The Fruit That's Actually More Hydrating Than Watermelon
When it comes to drinking enough water throughout the day, the recommended amounts can seem unattainable. According to performance dietitian Sarah Adler via UCLA Health, people should be drinking a half to a full ounce of water per pound of body weight daily; that's a lot of refills in your Hydro Flask. Fortunately, this doesn't have to all come from flavorless water, or straight liquid at all. Some water comes naturally from the food you eat, and if you want to maximize this, some fruits are better than others.
Naturally, many people's minds go right to watermelon. After all, it's sweet, extraordinarily juicy, and refreshing, and the H20 is right in the name. Clocking in at 92% water, it's a good choice. However, you can do even better with another fruit: tomatoes. And while it's almost never considered or treated as a fruit, the mighty cucumber is botanically classified as such and contains the most water of any fruit or vegetable.
Eat more water
Tomatoes are made up of 94% water, making them a great option if you're trying to up your hydration game. You'll have the best results when you enjoy them raw and there are dozens of ways to keep this fruit interesting. Make tomato toast in the morning by spreading some fresh ricotta or cream cheese on toasted sourdough bread and top with slices of fresh heirloom tomatoes. For lunch, toss some sweet cherry tomatoes on your salads or turn some tomatoes into a salad by combining thick slices with avocado, caramelized shallots, spicy arugula, fruity olive oil, and aged balsamic vinegar. Start your dinner with a colorful caprese salad, or be sure to top your burger with thick slices of beefsteaks.
Cucumbers, on the other hand, contain a whopping 96% water, leaving all other fruits and veggies in the dust. Cool, crunchy, and refreshing, cucumbers can be sliced, speared, and marinated and eaten any time of the day. Of course, cucumbers and glasses of water go hand-in-hand already; Toss some slices in ice water along with some fresh mint for a wonderfully flavored H2O that's much more interesting than the plain stuff. In addition, strawberries also rank high on the hydration scale, containing 92% water, just as much as watermelon.
Why so much water?
Why is it that we need so much water? For starters, between 55 and 60% of human bodies are composed of water. It is an essential component for normal body functions. For instance, water regulates body temperature, it transports the nutrients you consume to different organs, helps deliver oxygen throughout the body, and gets rid of waste. Inadequate intake of water can negatively affect all of these things plus sleep, memory health, and mood.
Even the slightest bit of dehydration can make you tired, weak, and make you feel dizzy. Warmer temperatures mean it's especially important to get enough water from food and beverages since you tend to sweat more when it's hot outside. Fortunately, a lot of tasty produce is at its prime during the summer months like all of the aforementioned fruits, plus radishes, lettuces, summer squashes, and bell peppers, all of which contain 92% or more water. So have fun and be creative with all the gorgeous foods you'll find at the farm stand because they offer a lot more than just flavor.