Relation of Water to Human Life

Water:
Water is one of the most essential of food materials, and whether we drink much or little water, we nevertheless get a great deal of it. The larger part of many of our foods is composed of water; more than half of the weight of the meat we eat is made up of water; and vegetables are often more than nine tenths water. Asparagus and tomatoes have over 90 per cent. of water, and most fruits are more than three fourths water; even bread, which contains as little water as any of our common foods, is about one third water.

Without water, solid food material, although present in the body, would not be in a condition suitable for bodily use. An abundant supply of water enables the food to be dissolved or suspended in it, and in solution the food material is easily distributed to all parts of the body.

Further, water assists in the removal of the daily bodily wastes, and thus rids the system of foul and poisonous substances.

The human body itself consists largely of water; indeed, about two thirds of our own weight is water. The constant replenishing of this large quantity is necessary to life, and a considerable amount of the necessary supply is furnished by foods, particularly the fruits and vegetables.

But while the supply furnished by the daily food is considerable, it is by no means sufficient, and should be supplemented by good drinking water.

FIG. - Diagram of the composition of a loaf of bread and of a potato:
1. ash; 2, food; 3, water.