Does “I drink sugar-free” mean it’s healthy? Sugar-free drinks can’t completely replace boiled water: Expert explains why?

Many people choose sugar-free drinks when ordering drinks for health, but can sugar-free drinks completely replace boiled water? Yu Weiming, deputy director of the nutrition office of St. Martin’s Catholic Hospital, said that the water in sugar-free drinks can still be absorbed and used by the body, and can also be included in the daily water intake, but various drinks containcoffee Because varying amounts of sodium, sodium and other additives can still cause physical burden, more than half of daily water intake should still be plain water.

Yu Weiming said that the principle of absorption of liquid by the body is to transfer it into blood circulation through the gastrointestinal tract. Although sugar-free drinks contain small amounts of electrolytes, acidity or caffeine, water can still be absorbed normally, unlike sugary drinks which will rapidly increase blood sugar.

Therefore, you can count the sugar-free beverages you drink every day toward your water intake. Yu Weiming pointed out that generally, any drink with a water content of 90% or more can be counted as part of the daily water intake. In clinical nutrition assessment, when calculating daily fluid intake, water in drinks, soups, milk and even food will be included.

Yu Weiming said that the recommended daily water intake is 2 liters. Many people mistakenly believe that drinking coffee and tea cannot replenish water. This is actually a myth. Your body can still get most of the 300 ml of water it needs after drinking a 300 ml cup of black coffee or sugar-free tea. Caffeine does increase urine output slightly over a short period of time, but in people who are accustomed to drinking it, their bodies will gradually develop a tolerance, so that caffeine will have less of an impact on water balance. Several studies have shown that a typical adult’s daily intake of 200 to 300 mg of caffeine, about two cups of coffee, does not cause significant dehydration.

However, Yu Weiming reminds that boiled water should still account for more than half of the total daily water intake. Although sugar-free drinks contain no calories, they may contain theophylline, tannins, caffeine, or artificial additives. When drinking plain water, the body can use it directly; But when drinking sugar-free beverages, the body must use its own organs to filter, detoxify, and expel excess elements present in the drink. If you rely on sugar-free drinks for all your water needs throughout the day, it will literally increase the metabolic burden on the liver and kidneys.

Even if the drink is sugar-free, be careful of additives. Yu Weiming pointed out that if the sodium content in mineral water, sugar-free soda, etc. is more than 500 mg/liter, long-term consumption of large amounts may increase blood pressure. Patients with high blood pressure or poor kidney function need to be especially careful; Acidic drinks can damage the oral mucosa and tooth enamel; Daily intake of 400 mg or more of caffeine will slightly increase the diuretic effect, or cause heart palpitations, insomnia, anxiety, and even gastroesophageal reflux. It is recommended that the daily caffeine intake of normal adults should not exceed 300 mg.

If you drink sports drinks with high sodium content without working up a sweat, you will consume a lot of unnecessary sodium and electrolytes; Alcohol has a strong diuretic effect and should never be drunk as water; Some sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners are believed to alter the ratio of intestinal microorganisms and further affect metabolism. Since the brain senses sweetness but does not receive calories, this may trigger cravings for higher-calorie foods later on; Various additives, pigments and preservatives in beverages can easily cause burden on the kidneys.

Yu Weiming said that sugar-free drinks can provide the water needed by the body, and it is okay to consume them in limited quantities on weekdays. However, from a health promotion point of view, it is not recommended to completely replace boiled water. Plain water is still the most natural and burden-free source of moisture.