Eat your water, too! 5 foods high in water content

by Brittany Anas · August 2, 2013

You’ve heard the rule before: Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. In the heat of August, you might want to chug even more. So what if we told you that you could complement your H2O consumption with some refreshing fruits and veggies that have super-high water contents?

Here’s how you can eat your water, too:

Watermelon: Voted most popular at barbecues, this fruit is about 91 percent water. This summer, we’re loving watermelon salads with a little bit of feta cheese and mint. You can also use a melon baller to create bite-size bits of the fruit that the kids will surely love.

(Find a stainless steel melon baller at Crate & Barrel. Tip: You can also use it to scoop out cookie dough)

Cantaloupe: Another melon high in water content, cantaloupe has anywhere from 90 to 95 percent water. For a simple and quick way to eat it in the morning, slice off a piece piece of melon, put a dollop of plain Greek yogurt on it and add a few blueberries or raspberries for a healthy parfait.

Crisp lettuce leaves: The winner of the most hydrated food is … lettuce. And who wants to turn on the oven in August? Turn salads into dinner (or a side) with healthy toppings like grilled chicken, walnuts, mandarin oranges, strawberries, blueberries and a little bit of goat cheese. It’s also a good source of potassium and folate.

Grapefruit: This citric fruit has about 90 percent water. Here’s how to turn it into a breakfast smoothie with a banana and some juice (be sure to add in some actual grapefruit).

Cucumbers: They’re amazing. Not only do they have high water content (up to 95 percent), but they also are good for your skin, improve your dental health and the high silica content helps prevent your nails from splitting. Here’s something you probably never thought of before: Replace your sandwich bread with a cucumber. Just slice the veggie in half, add your meets, cheeses, sauces and other veggies and you’ve got a skinny veggie sub without all of the carbs.

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