What hydrates your body the fastest?
Charlene Dooley
2025-05-27 00:47:50
Count answers
: 16
The researchers found that while water — both still and sparkling — does a pretty good job of quickly hydrating the body, beverages with a little bit of sugar, fat or protein do an even better job of keeping us hydrated for longer. One factor is the volume of a given drink: The more you drink, the faster the drink empties from your stomach and gets absorbed into the bloodstream, where it can dilute the body’s fluids and hydrate you. For example, milk was found to be even more hydrating than plain water because it contains the sugar lactose, some protein and some fat, all of which help to slow the emptying of fluid from the stomach and keep hydration happening over a longer period. Milk also has sodium, which acts like a sponge and holds onto water in the body and results in less urine produced. The same can be said for oral rehydration solutions that are used to treat diarrhea. The most hydrating beverages, ranked from most hydrating over a four-hour period to least, include skim milk, oral rehydration solutions, and full fat milk.
Beverages with more concentrated sugars, such as fruit juices or colas, are not necessarily as hydrating as their lower-sugar cousins. The research team at St. Andrews University tested 13 common beverages to see how they impact hydration.
Skim milk is the most hydrating beverage, according to the study.
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