Top 12 Hydrating Foods To Include In Your Diet

There are many water-rich foods that can help you feel more hydrated. So, what are the most hydrating foods that you can eat? There are also excellent hydrating foods that can benefit your skin health. So, instead of reaching for those sugary sports drinks, try some natural food sources of water.

Being dehydrated can make you feel tired, restless, and bad. There are many methods to rehydrate your body. It is easy to become tired of chugging water, drinking electrolyte drinks, or sports drinks. Let's discuss.

Why Is Hydration So Important?

Hydration is necessary for bodily functions, including breathing, fluid transport, and muscle contraction.

It is also important in maintaining body temperature during exercise, because it helps regulate the amount of water lost from the body during perspiration.

Water is the most abundant substance in our bodies and makes up about 60% of our body weight, so it is important that we maintain adequate hydration levels.

You Might Be Asking Yourself, "What Can I Eat To Stop My Thirst?"

Here are some delicious foods that can hydrate you from the inside out.

Hydrating food in the summer is one of the easiest ways to ensure you get enough fluids into your body, especially in the sweltering heat.

Staying Hydrated

Staying hydrated also means keeping your body from becoming dehydrated.

In addition to adding in natural food sources of water, you need to drink plenty of water each day. And make sure you take in enough sodium to help balance the amount of water you consume.

Not only does getting enough water help your skin look youthful, it also helps keep you from getting sick. When your skin is dehydrated, bacteria can live in the deeper layers of the skin, which can lead to infection.

Getting enough salt in your diet is also important, so that you don't develop a condition called hyponatremia, which occurs when the body loses too much water and sodium.

If you don't get enough salt in your diet, your blood will become too salty to carry oxygen efficiently. When this happens, breathing can become problematic, as well as dizziness and fatigue.

Water is the key to a healthy body and mind, but there are other ways to get your daily dose of hydration, as well as nutrients that cannot be found in water alone.

These water rich foods can provide you with the nutrients, water and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy.

In the summer, try reaching for natural food sources of water to hydrate you.

Hydrate Your Body With These Foods

Cucumber

Cucumbers have the greatest amount of water content of any solid food. They have a water content of 96.7%.

You can eat cucumbers in salads, sliced, or even dip them in hummus or tzatziki. You can also mix cucumber into yogurt, eat with mint, or even freeze slices into ice cubes.

Any way you eat them, cucumbers will make you feel more refreshed. If you like cucumbers, you might also enjoy zucchini.

Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg lettuce has a water content of 95.6%. This type of lettuce has the highest water content of any lettuce variety.

You can eat iceberg lettuce as an addition to sandwiches, or even use it as a base for a salad. Iceberg lettuce is also awesome to use as a wrap for burgers or tacos.

Celery

Celery has a water content of 95.4%. Celery is a low calorie food, with only six calories per stalk.

This vegetable also has enough fiber to fill you up and keep you satisfied. Celery also contains several nutrients and vitamins, including folate, vitamin K, vitamin A, and Vitamin C.

Celery can also neutralize stomach acid due to its high water content.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes also contain a high water content of 94.5%.

They are a delicious addition to salads, sandwiches, and sauces. Cherry tomatoes also make a terrific and easy snack when you are on the go. 

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers have a water content of 93.9%. All colors of bell peppers have high water content.

Green peppers have the highest water content, followed by red and yellow bell peppers. Bell peppers are also rich in antioxidants, which fight free radicals.

Bell peppers can be eaten raw with hummus, added to a salad, or cooked in addition to other vegetables in a stir-fry. 

Watermelon

It makes for a wonderful hydrating fruit snack. Watermelon is a fruit with a high water content. It can hydrate the body and aid digestion due to its high water, which makes up 36% of the fruit's total weight.

It is a fruit with more water than any other fruit. Watermelon is a fruit with more water than any other fruit. It's also an excellent source of Vitamins A and C.

Strawberries

Why are strawberries considered a hydrating food?

Strawberries are known to be high in water content. This is why it is a good idea to eat strawberries, or anything with a high water content, like celery and cucumbers, after a workout.

They will help replenish the water you lost during exercise, and give your body the hydration it needs for recovery.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower has a water content of 92.1%. They are also high in phytonutrients and vitamins, known to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cancer.

Cauliflower is delicious in both raw and cooked forms. You can dip cauliflower in ranch or hummus, roast a head of cauliflower, or add it to soups.

Spinach

Did you know that spinach is over 96% water? Maybe this is why Popeye loves this veggie?

The hydrating benefits combined with beneficial nutrients like iron make this one of my favorite hydrating foods to eat.

You can make a delicious spinach salad, put spinach into your smoothies, or even add it to your sandwiches and wraps.

Oranges

This fresh fruit is not only tasty, but also has 87% water content. Not only does eating oranges boost your immune system from the vitamin C, but you also gain the benefits from potassium, the additional fiber and water it contains.

Grapefruit

This citrus fruit is very hydrating, because it contains 91% water. Eating grapefruit is a great way to eat your water, but also boosts your metabolism and enriches your body with lots of vitamin C.

Apples

This delicious fruit contains 84% water content. There are so many varieties of apples to choose from, but one thing remains the same: this is a crisp hydrating food to add to your diet.

Apples are loaded with fiber, antioxidants and vitamin C.

What Foods Hydrate Your Skin?

Hydration is important for your skin. So which foods hydrate your skin so you have plump, healthy looking skin?

Fatty fish, like salmon and herring, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help moisturize and keep your skin youthful looking.

Nuts and seeds, including walnuts and sunflower seeds, are excellent foods sources that will rehydrate your skin.

Red and yellow bell peppers, as mentioned earlier, are water-rich foods that will also keep your skin hydrated because they contain vitamin A and C.

Vitamin C helps our bodies create collagen, which is a protein necessary for enforcing the structure of your skin. Thus keeping your skin firm and smooth.

Tomatoes are also good sources of vitamin C and lycopene, which is a carotenoid, that is wonderful for protecting the skin from sun damage and prevent wrinkles.

Don't forget that tomatoes are a wonderful water rich food, so try to add them to your meals.

Let's Discuss The Best Hydrating Foods!

I hope these tips on the most hydrating foods you can eat help you hydrate your skin from the inside out. So, give these natural foods and sources of water a try today. Let me know in the comment section below.

You can also connect with me @EatYourNutrition on Instagram. I love seeing your photos. #EatYourNutrition #LauraVillanueva