Name a drink that can make you more alert for late-night studying, prevent you from fainting when giving blood, and even promote a tiny weight loss.
Chances are you didn’t say water. But that is the right answer.
The American Red Cross found that drinking 16 ounces of water before a blood donation reduced the possibility of fainting by 20%. People who faint after donating–unsurprisingly–rarely come back to give blood again, so this finding was important for making sure needed blood gets donated.
Research suggests that people who drink three 10-ounce glasses of water a day could lose up to 5 pounds in a year—even if they change nothing else in their lifestyle.
The effect of plain water on the way the body functions is important because researchers often use water as a control (nondrug) substance in studies. Water may not be as benign as we once thought and its effects on the body need to considered.
