There’s no need to emphasize the importance of hydration. Although there are so many myths and confusion about the topic. The myth that two liters a day are only a recommendation, not a hard rule. It’s impossible to estimate how much water you personally need without in-depth studies.
However, drinking is not the only source of hydration. You get a lot of water by eating the right foods with high water content.
Fruits
| Fruits | Water Content | Fruits | Water Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watermelon | 92% | Honeydew Melon | 90% |
| Kiwi | 85% | Pineapple | 86% |
| Strawberries | 91% | Apples | 86% |
| Cantaloupe | 90% | Plums | 87% |
| Peaches | 89% | Blackberries | 88% |
| Oranges | 88% | Mandarins | 85% |
| Grapefruit | 88% | Blueberries | 85% |
1. Watermelon
Water content: 92%
Watermelon is one of the most hydrating fruits on the planet. One cup serving contains more than half a cup of water! You also get some fiber and other important nutrients such as vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Magnesium.
Since watermelon has very high water content it has a low-calorie density, meaning that it’s an amazing and healthy food. Furthermore, it’s rich in antioxidants, easy to eat, and adored by adults and children. Eat it plain or add some watermelon cubes to your salads.
2. Kiwi
Water content 85%
Kiwis not only look good as a decoration but also have more vitamin C than oranges and have as much Potassium as a medium banana. They also have a low glycemic index and don’t spike the blood sugar as fast as fruit juice would. When properly ripe, kiwis are sweet and sour, making them an interesting addition to other hydrating foods like fruit salads or smoothies.
3. Strawberries
Water content: 91%
Strawberries provide lots of fiber, disease-fighting antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamin C, Folate, and Manganese. It is easy to include strawberries in your meals by blending them into smoothies, adding them to yogurt, porridge, or simply using them as decorations for pancakes. They can make for a unique addition to wraps and sandwiches.
4. Cantaloupe
Water content: 90%
Cantaloupe is a cousin of honey melon. It’s very nutritious, delicious and can contribute to your overall good health. One cup of cantaloupe is delivering more than a half cup of water for your body. Together with 2 grams of fiber which fills you up, reduces your appetite, and is good for your gut. Also, cantaloupe is rich in vitamin A, providing 120% of your daily needs in a 180-gram serving.
Again, you can eat it plain, as a side, as a dessert or add it to salads, smoothies, and yogurt.
5. Peaches
Water content: 89%
Peaches are a very nutrient-dense and hydrating fruit. They also provide several important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, and Potassium. Water and fiber balance is why they are so filling and low in calories – with only 60 calories in a medium peach.
It’s easy and tasty to add peaches to your diet. Snack on them, put some into yogurt, cottage cheese, salads, or simply blend them.
6. Oranges
Water content: 88%
Oranges are incredibly healthy and may provide a number of health benefits. There is almost a half cup of water in one orange, along with fiber and several nutrients. And that’s the way it’s meant to be eaten. Eating an orange is actually better than drinking orange juice for a variety of reasons. Oranges are rich in vitamin C and Potassium, antioxidants, and Citric acid that is needed for your organ function.
7. Grapefruit
Water content: 88%
It’s an exceptionally healthy citrus fruit with many health benefits. It’s similar to oranges but different in taste and much higher vitamin C and vitamin A but lower in minerals than its cousin. Grapefruit is lower in sugar making it more refreshing to eat on a hot summer day and lowering the glycemic index. It is a nice addition to salads.
8. Honeydew melon
Water content: 90%
This is a variety of melon family. Yellow-green in color and very sweet in taste. A good source of potassium and vitamin C. Also contains amounts of Magnesium, Folate, and vitamin K. Like most melons, it has a high sugar content so it should be thought of more as a dessert or a snack, than an everyday ingredient.
9. Pineapple
Water content: 86%
This funky tropical fruit is packed with nutrients. Exceptionally high in vitamin C and Manganese. Pineapple carries Bromelain, an enzyme that is known to produce anti-inflammatory effects. Pineapples are good as a snack but you can’t eat a lot of it because it leaves your mouth irritated. That’s for good, though, as pineapples are quite high in sugar. Often used as an ingredient in oriental cuisine.
10. Apples
Water content: 86%
Apples come in many varieties and are known around the world. This fruit is not the most nutritious and doesn’t have exceptionally high water content. It’s on this list because the apple is a very simple and easily available common fruit. It would be so much better to reach for an apple instead of a sugary drink. So go for it!
11. Plums
Water content 87%
Simple plum sometimes gets overlooked. Not the tastiest and not the most hydrating. But some studies have shown that plums have a twice as high amount of polyphenol antioxidants as other similar fruits like nectarines and peaches.
Also, plums are known for their ability to relieve constipation. This is partly because of the high amount of fiber which is insoluble in water. Simply speaking – it’s good for your gut.
12. Blackberries
Water content 88%
Blackberries are lower in sugars than other similar berries. They’re rich in taste and intense in color, meaning they contain lots of nutrients. This includes phytochemicals protecting from free radicals. Also an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C and Manganese. Blackberries are nice as a snack, as a food decoration, in addition to yogurt, salads, and smoothies. Additionally, you can slice them in half and throw some of them into your water for added taste. And eat them when the bottle is empty.
