11 super hydrating food for summer

 

Image by Goumbik from Pixabay    Edited by ConSCIENCE

The most important thing you need in this upcoming summer is hydration. Everyone of us needs proper hydration to beat the heat. Only drinking water is not enough for your body regarding hydration.

You must pay attention to your food bucket to keep yourself hydrated well. Along with drinking plenty of water, you should increase your body’s hydration level by eating different water containing foods that are available in summer.

Those seasonal hydrating foods can help you to maintain your proper hydration level when your body loses a lot of water and minerals via sweating.

Eating hydrating foods can boost up your hydration level a lot as those foods contain almost 85% water and it can also provide you some essential nutrients too.   

So, this article brings you about 11 hydrating food that shouldn’t be missed during the upcoming hot breeze.

[Read more: Survive the heat with the face mask on]

Hydration recommendation

Everybody needs a particular amount of hydration daily to maintain all the bodily work properly. How much hydration is needed is depends on so many factors like age, height, weight etc. [1].

An average healthy adult male and female needs about 3.7 liters and 2.7 liters of fluid per day. We get our 80% of fluid intake via beverages and remaining 20% of fluid intake via food [2].

So, if you eat those foods with high water content, it will help you to maintain the hydration level of your body very well. Let’s have a look on several super hydrating foods for your health.

[Read more: Heart healthy foods]

Photo by Eiliv-Sonas Aceron on Unsplash

1. Banana

Banana is first on the list of super hydrating food for summer as it contains 74% water along with potassium, an important electrolyte needed during the hot days.

Potassium performs very important functions in your body like it helps your nerves to function, enables our muscles to contract and regularize the heartbeat [3].

On the other hand, potassium produces mucus lining in the stomach which in turn lowers the pH levels in the body. You can put your acidity at bay during summer by eating the over-ripe bananas [4].

Dehydration loss of potassium can cause serious bodily problems which can’t be prevented only from drinking water. So, depend on banana, it’s easily available and an easy snacking item too.

Photo by Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis on Unsplash

2. Cucumber

Second on the list of super hydrating food for summer is cucumber that contain 96% water. Cucumber is very well-known food for summer.

According to University of Aberdeen, Scotland, a cucumber can provide you the same hydration levels as twice the same volume of water [5].

Cucumber is also rich in electrolyte which helps to retain the water in the body. You can get several B Vitamins, folic acid, Vitamin C, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus in every bite of cucumber [6]. 

It is an easily available, low caloric, easy to digest food that will keep you cool during the hot summer days.

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay 

3. Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe is another hydrating food that you will use as a snack as it contains 90% of water. Cantaloupe or muskmelon is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and fiber.

It is very popular summer snack in warm areas. You can find it easily in local grocery store or food market. So, try it by pairing with so many others summer fruits [7].

Image by Couleur from Pixabay 

4. Cauliflower

You will be amazed by knowing that our favorite cruciferous vegetable, cauliflower, contain about 92% water by weight. So, it is a super hydrating food for your body.

Try a delicious dish of cauliflower as it also contains vitamin C and it helps to normalize the blood cholesterol too. Along with providing the hydration it can fight a battle against cancer, because it has a high level of glucosinolate, a steroid compound that plays some role in treating cancer [8].

So, indulge yourself in a tasty steak of cauliflower during summer.   

Image by NatureFriend from Pixabay 

5. Spinach

Number five on the list of super hydrating food is spinach. It is really a hydrating food as it contains 91.4%.

Spinach can provide you an important electrolyte like magnesium. Magnesium possesses enormous role in our body, it regulates miscellaneous biochemical functions like protein synthesis, glucose level control, functions of our nerve and muscles etc. and many more [9].

Along with magnesium, it can provide calcium, potassium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin K and fiber [10].

So, in the hottest day when we lose the maximum electrolytes through our sweat, then try out a fresh and refreshing green smoothie of spinach with some fruits for extra benefit [11]. You can try it in salad too. It gives you proper hydration in those days.  

Image by RitaE from Pixabay 

6. Pumpkin

Another super hydrating vegetable in pumpkin, which contains 92% water by its weight. So, to beat the heat try out dishes or desserts made with fresh pumpkin.

