Ways To Stay Hydrated Besides Drinking Water

Water is usually the first thing people turn to when they are thirsty. However, water is not the only thing that will quench your thirst and keep you hydrated. You can stay hydrated by drinking other liquids and eating certain foods. With so many options, it is very easy to choose something to drink or eat to stay hydrated.

Our bodies are made up of sixty percent water. That's wonderful because water is crucial to our well-being, especially for hydration.

Read the following list of things to drink and eat to get water into your body, but do not think those things are in place of water. Instead, they are in addition to drinking water.

1. Drink Tea

Drinking tea is an excellent way to stay hydrated because it is 100% herb-flavored water. It doesn't matter which tea you drink because every tea is made with water.

The caffeine in tea does not cause dehydration. Therefore, avoid adding too much sugar to your tea, as it can dehydrate you rather than hydrate.

2. Drink Coffee

Drinking coffee does not result in dehydration, as many people think. Like tea, coffee is prepared with water. Like tea, caffeine will not cause dehydration. Also, like tea, be careful with the amount of sugar you use to sweeten your coffee.

3. Drink Milk

Milk is an excellent way to stay hydrated. Some researchers say milk might be even more hydrating than water. That is because milk contains fats and proteins that the body takes longer to digest. Therefore, milk keeps the body hydrated for a longer period.

If you find it challenging to consume an entire glass of milk, use other ways to get milk into your body. A good example is eating breakfast cereal with milk.

4. Eat Fruit

Let's move from drinking to eating. There are many fruits that have high contents of water. Watermelon tops the list. It is no wonder because it has a water content of 92 percent. After watermelon, here are some other fruits:

• strawberries
• pears
• apples
• pineapples

It sounds strange, but dehydrated fruits could even help with hydration. That's because they have a water content of about 15 percent. They will not accomplish nearly as much as fresh fruit can do, but something is better than nothing.

5. Eat Vegetables

Eating fresh vegetables does wonders in many ways. Besides getting your daily dose of vegetables for other benefits, you will also stay hydrated. Make sure you eat fresh vegetables for their high water content, rather than the frozen or canned varieties.

The best vegetables to eat for their water content include bell peppers, celery, and squash. Peanut butter on a celery stick is a healthy and delicious snack to eat for hydration.

6. Eat a Salad

Even though vegetables are already on the list of hydrating foods, a green leafy salad is another good example. The leafy greens contain mainly water. They can be eaten on their own or as a side dish.

Iceberg lettuce, with a water content of ninety-six percent, is one of the most hydrating foods. When you make your green salad, make sure you do not add dressing with high sugar and salt content. Both sugar and salt could lead to dehydration. A good choice for a salad dressing is olive oil.

7. Eat Soup

Most soups are made with quite a bit of water. Therefore, soups are hydrating. When you eat soup, you are definitely eating your water. Clear soups are the best to eat because they have the highest water content.

Keep in mind that a thick soup is less hydrating than a thin soup with more water. There are many clear soups to choose from. Also, make your own soup, such as cabbage or minestrone. Avoid canned soups because they are usually rich in sugar and sodium.

8. Eat Apple Sauce

Even though you eat apples as a fruit, you can still eat apple sauce. It is a good side dish with a main meal or as a snack.

Apples have a good supply of hydration properties. Apple sauce has a high water content, and it is even higher if you make the sauce yourself with water. Adding a small amount of sugar or a dash of cinnamon to the sauce will not remove any of the apple sauce's hydrating properties.

As you can see from the list above, you can stay hydrated without limiting yourself to water alone. There are other beverages and some foods with a high water content.

• Drink tea.
• Drink coffee.
• Drink milk.
• Eat fruits.
• Eat vegetables.
• Eat a green salad.
• Eat soup.
• Eat apple sauce.

Author's Note

This content is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge and research. It does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional.