Water in the blood circulating through the body acts as a distributor of heat, and, again, the evaporation of water as perspiration helps to regulate the heat of the body. It is water, too, that dissolves and carries away the wastes of the body. But these are only some of the important func- tions of water. It is probable that none of the chemical and physiological changes which go on in the body can take place except in the presence of water. The body gives off from the lungs, skin, and kidneys about four and one-half pints of water daily. About one- sixth of this amount is the water that was spoken of as manufactured from the oxidation of food ; the remaining amount must be taken into the body daily. Of course, a good deal of water is furnished by foods themselves. Soups and beverages obviously contain large amounts of water, but many other so-called solid foods, like potatoes, contain large amounts. It is usually said that a person needs about eight glasses of liquid a day. At one time it was considered harmful to drink water with meals, for it was feared that the water would dilute the digestive juices to such an extent that they would fail to act upon the food. This notion is still popularly be- lieved. Recent experiments, however, were tried to determine the truth of the matter. Healthy men were fed test meals, in some cases water being given and in others withheld. After a certain length of time, the contents of the stomach were examined to see how fast digestion had proceeded. In every case it was discovered that digestion took place more quickly if water had been given. We know now that the taking of water at meals is beneficial, stim- ulating digestion and not hindering it. What has been said is not in any way intended to imply that the washing down with water of poorly chewed food is anything but harmful. That is an entirely different question; nor 44 FOOD STUDY is it intended to imply that the drinking of large quantities of very cold water may not have a different effect from the one described. Cold stops digestion, or slows it, and too much ice water at a meal may readily have this effect. People who wish to grow thin are often told to go with- out water at meal times. The reason this is an aid is not that water itself is fattening, but because less is eaten if no liquid is taken. The same effect would be accomplished if we should in any other way lessen the amount eaten. Anyone going without water at meals should be sure to drink the needed amount of water between meals, for water is just as necessary to him as to anyone else.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Water in the blood circulating through the body acts as a distributor of heat, and, again, the evaporation of water as perspiration helps to regulate the heat of the body. It is water, too, that dissolves and carries away the wastes of the body. But these are only some of the important functions of water. It is probable that none of the chemical and physiological changes which go on in the body can take place except in the presence of water. The body gives off from the lungs, skin, and kidneys about four and one-half pints of water daily. About onesixth of this amount is the water that was spoken of as manufactured from the oxidation of food ; the remaining amount must be taken into the body daily. Of course, a good deal of water is furnished by foods themselves. Soups and beverages obviously contain large amounts of water, but many other so-called solid foods, like potatoes, contain large amounts. It is usually said that a person needs about eight glasses of liquid a day. At one time it was considered harmful to drink water with meals, for it was feared that the water would dilute the digestive juices to such an extent that they would fail to act upon the food. This notion is still popularly believed. Recent experiments, however, were tried to determine the truth of the matter. Healthy men were fed test meals, in some cases water being given and in others withheld. After a certain length of time, the contents of the stomach were examined to see how fast digestion had proceeded. In every case it was discovered that digestion took place more quickly if water had been given. We know now that the taking of water at meals is beneficial, stimulating digestion and not hindering it. What has been said is not in any way intended to imply that the washing down with water of poorly chewed food is anything but harmful. That is an entirely different question; nor is it intended to imply that the drinking of large quantities of very cold water may not have a different effect from the one described. Cold stops digestion, or slows it, and too much ice water at a meal may readily have this effect. People who wish to grow thin are often told to go without water at meal times. The reason this is an aid is not that water itself is fattening, but because less is eaten if no liquid is taken. The same effect would be accomplished if we should in any other way lessen the amount eaten. Anyone going without water at meals should be sure to drink the needed amount of water between meals, for water is just as necessary to him as to anyone else.

Food study