Dietitians, weight loss experts and fitness coaches often recommend drinking plenty of water. Some say it helps you to lose weight. Others say it cleanses your body. Experts used to say we should drink eight glasses a day.  But is drinking water really that important?

Research About Drinking Water

A new study about water intake and diabetes examined both the benefits and limitations of drinking water. They followed over 89,000 women and found that that water intake alone had no impact on the test subjects’ risk for diabetes. However, when the women  substituted water for other high calorie beverages, it significantly reduced their risk for the disease.

Another recent study found that drinking water helps us to make better food choices. Researchers found that when diners choose water instead of soda pop, they were more likely to eat healthier foods like vegetables.

The bottom line

The value of water for health and weight loss may be simply that it helps us avoid making other choices that aren’t good for us. When you drink water instead of a high calorie soda, or even an artificially sweetened beverage you decrease the chance that you will eat fatty junk foods or overdo your calorie count for the day.