You know you should be drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, but did you know you can get some of those recommended 8 to 12 (8-ounce) glasses per day from foods and beverages?
Certain foods have a high water content that can contribute to your daily fluid requirement. To boot, they are low in calories, so they’ll help fill you up on less. Try these alternatives:
1. Jazz up a plain glass of water by adding a spritz of lemon or lime, or a splash of fruit juice.
2. A whopping 90 percent of your morning orange juice or milk counts toward your daily fluid allowance. A glass of milk will also provide 1/3 of your daily calcium requirement -- orange juice offers 100 percent of your daily vitamin C.
3. Foods that melt at room temperature, such as gelatin or ice cream, contain a fair share of water. A 3-ounce cup of JELL-O will provide 1/2 cup of water, while 1 cup of frozen yogurt or a 2-ounce ice pop will give you 1/3 cup of water.
4. A serving of soup provides 3/4 cup of fluid. But be sure to choose low-salt varieties (look for those with five percent or less sodium per serving). Or make your own soups using fresh veggies and broth.
5. Believe it or not, 70 percent of that 11-ounce smoothie counts towards your fluid allowance (1 cup). Watch out for ready-made versions, which can be jammed with unwanted calories. Make your own, using fat-free milk and your favorite fruit for a refreshing, nutritious and low-calorie drink.
6. Most fruits and vegetables are 80 percent water, so they can contribute 3 to 4 cups of your fluid intake. Meet both your daily fluid requirement and your fruit and veggie recommendation of five a day. Here are some higher-water containing fruits and vegetables (over 90 percent water).
- Watermelon (1/16th wedge) = 1 1/3 cups water
- Strawberry halves (1 cup) = 3/4 cup water
- Apple or apricot, or 1 1/2 cups grapes = 1/2 cup water
- Squash (1 cup cooked) = 3/4 cup water
- Broccoli or cauliflower (1 serving) = 2/3 cup water
- Cabbage (1 cup shredded) = 1/2 cup water
- Cucumbers, radishes or celery (1 cup sliced) = 1/2 cup water
- Carrots (1 cup) = 2/3 cup water
- Lettuce, shredded (1 cup) = 1/3 cup water
- Green peppers (1 cup sliced) = 1/3 cup water
7. One cup of cooked pasta and rice will provide 2/3 cup of fluid and 1/2 cup of fluid, respectively. If you have additional vegetables then you can double your intake of fluid!
8. A portion of gravy counts as almost 90 percent fluid.
9. Avoid caffeinated beverages, such as tea, coffee and soft drinks as well as alcohol -- they can actually rob your body of water. Only 2/3 of a caffeinated drink counts toward your daily water intake and just 8 ounces of that 12-ounce diet soda.
10. Steer clear of foods with low-water content, such as dried meat and fruit, chocolate, cookies and cakes. For example, a small amount of raisins (1.5 ounces) has the same calories as 1 1/2 cups grapes, but negligible water content.
