Yahoo Lifestyle Food Counts Towards Your Daily Hydration Goals. These 15 Are The Best, Say Nutritionists
If you're hoping to reach your hydration goals but can't imagine chugging glass after glass of H2O, don't stress. You can lean on water-rich foods to help keep your body hydrated—a vital process that helps regulate your mood and energy levels and generally keeps your whole body running (NBD, right?!). Actually, roughly 20 percent of our daily intake of fluids comes from food, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
You shouldn't stop drinking water altogether, experts agree. That said, you can (and should!) leverage hydrating foods to help you hit your hydration quota—91 ounces (2.7 L) of total fluid daily for women, per the National Academies Institute of Medicine, and even more if you partake in a good sweat session on the regular.
But what really counts as a hydrating food?
Well, unsurprisingly, many types of produce top the list of hydrating foods—with some containing up to 96 percent water by weight. You don’t need to force yourself to plough through a whole head of romaine lettuce if you don’t like the taste, though. You've got options!
Meet the experts: Dana White, MS, RD, ATC, is a certified athletic trainer and sports dietitian. Valerie Agyeman, RDN, is a dietitian and founder of Flourish Heights. Amanda Baker Lemein, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian and member of the Women's Health Advisory Board. Marisa Moore, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and cookbook author of The Plant Love Kitchen.
“Keeping fruits and vegetables as a consistent fixture in your life will contribute to keeping you better hydrated,” says Dana White, MS, RD, ATC, sports dietitian. One way to guarantee you'll eat more of these healthy foods is to find the ones you really enjoy, advises Valerie Agyeman, RDN, host of women's nutrition podcast, Flourish Heights.
Luckily, there are a ton of delicious hydrating choices out there—many of which are also loaded with antioxidants like vitamin C and lycopene, as well as plenty of fiber. Check out this list, based off nutritionist recommendations, including White and Agyeman. Then, find your new favorites.
Note: All the percentages listed here refer to the water content of foods before cooking, since heating ingredients up results in a loss of H2O (hello, evaporation).
Watermelon
Water content: 92%
It's in the name. Water-rich and loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants like lycopene and Vitamin C, per the USDA, this fruit is as good for you as it is delicious (read: very).
And it's not just watermelon: according to Amanda Baker Lemein, registered dietitian and member of the Women's Health Advisory Board, most melons offer terrific hydrating properties. White suggests pairing fresh melon with salty ingredients like feta or Tajín. Salt is one of the main electrolytes lost when we sweat, White explains, and is crucial for keeping the body hydrated.
Iceberg Lettuce
Water content: 96%
Great news for wedge salad lovers: This salad green is loaded with water—roughly 96 percent by weight, according to UCLA Health. If iceberg isn’t your bag, however, know that romaine has almost the exact same water content, along with tons of vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes like potassium and magnesium.
Leafy green salads in general are a great food source of hydration, says Marisa Moore, a registered dietitian nutritionist and cookbook author. “There are lots of opportunities to add in extra hydration from the foods that you toss into a salad, too. It could be leafy greens topped with tomatoes, maybe you add in some berries.”
Cucumbers
Water content: 96%
It should come as no surprise that crisp, watery cucumbers are among the most hydrating foods out there. Bonus, they've also got plenty of potassium and magnesium, which are key for proper hydration.
Plus, there are so many ways to enjoy 'em while they're raw. Try dicing cukes into an Orange Cucumber Relish, perfect for topping seared fish or chicken. Blend some with chiles and tomatillos into a refreshing chilled soup. Or, use a veggie peeler to slice cucumber ribbons ideal for topping toast or sandwiches.
Oranges and Grapefruits
Water content: 88%
Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits are totally worth the squeeze when it comes to hydration—packed with water, vitamin C, and electrolytes. “Citrus in general tends to have a decent amount of potassium in it,” says White.
P.S. The peak season for citrus is winter, so these hydrating heroes come in clutch at a time when you won't find (good-tasting) melons, tomatoes and zucchini.
Strawberries
Water content: 92%
These bright red li'l guys pack in tons of water and a good amount of fiber (3+ grams per 1 cup sliced, per the USDA). Not to mention, they add a good dose of natural sweetness to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt bowls, salads and more.
BTW, nutritionists said that blueberries, raspberries and blackberries contain slightly less water, but still make for a great pick.
