How to stay hydrated during a heat wave? 

 Tea, soda, water, fruit juice... Drinks that make you want when it's hot. But are they all good for the health of the consumer? Florence Foucaut, dietitian-nutritionist explains to us what we can or cannot drink.

If the episode is less important than last year, the heat wave is present from Île-de-France to Nord-Pas-de-Calais with about fifteen departments on red alert, at the beginning of August . According to Météo France, in the North, this heat wave should even "be among the 5 most severe known by France in recent decades, however behind the historic heat waves of 2003 and 2006" . To protect yourself from the heat, the body temperature must be maintained at 37°. It is therefore necessary to drink very regularly as explained by Florence Foucaut, dietician and nutritionist. "The priority is to avoid dehydration, especially in children who are much more at risk and the elderly who feel less thirsty. It is therefore very important to hydrate them regularly .” But which drinks are recommended and which ones to avoid? 

Water to consume without moderation: 

Water remains the best solution to stay hydrated during heat waves. But to put a little originality in his drink, the consumer has several options. Sparkling water is not discouraged but Florence Foucaut specifies that it is necessary to avoid water " too rich in sodium since they lead to dehydration ". It is therefore necessary to pay attention to the labels of sparkling waters by taking those which are the least salty. 

For still waters, Florence Foucaut also recommends variants for consumers. " You can add a slice of lemon to flavor the water, but you have to be careful if you leave the skin on the lemon. So you have to favor organic products to avoid the spread of pesticides ". You can also make your own flavored water by putting cucumber slices, mint leaves or fruit in your drink. 

" You can also make ice cubes with fruits or vegetables. You can cut pieces of watermelon, melon, strawberry that you put in an ice cube tray and then freeze them. Once they are ready you can mix them with water . 

However, before consuming your glass of water, you must be careful that it is not "too cold because it will require more energy from the body to bring it to body temperature, it is better that the water is at room temperature ". Yes, but do we really want to?

Soups, a good alternative:

Soups are also good alternatives in the face of heat. Warm or cold, they are to be consumed without moderation . On the other hand, Florence Foucaut explains that it is necessary to make the “ good choice of vegetable . 

Cucumbers or tomatoes for example, in the form of gazpachos, which will provide the consumer with water, vitamins and minerals . 

The fruits can also be eaten in the form of cold fruit soup. The fruits richest in water are melon, watermelon, strawberry or starfruit.

Teas, coffees and herbal tea :

Tea, coffee or herbal tea are not recommended drinks . The reason ? These liquids stimulate the functioning of the kidneys and will therefore encourage the consumer to go to the toilet regularly. It is therefore necessary to compensate by drinking other drinks that hydrate. 

Sodas and fruit juices :

Fruit juices are not to be avoided according to Florence Foucaut. But it should not be abused . " It is better not to exceed one glass of fruit juice a day so that the sugar intake is not too high ", whether homemade or purchased.

A study recently showed the dangers of regular consumption of surgery drinks . During the summer, even if a soda gives us mouth water, it is better to avoid consuming it . As Florence Foucaut explains, " we must avoid all drinks that are too sweet, which will cause dehydration ". Sodas are therefore the first concerned. On average, they contain between 4 and 7 sugar cubes for a 33 cl can. 

Extremely sweet, these drinks may seem refreshing to us but do not help our body to hydrate.

Alcohol, to avoid completely :

As the sun beats down outside, many imagine themselves sipping a glass of wine or a beer on the terrace. However, alcohol is to be avoided . “ Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed because alcohol dehydrates. Some alcoholic beverages may seem refreshing, but it is really not recommended in the event of a heat wave. ” For example, beer is extremely diuretic, which leads the consumer to urinate and dehydrates him even more.  

Good advice but not necessarily the most pleasant. There are now only a few days left before we resume our old (bad?) habits...