Trouble staying hydrated? Learn which fruits and veggies contain the most water.
NBA locker rooms are dripping with more than sweaty jerseys these days. Water-fanatics like the Sixers’ T.J. McConnell (he and his teammates favor Ph-adjusted alkaline water), Golden State’s Steph Curry (filtered water) and LeBron James (he masks his bottled water’s label) have embraced the health benefits of plain water over sports drinks. That’s a good practice each of you could follow to improve your digestion and muscle function as well as your skin, heart and brain health.
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, some folks need fewer than eight glasses of water daily, some more. You should always drink when thirsty (more often while exercising or in extreme weather). You can tell if you’re hydrated by the color of your urine—pale yellow or colorless means you are doing well.
But all your hydration should not only come from water—you can rely on water-soaked fruits and veggies for around 20 percent of your daily dose:
- Cucumbers—97.9 percent water
- Grapefruit—91.5 percent water
- Celery—95.4 percent water
- Strawberries—90.9 percent water
- Summer squash—96 percent water
- Watermelon—91.4 percent water
- Tomatoes—95.2 percent water
- Casaba—91.8 percent water
- Rhubarb—93.6 percent water
- Lettuce—95.6 percent water
These water-soaked fruits and veggies provide moisture to lubricate your system, fiber to improve your digestion and phytonutrients that allow well-hydrated muscles to become more energetic and powerful. Your brain needs them to receive oxygen and their nutrients keep you clear-thinking. So drink in all the benefits of staying hydrated with water and water-enriched food.
Medically reviewed in January 2020.