13. Mandarins
Water content 85%
Mandarins are sometimes forgotten cousins of more popular oranges. They are pretty similar and contain vitamin C, antioxidants, and beneficial fiber. Importantly, mandarins are way easier to eat. Usually, mandarin is easier to peel and has a firmer structure than an orange. Meaning kids won’t get all messy and sticky hands. Also, they’re smaller, have smaller pieces that are easier to eat. And simplicity is quite important when you’re thinking about incorporating hydrating foods.
14. Blueberries
Water content 85%
Blueberries are sweet, nutritious, and really popular. They’re low in calories, high in nutrients, and often get labeled as a superfood. Blueberries are some of the most nutrient-dense berries. One cup of blueberries contains 4 grams of fiber, lots of vitamin C, vitamin K and antioxidants. They are great as a stand-alone snack, work well in salads, yogurts, healthy cereal or blended smoothies.
Vegetables
| Vegetables | Water Content | Vegetables | Water Content/> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cucumber | 96% | Zucchini | 94% |
| Eggplant | 89% | Celery | 95% |
| Radishes | 95% | Tomatoes | 94% |
| Iceberg lettuce | 96% | Bell Peppers | 92% |
| Kale | 84% | Cauliflower | 92% |
| Broccoli | 89% | Romaine Lettuce | 93% |
| Spinach | 91% | Portabella Mushrooms | 93% |
| Carrots | 88% |
15. Cucumber
Water content: 96%
If compared to other vegetables water-rich, cucumbers are among the lowest in calories. They contain only around 8 calories in a half-cup (per 50 gram) serving. While it’s a long call to recommend snacking on a bag of cucumbers, they work well in salads, as a side dish or even in a smoothie. Try putting a few slices of cucumber in your water bottle.
16. Eggplant
Water content: 89%
Eggplants come in a variety of colors: purple, green, orange, white, and striped. In nature, rich and dark colors are a sign of nutrient density. Make sure to include eggplants in your diet but don’t overcook them as crisped or breaded foods are not healthy in general. Eggplants are a good source of fiber and are liked by chefs because of their ability to absorb other tastes while marinating and soaking them in healthy fats, for example.
17. Radishes
Water content: 95%
Radishes are exceptional root vegetables. With all the spicy flavors happening, you can be sure that you’re tasting in an impressive pack of nutrients. Radishes are rich in vitamin C, Phosphorus, Zinc, antioxidants, and other goodies.
If you like, you can snack on them as you would with carrots. However, radishes work well in making your salads, sandwiches, and wraps so much more interesting.
18. Iceberg Lettuce
Water content: 96%
Lettuce as a vegetable is a common salad ingredient. And for a good reason. One cup (72 grams) of lettuce serves more than a quarter cup (59 grams) of water.
While it’s hard to eat enough lettuce to satisfy a moderate amount of needed daily nutrients, nonetheless, Iceberg Lettuce serves as an excellent base for other salad ingredients and some healthy salad dressing included.
19. Kale
Water content: 84%
Kale is a well known and really dense in nutrients leafy green vegetable. Similar to lettuce but much harder to chew on and bitter in taste. That’s because it contains high amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Also Calcium, fiber, and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals. Definitely a good and healthy choice.
20. Broccoli
Water content: 89%
It contains several different antioxidants. Also is a rich source of fiber, Iron, Potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Broccoli might not come to mind as a vegetable high in water, but it contains close to 90% of water.
Like other cruciferous vegetables it’s worth steaming in for a short time to preserve the nutrients. You can eat it raw, especially buds, but don’t do it in high quantities. Broccoli sprouts are much more suited to that.
21. Spinach
Water content: 91%
This is a truly legendary leafy green vegetable that packs a lot of nutrition and fiber with very few calories. Excellent source of Magnesium, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, vitamin A, vitamin K, fiber, and Folate. Spinach is popular as a base for salads. It’s also good to blend it even with sweet fruit for those healthy smoothies. You can also saute spinach and it goes well with mushrooms and scrambled egg.
22. Carrots
Water content: 88%
While not dripping when you slice them, carrots make for a good snack that’s healthy and hydrating. That bright orange color of carrots comes from high amounts of beta carotene. It converts into vitamin A and is necessary for good eyesight and immune system. Carrots are also a good source of Potassium, Folate, Fiber, and vitamin K.
Try steaming them or making them in pretty much about anything from smoothies to ice cream.
23. Zucchini
Water content: 94%
Zucchini is a nutritious vegetable but is quite bland in taste. Because it’s over 90% of water and high in fiber it serves as a good base or filler with other hydrating foods.
Zucchini is pretty low in caloric value – at around 20 calories per one-cup serving. The same cup of Zucchini contains 35% of your daily need of vitamin C. You can eat it raw, like noodles, steam it, add it to soups and stews.
24. Celery
Water content: 95%
Like other water-rich vegetables, celery may prove helpful with weight loss. It contains just 16 calories per cup. While it’s hard to recommend someone to chew on celery as a snack, it works well as a salad ingredient.
