Children should learn to eat healthy and drink adequate amounts of water from an early age. These eating habits are crucial for their growth and overall development. Learn why it is important for children to drink water.
Children have their own food preferences, which gets reflected in their daily menus. Parents want their children to eat healthy and nutritious meals, so they make sure they eat the right amount of vegetables, fruit and white meat. However, they are much less concerned about their children’s water intake. And yet this is a very important issue, because water is necessary for the proper functioning of these young organisms. Parental concern for proper hydration should also go hand in hand with making sure that the water children drink is clean and 100% safe.
Here are four benefits for children of drinking clean water:
Water as a nutrient
As children grow, they become more active and require more nutrients to stay healthy. Water helps regulate body temperature and increases metabolism, so children can enjoy their activities without interruption. While learning or playing, we should encourage children to take regular breaks to drink water. Depending on their age and activity level, children should drink:
- Boys and girls ages 4-8 need 1.1 to 1.3 liters per day.
- Girls ages 9-13 need 1.3 to 1.5 liters per day.
- Boys ages 9-13 need 1.5 to 1.7 liters a day.
In addition to liquids, water includes fruits and vegetables. For example, cucumber, watermelon, tomato and apple contain more than 80% water.
Water helps prevent constipation
Constipation in children is a common problem. One of the main causes is lack of sufficient water in the body. Constipation most often occurs when stool moves too slowly in the digestive tract, making it hard and dry. Therefore, children are advised to drink water regularly and eat plenty of fiber-rich foods to facilitate normal bowel movements.
Water gives energy
During various outdoor activities such as running, cycling and playing, children lose a lot of energy, resulting in dehydration. Water gives strength to tired muscles, so children regain strength to continue playing. As parents and caregivers, we should make sure that our kids always have a bottle or a water bottle on hand in these situations.
Water improves brain function
Water is considered the most important nutrient for our body, especially for the brain. A properly nourished brain makes our mind efficient, active and focused. In the case of children, this is especially important because they are learning all the time – whether at school, in extracurricular activities, or even while playing. Drinking water to help them with this learning increases their attention span and, research suggests, also supports their ability to absorb new information.
