Staying hydrated with fruits and veggies rich in water

Melanie Ramos 5 min. of reading Well-being habits Leave a comment

Water is the main chemical component of your body and makes up about 60% of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. It regulates body temperature, flushes out toxins, transports nutrients and oxygen to cells, and provides a moist environment for body tissues and joints.

Proper hydration and electrolyte balance are essential for all body systems to function. Water provides the medium for biochemical reactions within cell tissues and is crucial to maintain adequate blood volume and cardiovascular system integrity.

20% of your water intake comes from food sources. Many fruits and veggies, like watermelon, broccoli, and tomatoes, contain 90% water by weight. It’s important for athletes to be well-fed and well-hydrated before training.

During exercise, body temperature rises and you sweat. Your body loses water and electrolytes.

dehydration can reduce blood volume, lowering the body’s ability to transfer heat and forcing the heart to beat faster. During exercise, especially in hot environments, people can sweat up to 2,5 liters of water per hour.

It’s super important to avoid dehydration by always trying to match fluid intake with sweat loss. This can be really tough, especially if you rely on thirst as a guide. Unfortunately, thirst usually kicks in too late.

People might not feel thirsty until they’ve lost about 1,3Kg of body weight/water.

Almost all foods contain some water:

Natural, whole foods have higher water content.
Fruits and vegetables contain between 80 and 98% water.
Eating dense veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, carrots, or celery with a meal or snack is one of the easiest ways to boost hydration.

Foods with high water content

Watermelon

Watermelon contains 92% water, 8% natural sugar, and essential electrolytes like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Watermelon is rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lycopene, which give your body protection against UV rays.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit has only 30 calories and is made up of 90% water. The phytonutrients called limonoids found in grapefruit can help with body detoxification and may inhibit the formation of cancerous tumors.

Avocado

Avocado is made not only of healthy monounsaturated fats, but also 81% of its weight is water. Plus, it contains key antioxidants, helps prevent strokes, and is high in protein and fiber.

Cucumber

Cucumbers have a water content of 96% and a good balance of electrolytes like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. The mineral, silicon, is also found in cucumber and is essential for keeping muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bones healthy.

Strawberries

Strawberries have 23 calories and are about 92% water. Strawberries rank as the fruit richest in antioxidants. The polyphenols in strawberries help regulate blood sugar response.

Broccoli

broccoli belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family. It contains 90% water and has compounds that are anti-inflammatory and also help protect DNA thanks to its antioxidant capacity, aiding detoxification of the many potential toxins we face daily.

Swiss chard

Swiss chard is one of the veggies highest in folates and also beta-carotenes. 97% of swiss chard’s weight is water. It has a high presence of vitamins, minerals like magnesium, potassium, and iodine, and also fiber.

Lettuce

Lettuce is 96% water by weight and, being rich in fiber, helps with digestion and is great for those who suffer from constipation. Just 100 g of lettuce provides 247% of the daily need for vitamin A and 4443 mcg of beta-carotene.

These compounds have antioxidant properties. Fresh leaves contain good amounts of folates and vitamin C. They also have good amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, all essential for body metabolism.