Packing your diet with healthy hydrating foods, particularly during the summer months, will help maintain your body's natural water balance. We need to replace all the water we naturally lose throughout the day to stay fit and healthy.
While we all should be in the habit of sipping water throughout the day to maintain our hydration levels, we can also ensure that we eat plenty of foods with high water content. In this article we list the top twenty most water rich foods so you know which ones to regularly add to your basket.
What are the most hydrating foods?
A whole host of fruit and vegetables are mostly made of water, so you can't go too wrong by ensuring you maintain a balanced diet with plenty of fresh natural produce.
We’ve rounded up the vegetables and fruit with the highest water content, but just outside this top twenty list of the most hydrating foods you’ll find apples, oranges, pineapples, blueberries and Brussel sprouts.
All of those are full of water. Keeping other foods with high water content, such as soup and yoghurt, in your diet is also a great way to stay hydrated.
20) Grapefruit
Water content: 88%
Grapefruit has a super high level of vitamin C. Eating half a grapefruit will provide you with well over your daily recommended amount, as well as about half a glass worth of water. Grapefruit is also packed full of other vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and fibre.
19) Carrots
Water content: 88%
All that orange beta carotene means carrots are chock full of vitamin A which is good for your eyes. They’re also a good source of potassium, fibre, folate and vitamin K.
18) Peaches
Water content: 89%
Peaches are packed with vitamins A, C, E and K as well as B vitamins, potassium and phosphorus. Did you know that the skin of a peach is full of antioxidants?
17) Kale
Water content: 89%
You can’t go wrong with dark green leafy veg. A fab source of iron, Kale is also stuffed with loads of vitamins A, C and K as well as protein, fibre, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. It can’t fit much more healthy stuff in it!
16) Broccoli
Water content: 90%
Broccoli’s super power is its high antioxidant content. It’s also a good source of iron, fibre, calcium, potassium, folic acid and vitamins A and K.
15) Cantaloupe melon
Water content: 90%
One of three types of melon in the top 20 hydrating foods, the cantaloupe is a source of beta carotene and full of fibre. It’s particularly high in vitamin A - a 180g serving will reward you with 120% of your daily recommended amount.
14) Honeydew melon
Water content: 91%
Containing only marginally more water than the cantaloupe, the yellow honeydew melon is a great source of potassium and vitamin C. Be mindful of the amount of natural sugar in melons though - they taste super sweet for a reason!
13) Strawberries
Water content: 91%
Another naturally sweet fruit, the strawberry is rich in vitamin C, the B vitamin folate and minerals such as manganese. It’s also high in antioxidants.
12) Mushrooms
Water content: 92%
As well as being a low-calorie provider of protein, fibre and antioxidants, mushrooms are bursting with a beneficial cocktail of B vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
11) Peppers
Water content: 92%
Compared to other fruit and veg, the sweet pepper (red, green, yellow or orange) contains the highest amount of vitamin C. They are also stacked full of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
10) Cauliflower
Water content: 92%
Super nutritious cauliflowers are particularly low in calories and contain over fifteen different types of vitamins and minerals. A rarity is found in the cauliflower is choline - good for your metabolism and brain health.
9) Cabbage
Water content: 92%
The nutrient heavy cabbage is high in fibre and antioxidants, and full of vitamin C, vitamin K and folate.
8) Watermelon
Water content: 92%
Watermelons have a low-calorie density, meaning that a large portion contains few calories. So, eating watermelon is a great way to feel full without stacking up the calories. They’re mainly water (the clue’s in the name). They’re also one of the best sources of antioxidants and are jammed with vitamins A and C, as well as lots of B vitamins. They’re definitely up there with the fruits with high water content.
7) Cos Lettuce
Water content: 93%
The darker the leaf, the more healthy it’s likely to be. The cos (or romaine) lettuce offers a decent dose of folate, ideal for pregnant women, as well as vitamins A and K. Super low in calories and high in fibre, lettuce is a great one to fill up on. It also might help you fall asleep at night. Some studies on the sleep-inducing effect of lettuce have shown it could have a mild soporific effect.
6) Spinach
Water content: 93%
Bursting with nutrients and fibre, and low in calories, spinach packs a powerful punch of iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium. The ultimate in dark green leafy veg, spinach also provides a shot of folate, and vitamins A and K.
5) Courgette
Water content: 94%
The low-calorie courgette will keep you in good health with its decent dose of vitamins A, C and K, plus potassium, manganese and magnesium and a bunch of antioxidants.
4) Celery
Water content: 95%
Celery is low in calories, carbohydrates and protein, but full of fibre. It also delivers on folate, potassium and vitamins A and K.
3) Tomato:
Water content: 95%
Rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, the good old tomato is one nutritional superhero. It’s high in antioxidants which can help combat diseases, and is a particularly powerful source of vitamin A (which can help keep your skin, eyes and immune system in good shape) and vitamin C (great for tissue growth, development and repair).
2) Iceberg Lettuce
Water content: 95%
The queen of all lettuces, the iceberg variety contains the most water - as its name might suggest. Full of fibre, vitamins A and K, as well as potassium and zinc, it’s low in sugar and carbohydrates. The only downside to the iceberg lettuce is that it doesn’t contain as many nutrients as its dark green cousins.
1) Cucumber.
Water content: 96%
The humble cucumber has the highest water content compared to any other fruit and veg. As it contains so much water, it boasts one of the lowest amounts of calories. Although the cucumber can offer some vitamin K, potassium and magnesium, it doesn’t contain as many nutrients as others on this list. But it’s definitely the most hydrating food you’ll find.
How to eat more water rich vegetables
A great way to get into the habit of regularly eating enough vegetables with high water content is to always have a bit of salad with your lunchtime and evening meals.
A fresh salad that includes the top four most hydrating foods above (cucumber, lettuce, tomato and celery) is a simple way to get a daily health boost.
Throw in some sweet peppers to liven it up. Include a portion of cooked carrots, broccoli or cauliflower to your evening meal to make sure there’s always a bit of veg in the mix. Think of those antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre you could easily be adding to your diet.
How to eat more fruit with high water content
To include fruit with high water content in your diet, try a fresh fruit salad at breakfast time. It’s classically the type of habit we get into while on holiday but always drop once we’re home.
Why not keep up those holiday feels and treat yourself to a little bowl of grapefruit, strawberries, blueberries and all the types of melon in the morning?
When you get peckish for a snack mid-morning or when you have those horrible sugar cravings, try reaching for an apple, orange, melon or peach. Their natural sugars will satisfy your craving as well as hydrate you!
What are the benefits of hydrating foods?
As around two thirds of our bodies are made of water, it’s important that we maintain our natural water balance in order to function properly. Eating foods with high water content can count towards your recommended daily fluid intake. The UK government's Eatwell guide suggests we aim for six to eight glasses of water a day to replace normal fluid loss.
Here are the main symptoms of dehydration, according to the NHS:
- Feeling thirsty
- Dark yellow and strong-smelling urine
- Feeling tired
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- A dry mouth, lips and eyes
- Urinating little, and fewer than four times a day
These symptoms don’t feel good, but dehydration can make you feel even worse. Find out more about the adverse effects of dehydration.
As well as keeping a glass or bottle of pure fresh water to hand, ensuring you eat lots of water rich foods will also be of benefit.
We’ve highlighted the most hydrating foods so you know which ones to keep in your everyday diet to help you stay fit and healthy.
Drinking water, little and often throughout the day will also keep your hydration levels up. Having a home water dispenser that purifies and chills your water on demand is a great way to ensure you maintain your hydration habit. It’s just like having mineral water on tap.
