How Much Water Should I Drink on a Keto Diet?

How Much Water Should I Drink on a Keto Diet?

How Much Water Should I Drink on a Keto Diet? On average, an adult should drink about 2.5 liters of water per day. According to different doctors and researchers, the number of glasses might be a few less or more. And there is no exact quantity of drinking water agreed universally.
While you are following a ketogenic diet, it is advised that you must drink more water than the average intake mentioned. Once you have made a habit of drinking the right amount of water, try to stick to it.
The following article covers all the questions that might arise in your mind regarding drinking water on a keto diet.

Should You Drink More Water while on a Ketogenic Diet?
Yes, you should try to drink more water on a keto diet than the usual water goal, that is up to 2 liters per day. However, the water needs of every person's body isn't the same.
It can vary from person to person, depending upon their biological, physical, and environmental factors. It includes your body's chemical composition, the food your body receives, your weight and age, your physical activity, your surroundings, climatic conditions of your area, etc. This means that a specific water intake might be enough for one person while not for another.

Why Should You Drink More Water on Keto Diet?
The loss of water is directly associated with the decreased amount of carbohydrates. Here is why: The dietary carbs in your body hold water molecules. And you know that the ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It means that you are taking less carbs than your usual intake, and your body has fewer molecules of carbohydrates available. So, more water is excreted, and the body retains less water. Secondly, when you restrict carbs through diet, the body uses the ones available in stores inside the body. With every molecule of glycogen (carbohydrate), a small quantity of water is stored. So, when glycogen is used for energy, the attached water is also released. In simple words, no extra carbs = no extra water. Thus, the people on low-carb diets like a keto diet need to keep an eye and increase their water intake.

What Are the Benefits of Water for the Body In General?

Our body consists of about 60 percent water, while our blood is about 90 percent water.

Water is essential for all the cells to perform bodily functions. Its scarcity leads to various disorders. Here are some of the benefits that water provides to our body:

• It helps to regulate our body temperature. The water evaporates from the body surface in the form of sweat and cools the body.

• As we know, blood constitutes 90 percent of the water, so the blood delivers oxygen to every part of the body.

• In the form of saliva and mucus, it is present in different parts of the body to help to perform functions. Such as the mouth’s saliva aids digestion in the mouth, the water in the eye protects it from any foreign substance, etc.

• The water is present in the cartilage of joints and discs of the spinal cord. In the case of dehydration, joint pain and other problems occur.

• Drinking an adequate amount of water is essential for our skin and hair health. Dehydration can lead to many skin and hair disorders.

What Are the Benefits of Drinking Water When You're on a Keto Diet?
In addition to the above benefits, the water has the following benefits for keto dieters:
1. It helps to suppress appetite. When hunger strikes while you're on a keto, try eliminating hunger with water first. It will reduce your cravings too. You can take a zero-calorie, slightly sweet, or salty water to quench sugary or salty cravings.

2. As mentioned above, it helps to make up the water loss. So, even when you are on your keto journey, make sure your body doesn't dehydrate.

3. The metabolization of fats, break down of fatty acids, requires water. So, drinking an adequate amount of water will help the body to metabolize fats faster and boost its metabolism.

4. Our kidneys are the filters of the body. They filter the blood and remove the impurities from it. The more water means less stress on the kidneys. And the kidneys will be able to excrete toxins properly.

What Happens if You Don't Consume the Daily Water Intake while on a Keto Diet?
Many keto dieters are unaware of the water deficit in the body. They think that they are consuming enough water. This leads to dehydration in the body. And, when dehydration symptoms start to appear, they do not know why this is happening. So, one must understand the signs of the body after dehydration.

What Happens When There is Dehydration in Your Body?
When your body is dehydrated, it will start showing symptoms of dehydration like the given below,
- One of the most obvious reasons is that you will feel thirsty.
- You can easily judge dehydration by the color of your urine; it will be dark, with a strong smell.
- Less amount of urine (maybe with a little effort), and fewer times a day
- Headache or dizziness
- Dry and sticky mouth
- Dry eyes, lips, and skin
- Muscle cramps

Do You Need to Take Electrolytes too?
When the body runs low on water, the electrolyte levels might decrease too. Secondly, restricting processed carbs with high salts means your body has fewer salts. To make up the loss, you need to consume more electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and especially sodium. The best way is to consume through a natural diet (allowed in a keto plan), or if you can't, you can get some supplements.

6 Tips to Increase Your Water Intake Daily

-  Make Water Bottle Your Partner Everywhere
Keep a filled water bottle with you every time, whether you're at home, traveling, or at the office.
It happens quite often that when we are busy, we tend to ignore our body's call for water. This way, we might miss the chance to drink the right quantity of water. Just remember to fill the bottle every time before you sit to work or before getting in the car.

- Consume More Vegetables with Higher Water Content
Consider including the vegetables in your meal that contain a high amount of water. Examples of such vegetables are cucumber (96% water), tomato (95% water), Spinach (93% water), Broccoli (90% water), etc.
Interestingly, you can make a rich salad with these and some other veggies. So, you can have the benefits of both-the high quantity of water and the nutrients of the whole salad.

- Drink a Glass of Water After Waking Up
Many of us have a habit of drinking water after waking up to fuel our body's machinery. If you're among those, keep it up, and if not, then adopt this habit now. It will help you to be fresh and also contribute to the daily water goal. Additionally, if you're a light-breakfast person, drinking water before breakfast would help you feel full.

- Drink Water Sometime Before Meals
In the context of the above tip, add 'drinking water before your mealtime' in your routine. This definitely doesn't mean that you drink too much water just before or between your meal-a a big NO. Instead, take one to two glasses of water one hour or half an hour before lunch or dinner.

- Stick or Hang a Note as a Reminder
If your absent-mindedness prevents you from following the above-given tips, then here's another tip for you; on a large piece of paper, write a note to drink water. It could be as simple as writing just 'Water' or drawing a glass of water. As long as it serves the purpose, you can write, draw, or stick anything that reminds you. It is better to take a plain white paper and write with a broad black marker so that you can see it from far enough. Additionally, you can hang it on the wall of the kitchen or the room where you spend most time of your day. You can make more than one and place it on different spots in your home.

- A More Advanced Way-Install an App
The app comes handy either when you're out or when even the reminder on your wall goes unnoticed. This is the last tip yet the most useful one as we all have our cellphones with us 24/7. There are various apps available that are designed to track your water intake or remind you to drink water. You just have to set your goal, the times you want the reminder to beep, and a few other things, maybe. You're ready to reach the goal, then!

Final Words
At the end of the article, your many Whys and Hows about drinking water on a keto diet must be answered. You might have known how essential water is for our bodies.
Now, you would have an idea about the importance of drinking more amount on the keto diet. So, try increasing your daily water consumption gradually. And once you reach the goal, maintain it. If you ever find difficulty in reaching the ideal intake, try following the tips given above.