Triple-digit heat days are starting to pile up, and it’s important for us to stay hydrated. We’ve all heard that 8 glasses of water each day is best. But the truth is, how much water you need varies. According to The Mayo Clinic, they recommend men a total of 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluid each day. For women, they suggest 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluid each day, and pregnant and breastfeeding women should drink more.
It also depends on your environment. If you’re outside on a hot day or doing something that makes you sweat a lot, you’ll need to drink more fluids to stay hydrated. About 50% to 70% of your body weight is made of water. Our bodies depend on water to survive.
A lack of water can lead to dehydration–even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.
If you’re anything like me, it’s a daily struggle to get myself to drink enough water. Just thinking of 8 glasses of water overwhelms me. If you, your kids, or someone you know also struggles, no need to worry because drinking water isn’t the only way to stay hydrated. In fact, many foods that are most likely on your grocery list contain high water content. So much produce is over 90% water! So, eating your water can help boost your water intake and stop you from counting glasses of water.
HYDRATING FOODS
Here are 26 water-rich foods that will help you stay healthy and hydrated:
- Apples
- Arugula
- Bell Pepper
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Grapes
- Grapefruit
- Honeydew
- Infused water (like adding crushed fruit or cucumber slices)
- Juice (or water with a splash of juice for flavor)
- Lettuce
- Milk (Skim)
- Oranges (or other citrus)
- Peaches
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Yogurt (Plain)
- Watermelon
- Zucchini⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
As long as you’re eating plenty of water-rich foods and drinking water when you feel thirsty, you won’t have a problem staying hydrated.
HOW TO HELP KIDS DRINK MORE WATER
If you find that the kids really don’t like drinking water, you can try:
- Flavored waters (just watch the sugar intake)
- Adding a splash of juice to their water.
- Adding crushed up fruit, or slices of cucumber, or a squeeze of lemon to it.
- Letting them pick out a special cup or fun straw.
- Keep their bottle or cup nearby so they can drink as they’re thirsty.
- Allow them to drink out of your water bottle. They always seem to want to
- Incorporate more water-rich foods in their meals.
