Hydration Foods: 14 Foods to Keep You Hydrated

Foods That Help With Hydration

Although drinking water is the absolute best way to remain hydrated, you can hydrate your body by eating certain hydration foods too. While some of these hydrating foods are offered only seasonally, you should be able to find a wide variety amongst the list during any time of the year.

Top 10 Hydrating Foods, Plus 4+1 More

1.  Consume cucumbers for the highest water content.

Cucumbers contain approximately 96.7% water and are readily available all year round. Eat this veggie as a fresh side dish with meals.

2.  Hydrate your body with an iceberg lettuce salad.

Iceberg is 95.6% water but otherwise fairly low in nutritional value. Partner iceberg lettuce with higher nutrient packed lettuces such as spinach or kale for the “perfect” lunch.

3.  Get both water and nutrition with a stick of celery.

Celery has 95.4% water but also vitamins A, C, and K. Did you know that one stick of celery has only six calories? – Anyone can have their celery and enjoy it too.

4.  Tantalize your taste buds with radishes.

Radishes have a 95.3% water content and can spice up any dish or salad thanks to their half sweet, half spicy flavor.

5.  Enjoy a hydrating snack like a tomato any time of year.

Instead of reaching for a potato chip, try grape tomatoes. Partner tomatoes with cheese and basil, perhaps a cracker, and you have the perfect afternoon delight. Tomatoes have 94.5% water so they are a great hydrator.

6.  Load up on antioxidants and water with a green bell pepper.

Although red and yellow peppers contain water and are high in nutrients, green bell peppers have the most at 93.9% water content.

7.  Fight chronic illness like cancer with cauliflower.

In addition to having a 92.1% water content, cauliflower has phytonutrients, considered to lower cholesterol and fight cancer.

8.  Stave off hunger with lycopene infused watermelon.

Watermelon is known to be heavy on the water content (91.5%) but is also packed with lycopene, which helps you feel full for a longer amount of time, and it also is considered to be a cancer-fighting antioxidant.

9.  Increase your fiber by eating water happy spinach.

Spinach is 91.4% water but also is known to have some of the most important antioxidants available. Eat one cup raw and you’ve covered 15% of your daily vitamin E intake.  It is also a great source of iron.

10.  Protect your heart by eating star fruit.

In addition to having a 91.4% water content, star fruit contains epicatechin, also found in red wine, chocolate, and green tea.

BONUS:

11.  Eat your berries to hydrate.

Strawberries have 91% water and blueberries and raspberries contain 85% water. Create a fruit salad and you have a great snack.

12.  Load up on vitamins with broccoli.

Broccoli has fiber, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C, as well as sulforaphane which is known to boost the body’s protective enzymes and fight cancer.

13.  Eat grapefruit. Give your diet that extra nudge while flushing your system with water.

Grapefruit has a 90.5% water content but is also known to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol by 15.5% and triglycerides by 27%. Grapefruit also stabilizes blood sugar, which curbs cravings.

14.  Choose baby carrots for snacking instead of salty chips.

Baby carrots are loaded with water (90.4%), plus are great for dipping into dressing or hummus.

15.  Pass over the cake and cookies for dessert and go for some cantaloupe.

Cantaloupe has 90.2% water, and at only 50 calories, eating cantaloupe can give you up to 100% of your daily vitamin A intake.

Tips:

• Because star fruit has high levels of oxalic acid, people with kidney problems should avoid it.
• Drink 8 or more glasses of water each day (more if you are in a heated area or are working out) to replenish fluids.
• Freeze fresh fruit for an easy, on-the-go snack.
• All these are also great for hydrating the skin.

(Adapted from How to Choose Foods to Keep You Hydrated.)