Getting the right fluid intake each day is an important part of staying hydrated. Proper hydration helps to keep your body temperature stable, maintains organ function, and lubricates your joints. Hitting your daily water intake can also help you get a good night’s sleep and improve your mood.
You’ve probably heard by now that you should aim to drink six to eight glasses of water each day to stay hydrated and reap all its health benefits.
But did you know that some of your daily fluids can actually come from food sources instead of just plain water? That’s right, adding a few hydrating foods to your diet is another way to make sure that you get the liquids you need to stay hydrated.
Here are some of the most hydrating foods you can incorporate into your diet to help give your hydration a boost.
Benefits of Consuming Hydrating Foods
Your body is about 60% water. Keeping your hydration level consistent means that you’re helping your body perform all of the functions that it needs to for you to feel your best.
Diet and water are closely linked when it comes to overall health. Physically, water helps to remove waste and deliver nutrition to your cells. Water also plays a key role in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. Mentally, water helps your brain to process information, remember things, and sleep well. In turn, you may feel happier [UCLA Health].
If you find drinking enough water throughout the day hard to do, eating foods that hydrate can be a big help. Foods rich in water can help you stay hydrated and refreshed, especially in the hot summer months when you lose water faster.
In fact, your body already gets about 20% of your body’s necessary water intake from the food that you eat already.
Tips for Incorporating Hydrating Foods Into Your Diet
While eight glasses a day is a general rule of thumb, your personal needs can depend on your geographical location, level of physical activity, and if you’re breastfeeding. A more modern guideline to follow is to take your body weight and divide it in half. That’s the number of ounces of water you should aim to take in each day.
There are several creative ways that you can work foods rich in water into your daily routine. Besides simply eating foods with a high water content, you can:
- Blend them into a smoothie
- Make salsas to put on salads, proteins, or other foods
- Infuse water with hydrating fruits
- Make homemade popsicles with fresh fruits
Don’t be afraid to get creative in the kitchen and try out new recipes with water-based fruit and vegetables.
The Most Hydrating Foods
So, which foods have a high water content? Fruits, veggies, and some dairy products naturally have the most water. The amount of water in food varies, but some foods can be composed of up to 96 percent water. Here are some foods to try to bump up your hydration levels.
Fruits
Eating fruit is a great way to stay hydrated, take in essential vitamins and minerals, and get your daily required fiber content. Fruit tastes delicious as is, but there are so many ways that you can enjoy hydrating fruits.
Fruit salads, smoothies, and fresh-squeezed juices are just a few examples. Some of the fruits that top the list when it comes to water content are [UT Southwestern Medical Center]:
- Watermelon and strawberries — 92 percent water
- Peaches — 89 percent water
- Tomatoes — 94 percent water
- Grapefruit — 91 percent water
Eating more fruit doesn’t have to be complicated. Throwing berries or grapefruit on top of a salad is easy and delicious. Grilled watermelon or peaches can be a fun summertime side dish. Find fruit that you like and have fun incorporating it into your daily diet.
Vegetables
Water-based vegetables are also very hydrating. There are a variety of veggies with a high water content, so you’re sure to find a few that you like [UCLA Health].
Take leafy greens, for example. Iceberg lettuce (96 percent water), romaine lettuce (95 percent), and spinach (92 percent) can all be the base of a tasty salad or bowl. From there, you can pile on more hydrating veggies, proteins, and carbs to create an easy, satisfying, and hydrating meal.
Besides leafy greens, other hydrating veggies include:
- Cucumbers — 96 percent water
- Celery and radishes — 95 percent water
- Bell peppers and asparagus — 94 percent water
- Cabbage, cauliflower, and mushrooms — 92 percent water
Dairy and Alternatives
Fruits and vegetables are some of the most hydrating foods, but they aren’t the only ones. Research shows that some dairy products and dairy alternatives can be excellent for hydration, too. The small amounts of fat, protein, and natural sugar found in dairy actually hydrate your body longer than plain drinking water can.
Lactose, a sugar in milk, along with protein and fat, slows down the time it takes for your stomach to empty its fluid. This keeps you hydrated longer when compared to other beverages. The natural sodium in dairy also helps your body hold onto water and stops it from becoming urine too quickly.
Some dairy products and alternatives to try are [UT Southwestern Medical Center]:
- Skim milk — 91 percent water
- Plain yogurt — 88 percent water
- Soy milk — 94 percent water
- Almond milk — 98 percent water
Take Your Hydration to the Next Level
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Hydrogenated water increases your hydration with its active natural antioxidant molecules. This way, you’ll get all the benefits of pure water but with enhanced hydration that increases your overall well-being.
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