Quick! What’s the most important nutrient that you need to consume several times each day? If you guessed protein, vitamin C, or calcium, you’d be wrong. It’s water. Even though water isn’t a vitamin or mineral, it’s a nutrient that’s vital to human life. If you think otherwise, consider this: You can live for weeks without food, but only for about three days without water. It’s considered essential because your body needs more than it can produce on its own. That’s because you lose a lot of water each day through evaporation, elimination, respiration, and sweat. Water is an incredible workhorse in so many ways. Here are just some of the things it does to keep you healthy: Fluid balance: Water helps you maintain the balance of fluids in your body. You’re made up of about 60 percent water, and when you become oversaturated, you lose water through urination. If …