If water is good for you...?

Question

If water is good for you then how come humans aren't gentically/biologically/whatever programmed to enjoy drinking it, and enjoy its taste? I know water is tasteless but why doesnt the body give a signal when drinking water to encourage you to do so, e.g. endorphin/hormone release? I myself hate the taste of water but only drink it because I have to.

Answer 1

You don't get a sense of satisfaction in drinking it when you're extremely thirsty? Most people do. For them, that's the reward. It's not like getting high. It just relieves the discomfort of being thirsty.

Kinda like how breathing relieves you from the discomfort of suffocation.

Answer 2

You may be confusing the difference your body senses tell you. When you grab a soda or juice when thirsty, your body may be saying to you "hungry thirsty LOW BLOOD SUGAR". Sugar when consumed releases happy chemicals, just as good foods do, or love, or drugs, or adrenaline. If you don't like water, drink a different kind. The flavor of water is all it's mineral content, and those minerals are very important to you. Distilled water with no minerals is not good for you and is absolutely flavorless. I went to Iraq a few years back with the Army and as it was the summer, it was hot and I had to drink a huge amount of (only) bottled water. The different brands all had their own distinct taste and I could tell one from another with ease, and had a preference. I would never have believed it without experiencing it. Some were really delicious, others were bitter. The body was telling me it had a preference and when you consume a food or drink, your body does remember it and will crave a thing when it needs a specific nutrient.

Answer 3

I know! But it takes about 2 weeks to get used to the taste..err should I say til you CRAVE it!! Seriously you will begin to crave it! You know you are dehydrated when you can tell you peed in the toilet :) It should be clear as water! Do you know that I almost fell over when I saw that our health books now say that the human body is only 60% water! Compared to the 75% it used to be. I asked my health teacher why and he said because after enough research it has been proven that most of us walk around dehydrated all the time! So they were able to accurately change the health books!!...get the book (on ebay perhaps) cheapest...called YOUR BODIES MANY CRIES FOR WATER by Dr. Batmaneiji....you will FOREVER be drinking that liquid life let me tell ya! Jus wait til the day comes when you notice it actually tastes sweet! Cheers :)

Answer 4

It should depend on the water. If the water is cold and filled with air (not flat) on a hot day it should be refreshing and quench your thirst. Crawling across a hot desert, even warm water would be welcome. The body makes its own (metabolic) water by combining hydrocarbons (food) with oxygen in every cell and excess (drinkable) water may not be as strongly desired. Tap water in various cities (or even farms) may taste different because of local treatment or mineral content. Some prefer a nice cold beer, but if you drink and drive make it good old fashioned water, just to be safe.

Answer 5

I haven't seen any stat of what percentage of the human population is "programmed" not to like water, but I suspect that you are in the minority. We do get biofeedback to drink when thirsty. What we drink is probably more related to past experience and psychological factors than biology.
Since the human body is approx. 2/3 water, it seems like a
logical replenishment. Plain water is probably better for you healthwise than substituting it for koolaid, Dr. Pepper, whatever.
Doctors recommend a minimum daily plain water intake to prevent kidney stones and other ailments. Try some bottled water on ice; it's actually pretty good.

Answer 6

Your body does give you a signal. It is called thirst!! If you are drinking a clear liquids like soda, fruit juices like cranberry or apple, Hi C, or lemonade, you are fine...as long as you are not thirsty! You'll get plenty of water from these beverages. (Note: alcoholic beverages don't count because they dehydrate you. Also avoid caffeine as much as you can for the reason).
There is a lot of hype about drinking so many glasses of water per day, but it has little or any sceintific base

Answer 7

You must not participate in any strenuous, physical activity. I know what you are saying because just drinking it normally, it isn't as satisfying as say, soda or juice. But after running or playing basketball, ice cold water is the most refreshing drink in the world.

You just may be so used to the daily sugar intake. If you start drinking it gradually, you will get used to it and eventually not even think about it. I drink nothing but water all day at work.

Answer 8

We evolved to get thirsty in an environment where water was the most readily available thing to drink. You see paleolithic coke machines ROUTINELY stole your change.

Secondly, a pleasurable experience is not NEARLY as motivating as a painful one. Thirst is pain because we really need to inbibe, not to mention that quenching thirst is refreshing, just ask the folks over at sprite.

So, why do we like sweet beverages better than water? There's more energy in them.. we like water, but water + sugar is even better from the standpoint of our historical environmental niche. (Which we have left WAY behind and are now fat).

Answer 9

Our body contains 70% water and we require 4-6 Liters of water every day. With out water we cannot live. Go round the hot sun and feel the core thirst then see a glass of water, you will love it.

Answer 10

The body cannot have too much of anything. it's as simple as that. Just like if eating is good for us why can't we eat so much? or if medicines are good for us why can't we take in as much as we like... this is why the body somehow stops you from drinking so much water to have equal amount that would be enough for your own body