A weekly Column by Chef Daniel Orr Daniel Orr is Executive Chef at Kitchen Stadium, Santorini Restaurant, Famiglia and the Tapas Lounge and Rum Bar at CuisinArt Resort & Spa and is working on “A Chef’s Diet” Cookbook and Cooking in Paradise.

WATER

Here on Anguilla, we are surrounded by water, yet many of us walk around thirsty! I know that we can’t drink seawater, but with the seven shades of blue that we see so much we should at least be reminded to take a sip more often.

Chef Daniel Orr

Water is the largest single component of the body, as it makes up 65 to 80 percent of total body weight. It is one of the most important and abundant inorganic substances in all living systems. Nutritionally, water helps to break down large nutrient particles during digestion, and in the gastrointestinal tract it helps to moisten foods, aiding their smooth passage. Water has many vital functions in the body, not least of which is to ensure that the internal organs, including the brain, are maintained.

We’ve all heard that we should drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water every day. Most of us don’t drink that much, and instead replace this vital water intake with coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Alcohol causes dehydration, and other liquids do not help replace lost fluid intake as well as water does. On average, daily water loss totals 2500 ml (over 2.5 quarts), through sweat, for example, or diarrhea from a GI tract infection.

The kidneys excrete about 1500 ml (about 1.5 quarts) of water a day, and 600 ml (about 2.5 cups) every day of water is lost through the skin (400 ml through evaporation and 200 ml as sweat), the lungs lose about 300 ml (over a cup) each day exhaled as water vapor, and finally the gastrointestinal tract loses about 100 ml (about a half cup) in faeces.

If most of body water is ingested through liquids and from moist foods, and if we are neither eating enough fruits and vegetables nor drinking enough water, then how are we replacing this lost water? This translates into constant dehydration that puts the organs and other body systems on overdrive. Without water it’s difficult to make enough urine to flush away toxic metabolites and other wastes, maintain proper blood volume, or prevent body salts from getting too concentrated. If you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. Extreme dehydration can be life threatening. Minor dehydration can make you irritable, tired and make it hard to concentrate. Chronic minor dehydration can cause constipation; it may also lead to the development of kidney stones and bladder cancer.

Drinking plenty of water is also great for your skin. Our skin is the largest organ we have and it is imperative to keep it well hydrated if we want to keep that healthy glow of our youth. Although green tea has some caffeine in it, it also is loaded with anti-oxidants. I always keep a couple of bottles of green sun tea in my fridge. Green tea is wonderfully rejuvenating and great for the skin as well, so before you go in for an expensive facelift try dramatically increasing your intake of water and tea. It’s a lot cheaper and less painful!

Ideas for increasing your hydration level:

* Mix water with your fruit juices. A bit of club soda in your juice is like having a homemade soda pop.

* Cut down on colas, coffee and teas that contain caffeine. These seem like liquids that would be good, but the caffeine actually dehydrates you.

* If going to a party, drink plenty of water before leaving the house, and then a glass between alcoholic drinks. This prevents dehydration and hangovers!

* Drink water to suppress hunger when starting a new diet.

* Drink before you get thirsty. Once you feel thirst you are already becoming dehydrated.

* Always keep your liquid consumption up when exercising. It is extremely important if you want to get the most value out of your hard work.

Water has the added bonus of being calorie-free. By drinking water every day you’ll ensure that your body can function at its optimal level. Every time you see the ocean you should take a sip. Don’t forget to walk with a bottle wherever you go. Drink up!!!!

“Simon Says” Lemon Cleansing Potion

Simon was a massage therapist working on me while on a trip to Tobago. He suggested this potion as an “internal scrub” when starting a new healthy eating program. Drink this beverage on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, followed by lots of water, every day for a week to cleanse the system. It is supposed to be very good for the bladder and kidneys, and believe me you’ll feel it work. Be sure you have a “Little Chef’s Room” close by while cleansing; this stuff goes right through you. After the first seven days make it a routine to repeat one morning a week.

1 lemon - cut into eighths, peel and all (scrub the lemon well before cutting)
3 cups water
1 cup orange or pineapple juice
1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
Process in a blender until very smooth. A Cuisinart blender works best, of course! If you don’t like the little bits of lemon peel floating around in your glass simply pass the citrus water through a fine strainer before drinking. Personally I don’t bother.

Sunny Green Tea Cooler

Keep a bottle of this chilled in your icebox. It is a great alternative to
sodas, and much more sophisticated. Just think of the thousands of
years of history tea has. This is a refreshing drink to give guests as
well, and although it is simple to make it is more welcoming than a
cola because you made it. I often will set a bottle in the sun before I go
to work and put it in the cooler when I get home. You can add
whatever spices you like and put your own signature on it. So as I
always say, recipes are guidelines - don’t be afraid of flavor!

6 bags good quality green tea
2 big slices fresh ginger
3-4 crushed black peppercorns
Several sprigs mint, lemon basil or your favorite bush herb
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup honey
1 quart purified water

Place the tea, ginger, pepper, mint, limes and honey in a large
glass container with a lid.
Pour water over the ingredients and place the container in direct sun.
Leave for an hour or two, then place in the refrigerator until cold.
Serve over ice with lime wedges, a slice of ginger and a straw.

*(I found some of the statistics in this article in Tortora and Grabowski,
Principles of Anatomy and Physiology; 1996, eighth edition.)

*I’d love to hear from you. I am collecting recipes and stories for future
articles and books and would love to include your favorite family recipes
and food memories from the kitchen, the garden or the sea. You can
reach me at dorr@cuisinart.aior stop me on the road if you see the
CuisinArt Chef Mobile.

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