5 hydrating foods you need for summer

We’re here to talk hydration… but with a twist. Warmer days come with the warning of dehydration and making sure you drink plenty of water is important. But you don't need to stop there, as certain foods can help to keep us hydrated too. On average your body gets about 20% of the water it needs from the foods you eat throughout the day.¹ Raw fruits and vegetables typically provide the highest water content. Any fruits and vegetables with more than 80% water content make a refreshing choice.¹

Made up of around 96% water, cucumbers contain the highest water content of any food. Due to this they’re also low in calories but provide a source of vitamins and fibre.² Cucumbers are very versatile, so can be used in a variety of recipes. Impress your guests with Asian style cucumber salads, the viral green goddess salad or with freshly baked cream cheese and cucumber bagels. Crunchy and refreshing, they add great texture and a mild, lightly sweet flavour to any dish – you can even pickle them.

There’s a whole lot of water content in kiwis, in fact, over 80%.^3,4 Kiwis are also very high in vitamin C and contain an array of other nutrients, such as dietary fibre, potassium, vitamin E and folate. They also include a wide range of antioxidants, phytonutrients and enzymes.⁵

Peaches contain 89% water content and provide a good source of vitamins C and A and potassium.⁶ They offer a delicate, floral sweetness and can be used in both hot or cold, sweet or savoury recipes. Though eating a peach on its own is sweet and succulent, why not try making a tasty grilled peach and blue cheese salad? Or wow your visitors with jars of homemade spiced peach and pepper chutney, bake puff pastry peach and almond slices, whip up a peach melba cheesecake or create a summery and light feta and peach couscous.

As well as helping you reach your hydration goals, most berries will offer you high amounts of fibre too, thanks to their skins and seeds. But with an impressive 91% water content, strawberries are the most hydrating berry.⁷ To get the most hydration out of strawberries, it’s best to eat them in their raw form but you can enjoy them in many ways. Whether you choose to indulge in a classic strawberry-and-cream pairing or whip up something more adventurous, these little red, heart-shaped fruits are pretty versatile. If you prefer savoury tastes, strawberries also pair well with goats’ cheese and go well in a salad with balsamic glaze.

Grapefruit has a high 91% total water content and oranges contain 87% water.^8,9 It’s no coincidence that citrus fruits are commonly juiced, as they offer so much hydrating water from their sweet-tart interiors. Citrus fruits are an all-rounder on taste and nutrition, plus they offer a generous amount of vitamin C.

Not to mention, they're abundant in other macronutrients too, including dietary fibre, potassium, folate, calcium, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid.¹⁰ Citrus fruits are great for using in dressings and marinades. Vibrant and delicious, they can be used in a mixture of salads, noodle dishes, jellies or simply served with Greek yoghurt. 

Of course, food alone is unlikely to be enough to prevent dehydration. Drinking enough water is vital too. Dehydration can cause unclear thinking or confusion, mood changes, cause your body to overheat and lead to constipation and kidney stones. On the other hand, good hydration can help prevent:¹²

Water is essential for life. Without water, we can survive only for a few days.¹³ It’s the most abundant constituent of the human body, accounting for 50-80% of body weight, depending mainly on body fat content.¹⁴ Water helps your body:¹⁵

Did you know that 66% of the UK population aren't drinking enough water every day? This rises to 79% for the over 65s.¹⁶ A study involving 1,000 people from the UK, between the ages of 17-99 years, found that 26% of people don’t feel the need to drink water and 45% never even thinking about it.^17,18 

There isn’t a set amount of water that causes water intoxication. The kidneys can process about one litre of fluid per hour, so any amount above that over a few hours can be risky.^20,21 It’s better to sip water frequently throughout the day, than to drink large quantities in one go. You’ve probably heard about the eight-glasses-a-day (about 64 ounces) recommendation. However, hydration varies from person to person depending on body weight and size, and changes due to heat, humidity and activity levels.²²

Staying hydrated is key to functioning at your best, so make sure you don’t scrimp on water and supplement your daily intake with plenty of fresh fruit and veg. To get the most from them in terms of fibre as well as hydration, eat them as they are – but you can mix it up with recipes too.