, muscle function

How much to drink: Depends on the fluid and any health conditions you have.

If you drink too much: may experience complications from underlying medical conditions

If you drink too little: May experience dehydration headaches, dry skin, low energy levels constipation

Best Sources: Water itself, coffee/tea, dairy, or low sugar fluids

Minimize: Sugary beverages, alcohol

Water

Getting enough fluids is very important to ensure proper functioning of our body systems. Water is important for fluid balance, pumping blood through our body, and muscle function, to name just a few examples. We also need to ensure we are hydrated well with higher fibre intakes in order to maintain our gastrointestinal health. Fluid recommendations vary based on how active we are, but generally 3.7L of fluids per day coming from beverages and foods is recommended for males, and 2.7L per day for females over the age of 19 years. Therefore, women should aim to have 9 cups (250ml each) of fluid each day from beverages low in sugar, and men should aim for 12 cups per day. If your urine is a dark yellow, your skin, mouth and lips are dry, if you feel dizzy or if you are not urinating often throughout the day that is a good indication you should increase the amount that you are drinking.

Individuals with heart failure, Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) or hyponatremia, end stage renal disease (ESRD) and renal dialysis may be recommended to restrict their fluid intake. If your health care professional has indicated you need to watch how much you drink and provided you with a fluid restriction, it is important to follow this individualized fluid plan for you.

Types of drinks

Water or milk should be the drinks of choice, and sugary beverages should be consumed minimally because of the added sugar and little to no nutritional benefit (few vitamins and minerals). Sugar sweetened beverages are defined as fluids that are sweetened with any form of sugar. These drinks to consume less often include pop, juice and iced tea, sports drinks, energy drinks, mixed alcoholic beverages, sweetened milk (like chocolate milk) and milk alternatives. High intakes of sugary beverages have been linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and can contribute to the development of cavities, and increase mortality risk.

Tea/coffee

For the general healthy population, caffeine recommendations from the Food and Drug Association (FDA) and Health Canada are no more than 400mg per day. Too much caffeine can cause headaches, insomnia, and irritability. Caffeine can be found in coffee, some teas, energy drinks, some pops (generally dark ones), and chocolate. High intakes of caffeine is also associated with an increase in cardiovascular disease risk factors including blood pressure and heart rate. That is why individuals with cardiovascular diseases, or are at risk of, are recommended to consume no more than then recommendations of 400mg/day. Caffeine is a stimulant, therefore it can impact sleep, or can cause heart arrhythmias if intake is high.

The recommendation for the maximum amount of caffeine during pregnancy is slightly lower, at no more than 300mg per day – about 2, 8oz (250ml) coffees.

Coffee in moderation (i.e. 2-4 cups) has been shown to reduce all cause mortality. Daily tea intake may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Specially, green tea has also been associated with reduced cardiovascular disease and all cause mortality.

Alcohol

No level of alcohol has been deemed to improve health. Low risk drinking guidelines recommend no more than 2 drinks for women, and 3 drinks for men a day, and a total of no more than 10 drinks per week for women and 15 drinks a week for men. High intakes of alcohol have been found to be linked to risk of all-cause mortality, and all cancers, with risk increasing with increasing amounts consumed. Evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO) also suggests that there is no safe level alcohol intake.

Alcohol, in any amount, is also not recommended during pregnancy or lactation. Consumption during pregnancy has been linked to birth defects or issues such as fetal alcohol syndrome, premature births, and low birth weight.