THE WATER "CONTROVERSY"-WHAT IS THE OPTIMUM INTAKE?

There is no dispute that water constitutes the most important substance, after oxygen, when it comes to sustaining life any where in the Universe. The very fact that almost 71% of the earth's surface is covered with water symbolizes the omnipotence of this simple chemical molecule. Similarly water makes up a substantial component of all living creatures. It is rather interesting that scientists are not unanimous in their view regarding how much water is required daily to maintain good health. While some say higher the amount of water taken better it will be for the human health. But this is not shared by many who consider too much water consumption is dangerous. Many believe that water therapy is an established science advocating high consumption of water every day which can be much above the quantity recommended by nutritionists and physicians.

The controversy was given a new lease of life after the recent assertion by a Glasgow-based scientist that water therapy is a myth devoid of any scientific basis. Years of faith in water therapy is driven by the belief that it can prevent many health problems. Number of people, developing the habit to drink six to eight glasses of water every day, seems to be increasing thanks to the above conviction. There are others who are scared of dehydration of the body if "adequate' water is not consumed and force themselves to drink water frequently whether thirsty or not. Of course it is known that drinking "too much" water can lead to the medical condition known as "hyponatraemia" or imbalance in Sodium in the blood which can seriously hamper brain function, some time proving to be fatal.

The million dollar question a humble citizen is forced to ask is how much is "adequate" and what constitutes excess". As a thumb rule it has been suggested that one liter of water for every 1000 kC food consumed can meet body's water requirement which goes for replacement of water lost due to perspiration and other excretions. This adds up to 2 liters of water a day. What if some human beings cannot drink the recommended quantum of water? Where does the "thirst phenomenon" fits into this equation? Human body is endowed with a system of balancing water in the body through an automatic mechanism controlled by the brain and when there is a deficiency in water, the thirst factor is supposed to kick in. Under extreme duress conditions, the body tends to lose water uncontrollably, like in diarrhea, when medical intervention is necessary and nutralite solutions or iso-tonic preparations are administered for water restoration.

Thirst signal is controlled by the brain and depending on whether it is extra cellular thirst due to reduction in water volume or intra cellular thirst caused by excess osmolite levels with in the cells and communicated through the central nervous system in normally healthy humans. With age neurological response tends to become dull and as a sufficient precaution old people are advised to consume water regularly. On the other hand the trouble of going to the toilet frequently is a factor that restrains old people from taking water regularly. According to WHO water consumption for men has to be 3.7 liters per day while for women it should be 2.7 liters per day. Of course many foods consumed as a part of the diet contributes significantly to body's water need and wide variation is possible depending on the level of activity, type of food consumed, temperature and humidity levels and other factors. Insinuation against drinking water bottling industry that it is responsible for the much hyped up water therapy may be too far fetched though the growth of this industry might be largely due to this factor.

How does a layman decide about his water requirement?. Probably, in stead of listening to divergent views, it is advisable to consume as much as he feels like taking and go by doctor's advice when ever there are symptoms of dehydration.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD AND COLORS-A HEALTHY CONNECTION

Why is that some foods in nature are strongly colored and others are colorless or mildly colored? Many food constituents present in different concentrations have specific roles to play during germination, growth, maturity and senescence. If it is so the multitudes of colors with different hues, represented by different chemicals contained in these foods, must have definite roles during the life cycle of the plants that produce them. Organoleptically, human beings like foods that have bright colors and this may be the reason for the development of the food color industry. From a plethora of manufactured dyes and tints available for edible use a few years ago, the number has dwindled to a handful because of the long term toxicity associated with the use of artificial colors. Shift from synthetic colors to natural colors is a logical corollary to the realization of the dangers of using artificial color adjuncts during food processing.

One of the strong reasons for nature to produce colored fruits and vegetables might be the compulsion of sustaining each species through spreading the progeny to far and wide. Just like the colored flowers attracting bees, insects and birds which carry the pollens and seeds through long distances for propagation, colored fruits and vegetables also may be attracting birds, squirrels and similar creatures as a food material and they serve as propagating agents for the plants. Still it is a mystery why each plant is endowed with characteristic genetic apparatus to produce same colored flowers or fruits or vegetables. It is understandable that plants contain chlorophyll which gives them the distinct green color of varying intensity, vested with the responsibility of fixing CO2 for bio-synthesis of starch in presence of solar light and generating the life-sustaining oxygen in this planet. Plants are responsible for producing a significant portion of the oxygen in the atmosphere while cleaning up the green house gas CO2 responsible for global warming.

Red colored fruits like tomatoes contain Lycopene which gives it the distinct hue during ripening and it is recognized that Lycopene offers protection for humans from diseases like prostate cancer, heart ailment and lung disorders. Purple crops like beets, egg plant, red cabbage and red pepper, containing anthocyanin group of chemicals are considered good for a healthy heart. Orange colored foods like carrots, winter squash, sweet potato and others contain alpha-carotene and beta-carotene good for the eyes. Blue colored crops like blueberries, plum, raisins etc are rich in anthocyanins, phenolics, isoflavones, flavinols, catechins, ellagic acid and minerals like magnesium and are considered excellent protective foods. Yellow and green crops such as spinach, collard, corn, avocado, etc get their color mainly from lutein and zeaxanthine which are known to improve eye health. Green cruciferous vegetables which include broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kole etc contain valuable sulforaphane and isothiocyanates blessed with the ability to inhibit the adverse action of oxyradicals, responsible for the generation of carcinogens in the body and development of cancer. There is a class of crops with neutral or light color such as garlic, onion, sprouts, celery, asparagus, etc which contain allicin and some antioxidants with powerful anti-tumor properties. There are many health experts who advocate regular consumption of the seven groups of colored fruits and vegetables to keep away all the diseases that afflict the modern society.

Interestingly widespread apprehension about the long term effect of using artificial colors in foods on health has led to the emergence of color concentrates extracted from fruits, vegetables, flowers and seeds. One of the earliest used natural colors is annatto dye, extracted from annatto seeds, a forest produce available in plenty in India. Progressive elimination of many coal tar dyes from the list of permitted edible colors compelled the industry to look for alternate natural sources considered much safer. To day a wide choice of natural colors is available from sources like beetroot, safflower, blue grapes, alfa grass, parsley, spinach, carrots, red chilli, caramel, carbon black. blackberry, blackcurrant, kokum fruit, turmeric, etc. Though some of them have the advantage of being nutraceuticals also, the poor tintorial power necessitates use of large dosages which some times adversely affect the organoleptic quality of the end product. Efforts are called for in enhancing their color intensity through molecular modification by application of synthetic organic chemistry and modern physical chemistry.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/