Top Hydrating Foods For Summer

Hydrating For The Season

The seasons have changed and those hot, summer days can cause you to sweat.  A lot.  Through sweating, you wind up losing valuable hydration.  While it's important to make sure that you drink enough to stay well hydrated don't forget to also look at what you're eating.  Many of the foods that are in season at the time of year have high water content and therefore can help keep you hydrated.

Health effects of dehydration

Dehydration can cause a wide range of negative health effects:

  • low blood pressure
  • increased heart rate
  • headache
  • weakness
  • dizziness
  • possibly even unconsciousness   

Making sure that you are aware of your hydration needs can help you avoid these symptoms and help you stay healthy during the heat of summer.

Hydration Formula

Before we talk about hydrating foods let's look at how much fluid you should be taking in.  This formula is based on an average person who is not exerting themselves to a high level. This is a very rough estimation of required hydration.  Start with your body weight, divide it in half, and convert those ounces to cups.  As an example:

                         A person weighing 150 lbs
                         Divided in half = 75 lbs
                         75 ounces = 9.4 cups

This number then needs to be further modified depending on whether you are living in an extreme temperature location, if you are exercising and how much, if you are pregnant or nursing, and/or how much of your hydration may be coming from food.  

Obviously, if you are out running a 5K, doing Bikram yoga or even spending long hours in the sun doing yard work you need to up your fluid intake. But this formula serves well as a general starting point.

It is important not only to stay well hydrated but also to consider the source of your hydration.  Avoid rehydrating through overconsumption of high sugar (such as soda or sports drinks), caffeinated, or alcoholic beverages.

Drinking More Water

Some people don't like to drink water.  Here are a few ways that you can bump it up a little.

  1.  Add flavor to your water by the use of things such as mint, cucumber, lemon, or lime.   By adding a little flavor (without sugar or chemicals) you may find yourself inclined to drink more water.  
  2. For those people who are used to drinking soda, consider purchasing a SodaStream seltzer maker (avoid the flavored, chemical-laden additives) and start to break yourself of the soda habit.  This has an added benefit of reducing your plastic waste because you won't throw out endless amounts of plastic bottles.  I have had my SodaStream for over 3 years and my bottles are still going strong.
  3. Try drinking water kefir, a great way to quench your thirst and add healthy probiotics to your system at the same time.   Note:  water kefir needs to be drunk in moderation as too much can overwhelm your system.

Hydrating Foods

Eating lots of hydrating foods has an effect on how much fluid intake you will need.  Food sources such as smoothies and cold soups (like this amazing gazpacho) add hydration as well as satisfying the appetite.  Specific foods which are high in water content include:

