We know this pretty well: we should always drink enough water daily. Especially during the summer, when the water just seems to sweat out of us. But have you ever thought of eating your water? There are plenty of hydrating foods out there that help provide your missing H2O.
The following foods have plenty of things in common: they’re nutritious, light, and fresh, and they’re also over 90 percent actually made out of water. Their calorie count is pretty low, so you can eat them confidently, knowing that they’re as healthy as can be.
Whenever I see, hear, or write “H2O”, I remember this episode of one of my favorite TV shows, “Parks and Recreation”. In it, the wonderful city councilwoman Leslie Knope, played by the even more wonderful Amy Poehler, tried to clean the water in the city of Pawnee and then convince the citizens to drink it by rebranding it as H2Flow.
So, without further ado, let’s rebrand those hydrating foods as H2Flow you can eat with confidence.
10 hydrating foods to have this summer
1. Cucumber
This is the most water-rich food you can possibly have because cucumbers have about 96.7 percent water content. So, make yourself some salad, some chilled soup, or add cucumber slices to your sandwiches. And, better yet, why not make some refreshing cucumber water or even a smoothie? One of my favorite drinks is lemonade with some cucumber thrown in, a bit of ginger and then the summer heat has nothing on me!
2. Radishes
These reddish roots are not only an amazing food with beauty benefits, but they’re also very hydrating in their own right. Their flavor is sweet and spicy, and they’re filled with antioxidants. A radish is about 95.3 percent made of water, so you know you’re getting all of the hydration you need. What to cook with the radishes? Of course, add them to salads, the food of the summer season, but they would also work amazingly in a coleslaw, with other crunchy foods such as cabbage.
3. Tomatoes
This often-misunderstood fruit (because we all think it’s a veggie) is amazing in so many ways. First of all, 94.5 percent of it is water, so you know you’re getting up to your hydrating standards. Of course, you can turn tomatoes into myriad sauces, and use slices of it in salads and on top of some lettuce and ham sandwiches. But you can also make amazing soup, which might work even best when chilled.
Best combo? Make a simple Caprese salad by pairing the tomatoes with mozzarella, drizzling olive oil over them and sprinkling some oregano, too, for good measure. If you want more, try this roasted tomato Caprese salad.
4. Watermelon
This amazing fruit is obviously full of water – the 91.5 percent H2O is sort of the main reason for its fame. So why not take advantage of it this summer? First, make sure you pick a nice, ripe one. The sweetness and juiciness work all well, but don’t forget that the fruit is also super healthy. It’s a main source of lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant that’s found in red fruits and veggies.
And here is some inspiration as to what to do with the watermelon you’re having.
5. Spinach
It might “only” have about 91.4 percent water content, but lovely green leafy spinach more than makes up for this with all of the other nutrients it brings to the table. Sure, iron is one of them. But don’t forget that it’s also rich in lutein, fiber, potassium, and folate. It also has an impressive amount of vitamin E.
6. Iceberg lettuce
It has a staggering percentage of water content: 95.6, but in general, iceberg lettuce might not seem as nutrient-rich as other types of greens. However, it does have the highest content of water, and it’s also pretty tasty, so don’t ignore it when cooking and eating. If you want to incorporate it into your meals in a healthy way, why not swap out bread, pitas, and tortillas for some nice iceberg lettuce leaves? Iceberg wraps? Yes, please, for all of us. Especially during the heatwaves.
7. Cauliflower
This cruciferous veggie is a favorite for a reason. Or multiple reasons. It’s been thought to fight cancer, along with its sibling, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. It has a 92.1 percent water content. And you can grind it up and make some lovely flour-free pizza dough with it. It’s also thought to lower cholesterol. So what more are you waiting for? Roast cauliflower and add it to salads and the benefits won’t be late to the table.
8. Cantaloupe
It’s quite amazing, really, that cantaloupes only have about 50 calories per a six-ounce serving, because they’re so juicy and sweet. Who can have only one serving, though? Not me! But yeah, cantaloupes are one of the wonderful hydrating foods, with 90.2 percent water content to show for it. What they also bring to the table are enough of vitamins A and C to get you through a whole day. You read that right!
You can eat it raw or you can add it to salads and smoothies. I particularly like the way it tastes when paired with some fried bacon.
9. Grapefruit
Do I even have to sing the praises of grapefruit anymore? Don’t we all know how great it is by now? Well, it’s definitely one of the great hydrating foods, even though it has about 90.5 percent water content. There are plenty of benefits to it. Like lowering your cholesterol and being a diet aid, if you feel like you need such a thing.
10. Celery
Celery has only about 6 calories per stalk if you can believe that, and its water content is staggering: about 95,4 percent. It’s also very rich in fiber, which means that having it will not only quench some of your thirst, but it will also keep you feeling full. There are other nutrients, too: folate and vitamins A, C, and K.
