Eat Your Water With These 20 Hydrating Foods

There’s a common misconception that you need to drink at least eight glasses of water to stay hydrated. But the truth is, you don’t have to force yourself to gulp down water while keeping track of the number of glasses. Many foods are basically made of water. So, eat your water this summer with these 20 hydrating foods.

1. Cucumber

Water Content: 96%

Basically water in the shape of a vegetable, cucumber is great for keeping you cool and refreshed. It’s low in calories but high in many important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. It’s great for hydration, skin health, and aiding in digestion.

2. Lettuce

Water Content: 95%

Lettuce, known as the “queen of the salad plants,” packs a punch with fiber, vitamins A, C, and K, and folate. Its high water content keeps you hydrated and helps maintain your waistline, all while being super low in calories.

3. Celery

Water Content: 95%

Celery is great for hydration—unless it’s in a bloody mary (wink wink). It’s loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, plus potassium and folate. These nutrients help reduce inflammation and aid digestion. Being low in calories, it’s perfect for guilt-free snacking.

4. Green Bell Peppers

Water Content: 94%

While all bell papers are great for hydration, the best is the green shade, which contains 94% water.

5. Radishes

Water Content: 95%

With 95% water content, radishes are little peppery hydration bombs. They’re also rich in calcium, Vitamin C, folate, and fiber, which help boost your immune system and promote digestion.

6. Tomatoes

Water Content: 94%

Whether you call them a fruit or a vegetable, tomatoes will keep you hydrated like a champ, thanks to their 94% water content. They also pack a nutritional punch with lycopene, which helps prevent cell damage, along with other health-boosting nutrients.

7. Zucchini

Water Content: 94%

Here’s another reason to swap the traditional pasta for zucchini, especially when you’re hot and sweaty. It’s 94% water and only 33 calories per medium-sized serving. Plus, it’s packed with vitamin A, manganese, and vitamin C. It is also rich in antioxidants like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which are great for eye health, boosting immunity, and improving digestion.

8. Watercress

Water Content: 93%

Aptly named, the leafy green with a peppery flavor is as rich in water content as it is in nutrients. Its high vitamin K content is particularly good for bone health, while vitamins A and C boost your immune system and improve skin health. So throw it in your next salad and reap all the benefits.

9. Watermelon

 Water Content: 92%

With ‘water’ in its name, it’s no surprise that this quintessential summer fruit is 92% … well … water. Watermelon also has a high nutritional profile, being rich in vitamins A and B6, and it contains about 15% of your daily vitamin C needs. Plus, it’s packed with lycopene, an antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation and may lower the risk of certain cancers and heart disease.

10. Strawberries

Water Content: 93%

With more than 90% water content, strawberries are a perfect snack to quench your thirst on hot summer days. They’re also packed with antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, which help reduce inflammation and protect your body from free radicals.

11. Spinach

Water Content: 92%

A refreshing summer staple for salads and smoothies, spinach is made up of 92% water — no wonder it basically evaporates when you try to fry it! It’s also loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, plus folate, iron, and calcium, making it fantastic for bone health.

12. Cauliflower

Water Content: 92%

The popular carb replacement, cauliflower, has 92% water content when raw, which increases to 93% when cooked. It’s also packed with vitamins C and K, B6, folate, and fiber.

13. Okra

Water Content:93%

Also known as lady’s finger, okra is a hydrating powerhouse with 93% water content and nutritional hero, packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, fiber, and antioxidants.

14. Broth

Water Content: 90–95%

Broth might not be your first choice for hydration on a hot day, but it definitely should be. Broth, being a liquid, is 90% to 95% water, with the rest being dissolved proteins, fats, and sodium. The water content largely depends on the type of broth, with vegetable broths being almost entirely made up of water as they contain less fat and protein.

Beef broth, on the other hand, has a lower water content but is rich in essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are great for bone health.

15. Asparagus

Water Content: 92%

Asparagus might make your pee smell funny, but it is totally worth it. The green veggie is 92% water and rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K, folate, fiber, and a good dose of antioxidants.

16. Portobello Mushrooms

Water Content: 91%

Raw portobello mushrooms can have up to 95% water content. Though they’re rarely eaten raw, even when cooked, their water content only drops to 91%, which is still impressive.

17. Cabbage

Water Content: 92%

Cabbages bring a refreshing crunch and a nutritional punch to your salads. Some Chinese varieties, like bok choy, are known to consist of 94% water.

18. Broccoli

Water Content: 90%

There’s a reason your mom insisted on “first broccoli, then ice cream.” Broccoli’s 90% water content, along with vitamins C and K, fiber, and antioxidants, make it a powerhouse vegetable.

19. Cantaloupe

Water Content: 90% 

The perfect partner to prosciutto, cantaloupe is a thirst-quencher with its 90% water content. It’s low in calories and packed with essential nutrients, including vitamins A and C, which makes it the ultimate summer snack.

20. Grapefruit

Water Content: 90%

Orange’s less popular cousin, grapefruit, is your answer to thirst. Brimming with 90% water and loaded with vitamins A and C, this citrus fruit may taste bitter, but its nutritional value is incredibly sweet.