Tomatoes
Water content: 94%
Slice into a fresh-off-the-vine tomato and you can see the juices hitting your cutting board. Not only are tomatoes rich in water, but they also contain a small amount of sodium, which, again, is crucial for proper hydration. (FWIW: One plum tomato clocks in 3.1 mg sodium, per the USDA)
Turn them into a no-cook tomato sauce perfect for tossing with noodles, add slices to salads and sandwiches, or consider this your excuse to whip up a batch of salsa. Infinite delicious options, await.
RELATED: This Cheesy High-Protein 'Caprese' Pizza Recipe Checks Off *All* The Boxes
Celery
Water content: 95%
IKYK celery juice has a host of health perks, but that doesn't mean you need to liquify your stalks to reap the benefits. With as much as 95 percent water by weight, this crunchy veg is one of the most hydrating foods out there—and yes, you're still racking up the hydration points if you're eating them dunked in blue cheese.
Yogurt and Cottage Cheese
Water content: 84% (plain low-fat Greek yogurt); 81% (plain low-fat cottage cheese)
Talk about a win-win. Score protein and a quick dose of hydration with these probiotic-rich dairy staples. “Most dairy products are quite rich in water,” explains Lemein. Plus, you can treat them like a blank canvas to incorporate even more healthful hydrating finds into your meals (hello, berries).
Grapes
Water content: 80%
Whether you eating grapes frozen (the best, IMO), straight out of the fridge, or picked off a charcuterie board, know you're getting a big dose of polyphenols, which contain antioxidant properties, protecting cells against oxidative stress, with each handful.
Cabbage
Water content: 92%
Meal prep stans know cabbage comes in clutch as a sturdy base for salads that won't wilt ASAP in your fridge. Whether you go for Napa, red, or Savoy cabbage, this crunchy brassica helps keep your hydration levels in check. Opt for fermented picks like kimchi or sauerkraut to get an added dose of gut-boosting probiotics at the same time.
Cauliflower
Water content: 92%
This all-star veg contains a whopping 92 percent water by weight, putting it neck-and-neck with many of the others on this list. Plus the florets contain choline, folate, protein, and fiber—and can be served in *so* many ways from pizza crusts and cauliflower gnocchi to stir-fries and cauliflower steak.
Looking for a way to eat the cruciferous veg raw? Check out this no-cook side situation, which is inspired by tabbouleh and perfect for pairing with a big juicy steak.
Summer Squash
Water content: 95%
During the peak season (summer, obvi), zucchini and yellow squashes are found everywhere in abundance—people's backyard gardens, farmers' markets, CSA boxes, grocery stores, you name it. And that's great news for both your menu and your hydration levels.
Spiralize some into noodles or toss thin slices with mozzarella for a carpaccio-inspired salad. Don’t love eating your squash raw? That’s fine! Agyeman fully endorses throwing your zucchini on the grill. Just don’t leave it over the fire for too long, she says—otherwise, you risk removing most of the water.
Soups and Broths
Water content: 92% (variable)
While soups and broths skew a bit more liquid than the other foods on this list, they're still totally acceptable meal options to eat (or slurp). Opt for ice-cold gazpacho and chilled pea and basil soup in the summer, or a cozy bowl of protein-packed soup in the winter. What’s more, broths—particularly bone broth—can offer additional benefits like improved joint health and better digestion.
Ice Pops, Sorbets and Other Frozen Desserts
Water content: variable
There's a chance your favorite sweet treat can double as a source of hydration: Sorbets, ice pops and other fruit-based frozen desserts can count toward your daily water consumption. Opt for no-sugar-added or low-sugar options from the store, or better yet, make your own (Fro-Yo Fruit Popsicles, anyone?). Moore recommends blending frozen melon into a sorbet-like snack, which she says can be “a way to get some hydration in a fun and flavorful way.”
Smoothies
Water content: 86% (variable)
*Technically* you drink smoothies, not eat them. But, they're so much more satiating than your typical beverage, let's count them as a food.
According to White, blending fruits and vegetables into a smoothie (like this Avocado-Spinach Smoothie!) is another surefire way to replenish your body’s fluids. Depending on what you add—nut butters, protein powders, etc.—it can also help keep you satiated throughout the day.
RELATED: 18 High-Protein Smoothies That Are Perfect Post-Sweat
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