Celery is rich in vitamin K and Potassium. You can incorporate celery into soups and stews or dip into hummus or guacamole instead of nachos.
25. Tomatoes
Water content: 94%
Tomatoes have an impressive nutrition profile and are well known and loved around the world. One medium raw tomato carries about a half a cup (118 ml) of water. This water contributes to their low-calorie density which is less than 30 calories in the same medium raw tomato. That with an abundance of tastes and wide variety of usage over thousands of recipes makes tomato a true champion.
26. Bell Peppers
Water content: 92%
Rich in Fiber, vitamin B and minerals, such as Potassium, Bell peppers also carry antioxidants. Even more impressive, Bell peppers are ranked among the highest vitamin C containing vegetables. You can get a whopping 300% of your daily needs in 150 grams of Bell Peppers.
Also, low in calories. To get most of the benefits eat them raw, in salads or lightly sauteed in stir-fries.
27. Cauliflower
Water content: 92%
One cup (100 grams) of cauliflower serves you over one-fourth cup (30 ml) of water. Not much, but that comes with over 3 grams of beneficial fiber and a low-calorie density of 25 calories per cup. That and over 15 different vitamins and minerals including Choline which is an essential nutrient for brain health and metabolism.
You can use cauliflower instead of grains by chopping it finely into ‘rice’. Or steam it lightly and top up with other healthy goodies. Or mash it and replace potatoes. It’s a really versatile veggie.
28. Romaine lettuce
Water content: 93%
Romaine lettuce is not far behind Iceberg lettuce in water, but is a bit more nutritious and has more taste than other lettuces. In general, the darker the greens the more healthful they are. Additionally, you can use Romaine or any other lettuce as a wrap instead of a tortilla.
29. Portabella Mushrooms
Water content: 93%
Mushrooms are Fungi, a different species. But overall, edible and medicinal mushrooms are really healthy and full of water. A good source of Selenium, Copper, Potassium, and Polysaccharides that are potent anti-cancer agents.
Don’t eat mushrooms raw. Cook them, bake them, add them to soups, saute them and make them part of your healthy diet.
Hydrating foods prepared as meals
| Prepared Foods | Water Content | Prepared Foods | Water Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salads | 95% | Boiled Sweet Potatoes | 81% |
| Sauerkraut and Kimchi | 96% | Plain Yogurt | 75% |
| Cooked Pumpkin | 94% | Broth and Soups | 92% |
30. Salads
Water content: 90-95%
Salads are great meals for summer. If you stay close to seasonal eating you should be craving various mixtures of greens and vegetables during the warmer seasons. Topped with healthy oils, and other bits like olives and such, salads become a superb nutrient-dense and hydrating food.
31. Sauerkraut and Kimchi
Water content: 96-95%
These fermented foods are great and water-rich. Some sort of cabbage (that usually has a water content of 90%) will be included. Cabbages are low in calories and high in fiber. Also sources of vitamin C, Vitamin K, and folate. When cabbage is fermented these qualities are amplified even further. Plus it’s so beneficial for digestive health.
32. Cooked Pumpkin
Water content: 94%
Pumpkin is packed with vitamins and minerals and is also relatively low in calories because it’s 94% water. It’s also very high in the same Beta-carotene that carrots have. Pumpkin is really versatile. Add it to your stew, bake a pie out of it or blend it into a soup.
33. Boiled sweet potatoes
Water content: 81%
Surprisingly, boiled or steamed sweet potatoes have a quite high amount of water. Potatoes have plenty of vitamins and minerals in them. Also, they are extremely versatile, incredibly filling, naturally gluten-free, and if prepared correctly can contain resistant starch that is super beneficial for your gut. Just stay away from deep-fried potatoes!
34. Plain Yogurt
Water content: 75%
If you don’t have issues with lactose intolerance, then plain yogurt and other fermented milk products can bring a lot of additional water into your diet. It also provides vitamins and minerals, such as Calcium, Phosphorus and Potassium. Also, it’s a source of protein and serves as a great base to drop those fruits and berries into. Or to make a healthy salad dressing for both fruit and savory salads.
35. Broths and Soups
Water content: 92%
Broths and soups are usually water-based and by nature are very hydrating and nutritious. As salads belong in the summer, so soups are typical winter food. Basically it’s water that is made nutritions by introducing all your favorite vegetables and/or meats, fish, and poultry. This is a great way to keep the high water content of the mentioned vegetables and eat them in multiple combinations. Just make sure to start with the right and high-quality purified water.
Final words
The advice to ‘drink enough water if echoed everywhere where we have access to pure water. And we should be grateful for that. Water is a key element in any healthy organism on planet earth whenever they drink it or consume it with foods. And pure water, free of contaminants is even more essential.
If you’re just getting into the pure and freshwater territory, my advice is to take a look into countertop Reverse Osmosis systems. They are easy to install or require no installation at all. I have a full guide written on countertop RO systems. Today, among the best and easiest ways to purify your water is to use a water distillation or some kind of Reverse Osmosis system.