  • apples - tend to be highly contaminated with pesticides so it is worthwhile to purchase these organic.  High in fiber, vitamin C and the flavonol quercetin which is beneficial for heart health, blood sugar stabilization also considered anti-inflammatory.
  • bok choy - sometimes referred to as Chinese Cabbage, low in calories and high in vitamins A, C, calcium, and fiber. Like most cabbages, it is believed to be anti-carcinogenic.  There are some concerns about pesticide use with this vegetable and an organic purchase is suggested.
  • carrots - in addition being an excellent source of vitamin A carrots also provide good levels of fiber, vitamin C, K, and potassium.  Highly antioxidant they are considered a good cardiovascular support food. 
  • cantaloupe - extremely high in vitamins A and C cantaloupes are also a good source of potassium.  The high levels of vitamin A make them very supportive of lung health while the high levels of A and C make them a good choice for eye health.  Be sure to wash thoroughly before cutting open.
  • cucumbers - very high in vitamin K,  considered antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.  Because they are one of the "dirty dozen" purchase these organic whenever possible.
  • celery - another great source of vitamin K,  high in fiber and studies indicate that it can be helpful in reducing blood pressure.  Another "dirty dozen" veggie; choose organic whenever possible.
  • cherries - very high in vitamin C and a good source of potassium, cherries come in both tart and sweet varieties.  Shown to be effective for helping to reduce blood pressure, it seems cherries may also support collagen health.
  • grapefruit - very high in vitamin C with a very high antioxidant level.  As with most citrus, it also contains limonoids, a phytonutrient which appears to be helpful in reducing tumors.
  • peaches - purchase organic due to the high levels of pesticide contamination.  Highly antioxidant, a good source of fiber, vitamin C and potassium. Peaches are believed to help support healthy skin due to their high levels of phytonutrients.
  • plums - high in vitamin A, C, K, and fiber, also help the body to absorb more iron from iron-rich foods.  Highly supportive of eye health with studies showing that plums may lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
  • strawberries - another pesticide-laden fruit, these are best purchased organic.  Very high in vitamin C, also provide manganese and fiber.  Not only are they anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, but emerging research also seems to indicate that daily intake of strawberries may be related to a reduction in inflammatory bowel disease.
  • tomatoes - a great source of antioxidants and high in vitamins A, C, K, and potassium.  In addition to being cardio-supportive new research appears to indicate that tomatoes may also be beneficial for bone health, especially in post-menopausal women.  
  • watermelon - very high in vitamin C, also provides a good source of vitamin A, some potassium and magnesium.  Watermelon is considered an anti-inflammatory, alkalizing fruit.
  • yogurt - in addition to being a good source of calcium, live culture yogurt also provides probiotics, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and protein.  As a dairy product, it is also one of our few food sources of vitamin D.  Organic is the best choice to avoid antibiotics, hormones, and GMO feed.  It's also important to get whole milk yogurt as the vitamin D in the yogurt is a fat-soluble vitamin (meaning it needs to be eaten with fat for the body to properly utilize it).  Choose the plain variety and add fresh fruit if needed for sweetness to avoid the added sugars.
  • kefir - a delicious fermented yogurt, kefir is thinner and has a tangy tart flavor to it.  With all the benefits of yogurt, kefir adds a little extra probiotic punch as the fermentation increases probiotic activity.
Try to include more of these fabulous and tasty foods into your summertime diet.  Not only will they provide nutritional support, but they'll also help keep you hydrated.

Learn More on My eBook: Hydration For A Healthy Life

Discover the secrets to staying hydrated and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with "Hydration For A Healthy Life". Learn about the importance of water, electrolytes, and alkaline beverages, as well as tips for staying hydrated year-round. Plus, enjoy delicious recipes for infused waters that make hitting your hydration goals easy and enjoyable.

Whether you're a fitness enthusiast or simply looking to improve your overall health, this eBook has everything you need to keep your body running smoothly. Grab your copy now and drink up to a healthier you!

About Mira

Mira Dessy is The Ingredient Guru. A holistic nutrition professional, author, and a popular public speaker, she knows that it's not just what you eat, but what's in what you eat. She is the author of The Pantry Principle: how to read the label and understand what’s really in their food. Dessy is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner whose mission is to educate and empower consumers. She curates the Lean Clean Green Subscription box, the premier, organic, earth-friendly, healthy, sustainable subscription box which can be found online at https://theingredientguru.memberbox.com

5 thoughts on “Top Hydrating Foods For Summer

  1. Hydrating foods are those which include abundant nutrients and energy to offer to the body for longer duration.Hydrating foods such as Mixed Green Salad, Cucumber, Pineapple, Watermelon, Wild Blueberries, Pears, Tomatoes, Grapefruit, Celery, and Cantaloupe.

  2. Hmm.
    He does seem to have some digestive issues. We are working on them slowly but surely.
    lol. I don’t think the coconut water would go over well. But broth might. He is a fan of cucumbers and I know those are high water content. So I try to push those as much as I can.

    Thanks.

  3. You may want to consider seeing a doctor to make sure there are no major issues going on.

    Some people with heartburn or GERD do appear to have trouble drinking water, especially on an empty stomach.

    One option is to try drinking a nourishing broth which will add minerals and is a great way to help support the system. Some people find they do well with coconut water which is a balanced electrolyte beverage (look for one without added sugars or chemicals).

    You may also want to look into the possibility of needing digestive enzymes. Some people who suffer from heartburn or GERD actually have a condition called hypochlorhydria (too little HCL) rather than too much. Rebalancing the digestion can help with that.

  4. What water alternative can you suggest for someone who has really bad heartburn?

    Apparently water is really bad about makung heart burn worse. Current alternatives in use are 2% milk and apple juice. But milk is known for reduving heartburn for a little while and then bringing it back with a vengeance and apple juice has lots of sugar.
    Thoughts?

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