How does water drinking look like in the Nordics?
In the Nordic countries, we drink on average around 1-2 liters of water or other fluids per day. We get a lot of water through our food, approximately 1-1.5 liters per day. According to studies, 70-80% comes from fluid intake and around 20-30% from what we eat. However, this varies greatly between individuals depending on their diet. Vegetables and fruits contain up to 90% water, while for example nuts only contain 5% water.
Recommendations for water
The need for water varies greatly depending on the individual. It depends on body size, whether you have a sedentary job where the need for water is lower, or if you move a lot at work, so there is no exact figure. According to Nordic nutrition recommendations, a water intake of 2 liters for women and 2.5 liters for men is an adequate intake. Children need slightly less fluid than adults. Healthy adults get enough water by drinking when they are thirsty. Older adults do not have the same ability to feel thirst, so they need to be extra careful with their water intake.
Can you drink too much water?
There is a risk of water poisoning if you drink too much water, which can lead to water poisoning. It occurs when you drink more water than the body can handle. Symptoms of water poisoning are headaches, nausea, dizziness, muscle weakness, and vomiting. [1]. According to the Karolinska Institute, fluids should be drunk in moderation and it is enough to follow your thirst, i.e. drink when you feel thirsty [2]
Signs of fluid deficiency
- Increased thirst
- Dark-colored urine
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
Helpful tools to drink more water
If you feel like you're not drinking enough water, there are marked bottles like the Hollywood Motivation Bottle [3] that indicates how much water you should drink at a certain time. Something that has trended a lot internationally for a long time and recently in Swedish social media is the Air Up water bottle, where the scent from capsules makes the water taste like flavors are added to it. You drink regular water, but the scent from the capsules released when you drink makes regular water taste like, for example, peach, melon, etc. depending on the scent. It's a German invention by Lena Jungst and Tim Jäger who prototyped Air Up in their Bachelor's thesis and launched the product in 2019 [4]
Source: Livsmedelsverket, MinDoktor, KI
