Final answer:
The total water intake recommended for healthy young adults is 11 to 15.5 cups per day, with adult males advised to consume 3.7 liters (15.6 cups) and adult females 2.7 liters (11 cups), including water from all dietary sources.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Adequate Intake recommendations, the total water intake for healthy young adults is approximately 11 to 15.5 cups/day. For adult males, the Adequate Intake (AI) for water is set at 3.7 liters (15.6 cups), and for adult females, it is 2.7 liters (11 cups). It's important to remember that these intakes consider water from all dietary sources, which includes water that comes from both food and beverages. Therefore, people are not expected to consume 15.6 or 11 cups of pure water every day; rather, this total can be reached through a combination of liquids and the food they eat.