As part of our L&L focus on healthy eating, Year 4 have been learning about hydration and why its so important.
Our body is nearly two-thirds water, so we must make sure we keep it full of fluids and stay hydrated. Water is essential for life, and it is important to get the right amount of fluid to be healthy.
Hydration can be defined as replacing the lost fluid, particularly water, in something. Therefore, when we do exercise or enjoy the warm weather we must be extra careful to stay hydrated as we lose more water in sweat.
Remember to always bring a water bottle to school – especially now the suns out!
We can get fluids from many different liquids:
- Water is the best choice because it hydrates us without adding sugar or damaging teeth.
- Milk is a useful source of nutrients like calcium, vitamins and proteins.
- Fruit/vegetable juices and smoothies provide water plus some vitamins, minerals and fibre. However, they are also high in natural sugars!
Help at home: test your child’s hydration knowledge using these questions…
1. Roughly, what percentage of water comes from foods?
- 0%
- 10%
- 15%
- 20%
2. Which of the following is the drink recommended to be consumed the most frequently?
- Water
- Milk
- Sugary drinks
- Sports and energy drinks
3. Why is it recommended that children should avoid sugary drinks?
- They contain less fluid
- The sugar can potentially damage teeth
- They do not contain caffeine
- They contain more vitamins
4. Which of the following are likely to increase your fluid requirements?
- A cold day
- Partaking in vigorous exercise
- Watching TV
- All of the above