It is easily available, easy digestible and very low caloric food, 100 gram of pumpkin contains only 26 calories [12]. Along with providing you a boost in hydration, it can help in improving your vision, regularize your blood pressure and maintaining a strong cardiovascular system.

So, don’t skip the pumpkin from your diet, specially during the hot humid days.

Image by Anelka from Pixabay 

7. Tomatoes

Number seven on the list of super hydrating food is tomatoes. You can put it in both the section, vegetable or fruit. Tomatoes contain 94.52% water, so it can give you a splash of hydration in hot summer days.

It comprises varieties of nutritional benefits, tomatoes are high in antioxidant. Lycopene is the main source of antioxidant found in tomatoes. It contains folate and fiber too [13].

Along with, it contains carotenoid which can fight against heart diseases and it contains mineral or electrolyte like potassium and Vitamin A, C and E. potassium is very much needed for our major muscle’s function in body [14].

Eat it raw or in salads or in smoothie or in sandwiches for its maximum benefits.

Image by pasja1000 from Pixabay 

8. Watermelon

You all know that the watermelon is a superfood for hydration during summer. Yes, it contains 92% water by weight. Watermelon can give you important minerals like calcium, copper, zinc and magnesium [15].

Vitamins A, C and several B vitamins are also present in watermelons. This sweet, juicy watermelons can blows your mind by it’s taste [16].

It’s a hydrating superfood having very low calories, i.e. one cup of watermelons contain 45.6 calories only.

So, without any hesitation regarding the calorie content of this fruit, you can indulge yourself in the sweetness of this super hydrating food on hot summer days [17].

Image by Pezibear from Pixabay

9. Strawberries

Red bright strawberries are full of antioxidants like flavonoids which improves the function of our brain as well as you can put it in the list of super hydrating food also [18]. Strawberries comprised of 91% water [19]. It is rich in Vitamin C and high in fiber.

Strawberries contain one of the main electrolyte potassium which we lose through sweat [20]. A cup of strawberries can give you up to five to ten percent of daily recommended dose of fluid [21]. So, you can rely upon it during the hot days to give a boost to your hydration.

A strawberry milk shake or smoothie or a fruit salad will be good to keep you cool, fresh and hydrated throughout the summer.

Image by Security from Pixabay 

10. Pineapple

Number 10 on the list of super hydrating food for summer is pineapple. It contains about 87% water. This tropical food is rich in numerous nutrients, including Vitamin C and several B Vitamins.

Some important electrolytes like potassium, magnesium and manganese are evident in the pineapple. An important compound like bromelain’ is present in pineapple which treats various health problems like digestive problem, sinusitis and osteoarthritis [22].

So, pineapple surely be a afternoon snack on a hot summer days to boost up your hydration level.

Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay 

11. Bottle gourd

Bottle gourd or ‘Lauki’ is an important hydrating food and it has numerous health benefits to put it on your daily diet during the warmer season.

Bottle gourd consisting of 96% water by weight, so, include it in your diet as healthy dishes or as ‘lauki’ juice. It helps to lessen the disproportionate body heat during the summer.  

So, without any indecision, put it in your plate regularly as it has very low calorie, i.e. 100 gram ‘lauki’ contains only 12 calories [23]. Don’t skip it during the summer season as it will help you to beat the heat and improving your hydration level.

ConScience

In the upcoming summer days, there will be a chance to dehydrate as we sweat a lot almost all time throughout the day. So, there will be an imbalance of the electrolytes in your body.

To restore the vital electrolytes and boosting your hydration level add the above-mentioned food items in your diet regularly.

Along with you can add some more fruits and vegetables as they are also super hydrating food for summer, for example, celery, iceberg lettuce, apple, grapes, pear, carrots, zucchini, lemon, peaches, radishes, eggplant, grapefruit, kiwi and mango etc. [24].

These foods are very hydrating for your body than just only drinking water, along with they can give you major nutrients, electrolytes and numerous health benefit that can be very useful to beat the hottest heat and boost your body’s hydration level. Stay happy and healthy in this summer. Have a happy life..