Drink, drink, drink – the more, the better. If you believe the experts, that is the solution to many problems. Water and unsweetened tea should be, coffee, black tea or soft drinks do not count as a liquid. But now there are opinions that go in the other direction. You can drink too much, they say, but also: tea and coffee are also valuable. And: now and then a coke is okay too. No wonder that soon we will not know what we should actually believe. WOMAN asked an expert which task really fulfills the fluid in our body. How much fluid do we need each day? "The body excretes about 2.6 liters a day via the skin, lungs and kidneys," explains nutrition and fitness expert Ingrid Neugebauer (www.neugebauer-ingrid.at). And pretty much this amount is about to resume. But not just by drinking. Because we also take a lot of fluids through our food. Which drinks should we use? Everything is good, which does not have too much sugar. So water, unsweetened teas, sprayed whey drinks or very thinly sprinkled with water fruit and vegetable juices. An insider tip from Ayurvedic medicine is a glass of lukewarm water before breakfast. "This boosts the metabolism and promotes digestion," confirms Neugebauer. When is the best time to drink? Best distributed evenly throughout the day, possibly even before you develop a feeling of thirst. Because that already indicates a fluid deficit. Concentration weakness and fatigue are the result. Many forget about drinking during the day and try to make up for it in the evening. "But with two liters in a short time, the organism is overloaded," says Neugebauer. Immediately in the morning, put a jug of water and a glass on your desk or on the kitchen counter. So you are guaranteed not to forget anymore. What exactly does our body need fluid for? Humans are about 60 percent water. It serves as a transport and solvent in the body. Nutrients get to where they are processed. In addition, fluid prevents the thickening of the blood. If the organism has too little water, the intestine does not work so efficiently anymore, it can lead to constipation. What happens if we drink too little? We get a headache, and our ability to concentrate diminishes. Beginning signs of serious dehydration are a very heavy feeling of thirst, decreased production of saliva, dried out skin and mucous membranes. May I also use lemonade? Coke and sugary soft drinks should not be part of the daily program. But now and then a glass of it is absolutely fine. Anyone who chooses the sugar-free version and sprinkles with water, is in the green area. The fact that the calories in lemonades provide for obesity, according to recent studies. Sugars are empty calories, and liquids are not enough. This has led the New York City Government to ban the sale of XXL cups for soft drinks. In the metropolis, there are only cups up to 473 ml. Does coffee also count as a liquid? "Up to four cups of coffee a day are fine," explains Neugebauer. He may not be the ideal thirst quencher, but he does not look as dehydrating as he has been for many years. The black drink is even said to have a positive effect on diabetes and liver disease. How much should I drink when I am exercising? It's best to drink two or three extra glasses throughout the day before exercising. Directly before that there should be a maximum of one glass, otherwise the water spills in the stomach and hinders only. During the workout drink only small amounts, distributed over the whole time (a 0.5-l-Trinkflasche usually enough). Following this, it is necessary to compensate for the lost fluid through sweating. At least half a liter is announced. Endurance athletes, watch out: in a run up to one hour, it is not absolutely necessary to drink in between. For longer distances, you should definitely head to a water point. Which drinks are best for sports? "With hard training, it makes sense to resort to isotonic drinks that are enriched with potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium," said Neugebauer. Because the body should absorb the liquid as quickly as possible. The better the more similar the nutrient composition of our blood is. But beware of too high a sugar content. It should be a maximum of 80 g / l. Otherwise, the body needs to dilute with extra fluid to keep the blood from thickening unnecessarily. Editor: Barbara Schaumberger