Foods to Help You Keep Hydrated and Age Well
If drinking liters of water is not your thing then, there are plenty of foods to help you keep hydrated.
Since we are mostly made of water its essential to get enough water for optimal health. Water not only keeps us stay in tip top physical shape, boost our metabolism and it helps maintain good brain health. In addition, precious water will help us to age better.
And in truth we know the value of staying hydrated but most of us just don’t get enough H2O.
To help you get and stay hydrated here is a list of foods that will help you get enough water while nourishing your body too!
Incorporate these hydrating foods into breakfast, lunches and snacks through the day. Now that we have a few water ideas let’s look at water packed foods to keep you hydrated.
Water Packed Foods to Keep You Hydrated
1. Cucumber a Natural Hydration Snack Packed with Water
Cucumber is one of the highest content foods to help hydrate and summer veggie—which has the highest water content of any solid food—is perfect in salads, or sliced up and served with some hummus, delicious and refreshing.
2. Pack Extra IceBerg Lettuce into Sandwiches
Water content: 95.6 – Add this to your meals to get you hydrated naturally. Crispy iceberg has the highest of any lettuce, followed by butter – head, romaine and green leaf varieties. Pile iceberg onto sandwiches or use the leaves as a wrap for taco (I make delicious veggie with just like ground) or use as a bed to create a colorful vegetable salad adding peppers, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, nuts, cranberries and whatever your heart’s desire.
3. Strawberries are a Perfect Hydrating Snack
Water content: 91.0 – All berries are amazing for hydration, but fresh (organic when possible) juicy red strawberries are easily the best of the bunch. “I love strawberries blended in a smoothie or mixed with plain non-fat yogurt— or amazing on top of a spinach salad with goat cheese and pecans.
4. Star Fruit is Packed with Water
Water content: 91.4 water – If you haven’t tried starfruit, you’re in for a treat. This tropical fruit, also known as carambola, comes in sweet and tart varieties and has a juicy pineapple like texture. Its eye-catching shape is a perfect edible garnish for summer cocktails and salads. And, it’s rich in antioxidants, a heart-healthy compound that is found in some red wine, dark chocolate and green tea.
One note of caution: People with kidney problems should avoid star fruit because of its high levels of oxalic acid.
5. Broccoli and Veggies are Packed in Water
Water content: 90.7 – Raw broccoli adds crunch to a salad. Loaded with fiber, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C, broccoli is the only cruciferous vegetable that contains cabbage and kale, and sulforaphane, a potent compound that boosts the body’s protective enzymes and flushes out cancer-causing chemicals.
6. Baby Carrots are a Sweet Snack Food to Keep You Hydrated
Water content: 90.4 – Are all carrots equal? Not when it comes to water content. When it comes to the crunchy orange veggies, the baby-sized carrot contains more water than full-size carrots (which are merely 88.3 water). Add these baby carrots to lunch boxes, julienne on salads and keep in the fridge and pair with water packed celery for a super powered H2O snack.
7. Grapefruit for Hydration and Weight Loss
Water content: 90.1 – One of my breakfast favorites is not only on the food list to keep you hydrated but it may help you to lower cholesterol, and shrink your waistline too.. In one study, people who ate just one grapefruit a day lowered their bad (LDL) cholesterol by 15.5} and their triglycerides by 27.
In addition eating just half a grapefruit, which has approximately 40 calories before each meal can help those seeking weight loss to lose about three and a half pounds over a 12 week period.
Researchers say that compounds in the fruit help to fuel fat burn and stabilize blood sugars. This is a great way to reduce cravings.
Wrapping Up Foods to Keep Hydrated
No more excuses! There are lots of ways to get and stay hydrated. Besides drinking your water snack of hydrating fruits and vegetable that will provide you with vitamins, minerals and fiber and help you get the extra water you need to stay more youthful and healthy. And if you enjoy sweet drinks – make sure to infuse water with your favorite berries, cucumber and ice for a fresh drink you can sip on all day!