Answered by Nick Ellins, Head of Consumer Strategy at Water UK

How much water should I be drinking each day to help me stay healthy over the winter?

The most helpful answer is typically ‘more than you do now’. Surprisingly, while we know a great deal about the requirements of how much fat, protein, carbohydrate etc. we should consume each day, there is little to tell us just how much water we should be drinking. Some journals say that any fluid will do as a source or water, whilst others say that that answer is equivalent to suggesting that any food will do as a source of good nutrition. It seems common sense to me that there are healthy fluids and less healthy fluids. UK tap water is one of those healthy fluids, and its inexpensive, fat free, carbohydrate free, caffeine free and sugar free. Most professionals agree that around 8 decent-sized glasses a day is about right. That’s around 2 litres. What we do know is that most people, especially older people, drink nowhere near that amount, and mild dehydration, or what is known as water related malnutrition, is very common. So drink up.