Much of your body is comprised of water. It’s for this reason exactly why it won’t function properly if you are dehydrated. In fact, experts say that it’s very much likely for you to fail to exist after 3 days of not drinking water.
Needless to say, it’s of utmost importance for you to drink lots of water (about 2 liters of it per day) in order for you to stay hydrated and alive, too.
Not consuming enough water, exercising a lot, sweating profusely, vomiting, having diarrhea — everyone knows that these are some of the most common reasons behind dehydration.
Sadly, not a lot of people are aware of the fact that the intake of certain foods can in fact leave them dehydrated, too. Want to know some of them? Then keep on reading!
Salty Stuff
Perhaps you have heard many times in the past that a diet that’s high in salt or sodium can cause water to accumulate within you, and that’s why it can cause high blood pressure and bloating.
But despite of this, the intake of anything salty can still leave you dehydrated as water is pulled out of your cells, causing it to pool elsewhere in your body.
Sugary Treats
Are you fond of consuming lots of foods and drinks that have plenty of sugar in them? Then you are at high risk of ending up dehydrated because of elevated levels of sugar in the bloodstream.
When your body detects that there’s a lot of sugar in your blood, it will cause you to pee more. This is the reason why people diagnosed with diabetes tend to urinate a lot and also feel thirsty all the time.
Processed Foods
We all know that processed foods are bad for the health. Did you know that they can also leave you dehydrated? That’s because of increased urination in an attempt by your body to remove chemicals present in processed foods.
Besides, most processed food products are loaded with sodium and sugar — as mentioned earlier, a diet that’s high in salt and sugar can cause dehydration.
Asparagus
Even though it’s healthy because it is a vegetable, it’s a good idea to keep your intake of asparagus to a minimum. It’s for the fact that a chemical in it called asparagine can cause your kidneys to produce more pee.
Health authorities say that there are a few other vegetables that can dehydrate you aside from asparagus. Some examples of them are artichokes, celery and parsley.
Protein
It’s common knowledge that protein is important for building and maintaining lean muscles. It’s also essential for hormone production as well as healthy skin, hair and nails.
Did you know that a diet that’s high in protein can be quite dehydrating? That’s because it requires a lot of water in order for it to be processed efficiently by your body.
Coffee
Just because coffee has water in it doesn’t necessarily mean that it can hydrate you. Caffeine present in coffee is a diuretic, which means that it’s something that can drive water out of your body.
Experts say that having a cup of coffee probably won’t leave you dehydrated, but drinking several cups of it per day can be very dehydrating.
Alcohol
Because alcohol is just like coffee in that it has diuretic properties, too, glugging down lots of it can leave you dehydrated.
Needless to say, it’s a good idea to take alcohol in moderation — a glass per day if you’re a woman and up to 2 glasses is you’re a man. Besides, lots of alcohol can wreak havoc not only on your hydration levels but also overall health.
Before you go, make sure that you share this article on your various social media sites to let your family members and friends also know that the above can cause them to become dehydrated.
