The 6-8 Cups Myth
477 views · Published 19 December 2018 · 0:47 · Indexed 5 October 2026
Channel: 87 Seconds · 2018 · People & Blogs
The common belief that we should drink 6-8 cups of water is based on a 1945 recommendation that has no medical basis. The thinking behind this recommendation is that since the average human loses around 2 liters of water from everyday activities like breathing and sweating, that’s how much water we should drink to replenish lost fluids. But the problem with this recommendation is that it doesn’t take into account that everyone loses water at different rates and that the food we eat has water in it. Obviously, fresh juicy fruit will have more water than a bag of potato chips or raisins, but all the food has water. So how much water should we drink? Just drink water until you’re no longer drinking and then stop. Drinking too much water can upset your electrolyte balance which can lead to problems with the heart. You’ll know that you’re drinking the right amount of water when your pee is a light, clear yellow. Dark pee means you need to drink more water while white pee means you’ve either been drinking too much water, or you’ve been drinking alcohol.
