Drinks lots of water…. but no need to drink water!!

Water sustains life. Without it, none of us would live. Luckily, for most of us, access to water isn’t an issue. What can become an issue is actively drinking it to stay healthy. The least amount you need is 2-3 liters per day. However, experts now believe that most of the water we drink is on a one-way path to the exit. Along with it, it takes important minerals that the body needs. In contrast, a good portion of foods have a high-water content that enables the body to absorb it, hydrating the body for a longer period of time. Knowledge of this has spread, causing more folks to reach for food that is dense in water. Here are a few foods you need to consume to stay hydrated longer!

Foods with a High-Water Content

The good news is there are countless fruits and vegetables that can help replenish the body’s water supply. Fruits like watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, raspberries, and oranges have up to a 95% water content. Vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, celery, spinach, and radishes also have up to a 95% water content.

In addition to hydrating your body, these fruits and veggies have a healthy number of vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients. These foods not only nourish and hydrate your body but they also help you absorb it. Think of water as a way to flush out toxins and food as a way to replenish it.

At a Glance—Water Content in Popular Foods

Fruits (and their water content percentage)
Cantaloupe, strawberries, watermelon, grapefruit: 90-95%
Peaches, pineapples, apples, cranberries, oranges: 85-90%
Avocado, banana, blueberries, plum, cherries: 80-85%

Vegetables
Cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, radish, celery, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant: 90-95%
Carrot, potato, green peas 75-85%

Meat
Beef: 50-70%
Chicken meat: 74%
Fish: 65-81%

Other food
Lentils: 90-95%
Honey: 20%
Flour, rice: 12%
Jam: 28%
Eggs: 70%
Milk powder: 4%

How Food Based Hydration is Superior

It Hydrates Better—After you work out, your body is in desperate need of not only water but also salts and sugars that are necessary for complete hydration. Studies show that popular fitness drinks don’t hydrate as well as natural fruits and vegetables. By consuming the right foods, your body is left completely nourished and hydrated, ready to tackle the rest of your day.

Detoxes Your Body—As our chart points out, fruits and vegetables provide substantial water content. These foods also naturally detoxify the body while providing dense nutrition that supports the immune system. Eliminating the bad and infusing the body with hydration offers long-term health benefits for the body as a whole.

For the best hydration, consume water in both its liquid form and via healthy fruits and vegetables.