Summer is here, and so is the rising temperature. The weather is hot, and many people like to drink carbonated beverages to quench their thirst. So, the question is: can carbonated drinks effectively quench thirst? And how should we properly hydrate ourselves?
Carbonated Drinks
1. Carbonated drinks are sugary beverages. Just like other sugary drinks, they need to have a certain sugar concentration to help quench thirst. For example, a commonly used 5% glucose solution for intravenous therapy has an osmotic pressure that is close to that of body fluids, making it suitable for hydration. However, carbonated drinks generally contain about 10% sugar content. Drinking them not only does not effectively hydrate the body, but may also cause osmotic diuresis, leading to increased urine output.
2. Drinking too much carbonated drinks for thirst quenching may have adverse effects on the body. Research has shown that excessive intake of sugary beverages can increase the risk of dental caries, type 2 diabetes, overweight or obesity, and abnormal blood lipids. It may also increase the incidence of hypertension and non-alcoholic fatty liver.
3. Excessive carbon dioxide in carbonated drinks may also affect normal digestion, causing bloating and loss of appetite.
4. Due to the high sugar content in carbonated drinks, they can trigger various types of cardiovascular diseases and contribute to the formation of kidney stones. Prolonged consumption of carbonated drinks can also lead to calcium loss. Therefore, carbonated drinks are generally not suitable for quenching thirst.
Proper Hydration
In general, feeling thirsty is a warning signal from our brain that we haven't consumed enough water, leading to dehydration.
Physiologically, dehydration causes an increase in crystal osmotic pressure in body fluids, which is then transmitted to the central nervous system by receptors, resulting in the sensation of thirst. If we drink beverages with a high concentration, they will not effectively hydrate us, just like trying to quench thirst by drinking seawater while sailing in the sea.
Therefore, in general, drinking plain water is the simplest and quickest way to quench thirst, such as boiled tap water at home or bottled mineral water.
