I found this website to be of interest:

http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C5217.html

In a recent discussion with a colleague about supplements versus
getting nutrients out of food,
the discussion turned to the dehydration factor as well.

There has also been discussion about both schools of thought about our
bodies needing or not needing 8 glasses of water per day.  I was
advised by my physician that it depends on a person's body weight what
they actually need as far as water consumption is concerned.  That
each body has a different need.  That makes sense.

I sat and watched a businessman come into a local restaurant and order
lunch.  I overhead him tell the waitress he was "in a hurry," and
wanted whatever was the fastest.  She explained that the Beef Teriyaki
meal was the special of the day and that was already ready.  He
ordered that.  It was approximately 5 minutes from the time he ordered
until the food got there.  I was already seated, and waiting for my
Chinese chicken salad to be prepared and delivered to me.    His food
arrived 5 minutes later, and the entire time he looked at his watch as
if he was late for something.  His food arrived before mine, and
within 10 minutes he had swallowed but not chewed his meal, and slid
his meal down with 2 cups of coffee and was gone.

I watched him "bite" the food, but not chew it up properly.  He could
not possibly have turned his food into "soup" before it went down the
hatch.    But he is not alone, I've watched others do the exact same
thing.

Would it be safe to say that the reason that Americans are buying
supplements because they are not getting the nutrients they need out
of the food they eat because they aren't bothering to chew their food
before it goes down the hatch so that the body's natural enzymes can
work on the digestion in the manner our bodies' digestion system was
designed to work?

Dehydration --people have the wrong idea that drinking coffee, tea,
colas, soft drinks need to be included in their daily intake of
liquids count.  I know I used to be one of them, before I was told
that they are dehydrating to the body.

Our society seems to be too much in a hurry. Maybe it is time to slow
down and smell the roses, or at least enjoy the meal!