When the heat arrives, sweat becomes a protagonist in our lives. It is important that during the summer we hydrate well and eat foods that compensate for the losses caused by continuous sweating.
WHAT IS SWEAT AND WHY DO WE SWEAT?
Sweat is a clear, salty liquid that is composed of 99% water and the rest are minerals, urea, lactic acid, ammonia and sugar.
The body produces it as a tool to regulate temperature when, for example, it is very hot or we are doing physical activity. Thus, when the body temperature increases, sweat helps it drop. During this heat regulation process, through sweat we not only lose water, but we also eliminate fluids, toxins and electrolytes, that is, minerals.
The minerals that we lose the most through sweat are: sodium, potassium, magnesium (it is one of the reasons why we have more cramps during the summer), iron, zinc and chromium.
HOW TO COMPENSATE THE LOSS OF MINERALS?
It is important that after exercising or in hot weather we compensate for the mineral losses caused by sweating. For this, it is important that we frequently drink water and consume foods rich in minerals.
– SODIUM: sea salt, fish, pickles, meat, etc.
– POTASSIUM: fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.
– MAGNESIUM: nuts, legumes, dark chocolate, etc.
– IRON: meat, legumes, cereals…
– ZINC: nuts, pumpkin seeds, oats, seafood…
– CHROME: vegetables, whole grains, nuts…
Taking into account the previous classification, we can say that, if we have a varied diet rich in vegetables and fruits, nuts, legumes, meat and fish, we will replace the portion of minerals that we lose when we sweat.
In addition, there are drinks that can complement our diet. Although we must be careful with which ones we buy, since most of them are unhealthy due to their high sugar content. Some of the most suitable would be the following:
– Coconut water: this drink is very easy to find, very high in minerals and is the healthiest isotonic drink that exists.
– Homemade lemon water preparation: You will need the juice of 2 lemons, 1 liter of water, ½ tablespoon of sea salt, ½ tablespoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of honey.
– Isotonic guarana drink: half a liter of water, 1 tablespoon of brewer's yeast, 1 tablespoon of wheat germ, 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 tablespoon of guarana powder
– Aquarius: it is a less recommended option due to its sugar content, but it is a drink with a considerable mineral content that can help us hydrate and replace those minerals that we lose through sweat.
WHEN WE SWEAT DO WE LOSE WEIGHT?
Many people believe that when we sweat we lose weight, but that is not the case. When we sweat we lose water, not fat. Fat loss is achieved through a mechanism that is not related to sweat, although indirectly.
The indirect relationship that exists between weight loss and sweat is that, when we perform a demanding physical activity, if sweat is produced as a result of the effort we make, it means that we are using a large amount of energy and, therefore, Therefore, we are using fat to obtain it.
The most appropriate way to achieve weight loss is not through extreme sweating techniques, but through daily physical exercise and healthy eating.
