NHS Recommendations: What to Drink and When
Water plays a vital role in maintaining good health, but many people are unsure how much they should drink each day. The NHS advises that water is a healthy and cheap choice for quenching your thirst at any time, as it has no calories and contains no sugars that can damage teeth.
The old advice of drinking eight glasses a day dates back to the 1990s, but it’s no longer a hard rule. Most experts now agree there’s no fixed amount that suits everyone. It’s generally recommended to drink six to eight glasses of fluid a day for most people, depending on factors like activity level and weather.
Of course, there are risks to drinking too much water. NHS staff suggest focusing on listening to your body and drinking enough to stay consistently hydrated throughout the day.
Why Hydration Matters
Drinking enough water each day supports several important bodily functions. Even mild dehydration can affect your mood, energy and focus. Consider the benefits of proper hydration and ask yourself whether you’re drinking enough:
- Improved Mental Clarity: Water helps maintain concentration, alertness and overall cognitive function.
- Physical Performance: Staying hydrated supports muscle function and reduces fatigue during physical activity.
- Digestive Health: Dehydration is a common cause of constipation. Drinking more water can help keep bowel movements regular.
- Temperature Regulation: Water helps your body regulate temperature, especially in warm conditions or during exercise.
- Kidney Function: Fluids assist the kidneys in flushing out waste, reducing the risk of kidney stones.
- Prevent and Cure Headaches: Often, headaches result from dehydration. Water helps by hyrdating the brain, helping overly constricted blood vessels to relax.
Small, steady changes to your daily habits – like drinking water more regularly – can make a big difference in how you feel day to day.
Other Healthy Drink Options
While water remains the best option for staying hydrated, it isn’t the only healthy choice. Other drinks such as plain tea, fruit tea and unsweetened coffee are also beneficial. If you’re not keen on plain water, try sparkling water, a slice of lemon or lime, or no-added-sugar squash for flavour. You can also warm water and infuse it with a tea bag, lemon or coffee as a simple alternative.
The NHS offers further guidance on what to include – and avoid – in your daily fluid intake. So, how much water should you drink a day? NHS staff recommend six to eight glasses of fluids daily, which can include the following:
- Milk: A rich source of calcium and other minerals, milk supports bone health. Children over the age of one should be encouraged to have one to two glasses a day.
- Unsweetened Fruit Juices and Smoothies: Up to five servings a day can count towards your 5 A Day, but these should be consumed in moderation due to natural sugar content.
- Herbal and Fruit Teas: These are a caffeine-free way to stay hydrated and offer some variety.
- Flavoured Water Without Added Sugar: An acceptable alternative to plain water for those needing more taste.
It’s important to avoid sugary fizzy drinks and those with artificial sweeteners. These can contribute to weight gain and dental decay. Choosing healthier drinks supports better long-term health and helps maintain hydration without unnecessary sugar or additives.
Choosing the Right Water Filter Jug
At Culligan ZeroWater, we believe everyone deserves access to clean, great-tasting drinking water at home. A high-quality water filter jug is one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways to support daily hydration for you and your family.
But not all filter jugs perform equally. The market is full of options that may look the part but fail to remove common contaminants. That’s why we encourage customers to choose a trusted brand with proven results. Our ZeroWater filter jugs use advanced 5-stage filtration technology designed to deliver purer, great tasting water – something we’re proud to stand behind.
Why Choose Culligan ZeroWater?
A good way to test the power of a water filter is to pour a glass of red wine through it. A high-performing filter, like ours, should produce clear, clean water on the other side. It’s a simple but powerful demonstration of filtration quality.
We also design our jugs to last. Built for long-term use, they offer reliable performance without frequent replacements. This not only provides better value over time but also helps you maintain confidence in the water you drink.
If you're looking for a dependable solution to improve the quality of your tap water, we recommend choosing a water filter jug from Culligan ZeroWater. Our products are available directly from us or through reputable retailers across the UK. For more details, don’t hesitate to get in touch using our contact form.
