You know how important it is to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Hydration regulates body temperature, prevents infections, helps organs function properly, and keeps joints lubricated. Being well hydrated also benefits your mood, brain function and sleep quality.
That said, water is not the only way to hydrate yourself! The fresh foods can also contribute significantly to your daily water intake. We meet 20 percent of our hydration needs with food. Food allows us to hydrate with variety and offers a lot of nutrition if you are choosing the right foods with high water content.
Fresh produce generally provides the highest water content, and this is particularly true for vegetables. That said, you can also hydrate yourself with water-rich foods like soaked lentils, soup, or even whole wheat pasta.
Having foods that contain a lot of water will help you feel fuller than dry foods. They have more volume, so they push the wall of your stomach to indicate to your brain that it is satiated.
The 10 richest foods in water that will keep you hydrated
Iceberg lettuce
- 96 percent water
Although it doesn’t have the same star status as many other leafy green vegetables, iceberg lettuce is full of water and other nutritional benefits.
One cup of iceberg lettuce provides 14 percent of the daily value for vitamin K, which is important for bone health, blood clotting, and other functions in the body. Some research has found that people who eat foods rich in vitamin K have stronger bones and are less likely to break a hip than people who eat less of those foods.
Vegetables like iceberg lettuce, which may not be as popular as kale or cauliflower, still provide hydration, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, it is important to eat a variety of green leafy vegetables for dietary diversity, because each fruit and vegetable provides different beneficial compounds.
Iceberg lettuce also contains a range of B vitamins, including folic acid (B9), vitamin B6, pantothenic acid (B5), thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), and niacin (B3).
Celery
- 95 percent water
This vegetable is an excellent choice to stay hydrated and satiated with very few calories. At just 11 calories, two medium-sized stalks of celery provide the 20 percent of your daily value for vitamin K, plus potassium, B vitamins, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
Celery is like nature’s sports drink because it naturally contains electrolytes lost in sweat, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Also, this vegetable can benefit your teeth. Because of its stringy texture, chewing celery can help clean teeth and generate saliva that neutralizes the acid that remains from food in the mouth. It is also a good source of beta carotene, which the body needs to create vitamin A, which is necessary to build strong teeth.
Bok choy
- 95 percent water
A cup of bok choy contains 35 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C and is also a great source of vitamins A and K. Like many of the other foods on this list, bok choy is low in calories, at just 9 calories per cup.
It is in the same superfood family as broccoli and kale, making it a nutrition superstar. In addition to the antioxidant vitamins A and C, it contains calcium and magnesium for bone formation and vitamin K and iron for blood formation.
Many studies have found that cruciferous vegetables like bok choy are associated with a lower risk of certain cancers, particularly lung, colon, and prostate cancer, according to the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University.
Radishes
- 95 percent water
They’re delicious topped with a hydrating summer salad, but radishes also provide plenty of water on their own and are rich in antioxidants.
These contain a healthy compound called anthocyanin, which can help with heart health and is linked to a lower risk of diabetes. Anthocyanins are the same beneficial compounds found in blueberries and strawberries.
A half-cup of sliced radishes has only 9 calories but provides 10 percent of the daily amount for vitamin C, as well as potassium, copper, and manganese.
Cucumber
- 95 percent water
Just a cucumber provides plenty of water, along with vitamins, minerals, and even some protein! In particular, cucumbers are an excellent source of bone-healthy vitamin K, at 41 percent of the recommended daily allowance.
Cucumbers also provide Vitamin C, which is required for collagen synthesis and helps with wound healing. This vitamin also helps your body absorb plant-based iron foods. A cucumber provides 9 percent of the daily value for vitamin C and 5 percent for iron.
Additionally, cucumbers contain potassium, which is necessary for crucial bodily processes such as proper kidney and heart function. They also provide phosphorus, which plays an important role in the body’s use of carbohydrates and fats, and in the formation of bones and teeth.
Cress
- 95 percent water
A whole watercress cup contains only 4 calories, but 71 percent of the daily amount of vitamin K and 16 percent of vitamin C.
Watercress is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods. In fact, 14 phenolic compounds, plant compounds with antioxidant properties, were identified in the leaves of watercress in a November 2015 study published in the journal Springerplus.
Zucchini
- 95 percent water
Like cucumbers, zucchini contain vitamins K and C, potassium, and phosphorus. A medium zucchini provides almost 40 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C.
Zucchini also provides fiber, which all fruits and vegetables have in varying amounts, and which helps you feel full. A medium zucchini provides 2 grams of fiber or 8 percent of the daily amount needed.
Dietary fiber passes through your digestive system to help normalize bowel movements, lower cholesterol levels, and control blood sugar levels. Fiber foods tend to take longer to eat and are lower in calories for the same volume than other types of food, and can help you reach a healthy weight.
As with other vegetables, opt for fresh zucchini if you want to hydrate. Cooking methods like roasting reduce the water content, so it’s best to have raw vegetables if you want to get the full benefits of hydration.
Tomatoes
- 95 percent water
Fresh, juicy tomatoes are full of water. A medium tomato contains 34 percent of the daily dose of vitamin A, which is important for normal vision, the immune system, and proper function of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs.
It also provides 19 percent of the daily amount of vitamin C and 6 percent of potassium.
People don’t usually realize that tomatoes are so rich in water. They also contain lycopene, an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage.
Diets containing fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoids (plant compounds) such as lycopene are related to the prevention of some types of cancer and heart problems.
Green peppers
- 94 percent water
Crunchy green peppers pair well with other water-rich foods, and a medium green pepper provides an impressive 106 percent of your daily value for collagen-boosting vitamin C.
You’ll also get 16 percent of the daily amount of vitamin B6, which is needed for over 100 enzyme reactions that play a role in metabolism.
It’s worth including a variety of peppers in your diet to stay hydrated, like green peppers, red peppers (which have even more vitamin C), and even hot peppers. Spicy foods like hot peppers will stimulate thirst, which can also help keep you hydrated.
Watermelon
- 91 percent water
Although there are other foods with a higher water content than watermelon, this juicy fruit deserves a special mention here. Watermelon provides not only a lot of water, but it is also a food that provides electrolytes that can help replenish your body after sweating.
Sprinkling a pinch of salt on the watermelon brings out its sweetness, and it’s almost like making your own edible sports drink. It will help replace sodium, one of the main electrolytes that we lose through sweat.
Like many other types of products, a cup of watermelon also provides electrolytes like potassium and magnesium.
Electrolytes regulate muscle contractions, keep you hydrated, balance your pH levels, and control the function of the nervous system. Low electrolyte levels can cause fatigue, nausea, headache, changes in blood pressure, and muscle cramps.