When you greet every morning thinking it’s too bleeping hot, you need water and foods that hydrate! It’s hard to drink enough water and keep electrolytes in balance when a heat dome engulfs your environment. Such conditions affect more and more of us for longer and longer periods. This week as temps climb, I’ll be filling my plate with foods that are high in water content.
Some of my top choices will be:
Cucumbers – not only do I love the light taste and crunch, I’m growing them in my garden. They have the highest water content of any solid food at 96%.
Bok Choy – if I could eat this in a salad with fresh ginger dressing every day, I’d be happy. Wait, I can! Or at least frequently. The bok choy is thriving in my garden. And it’s 96% water.
Romaine Lettuce – yes, I’m growing it in my garden too. It’s slightly more bitter than the commercial variety and has slightly less water content than iceberg lettuce (95% vs 96%). But hey, it also provides vitamins C and A plus folate & fiber.
Summer Squash – I’m not growing it, but I love to sauté it with onion and red bell pepper. It’s 94% water and that combo is one of my favorites.
Bell Peppers – just transplanted some plants from pots to my garden. Hopefully, I’ll have peppers soon. They’re 92% water.
Asparagus – I like asparagus because it’s quick, easy, and delicious. It’s also great for hot weather with its 92% water content.
Cantaloupe – or honeydew or watermelon. I like them all. Watermelon is 92% water, cantaloupe about 89%, and honeydew clocks in around 91%. All are great for a summer BBQ or picnic.
Past these, I’ll add cauliflower just because I like it (92%).
There are also some high water content foods I won’t choose as often. Why? They’re either high in histamine or I don’t like them as well, but they’re still great for hydration!
These include:
Celery – I don’t hate celery; I just don’t love it enough to buy it all the time. It’s 95% water, crunchy, and full of fiber.
Radishes – not my thing. I like the color. I feel like I should enjoy them, but I really don’t. Still, you might and they’re 95% water.
Tomatoes – these I love, but they’re high in histamine so I didn’t plant any. About a dozen plants grew voluntarily in my garden. I’ll give away those gorgeous balls of 94% water away when they turn bright red.
Mushrooms – I like some varieties better than others, but my tummy doesn’t always like any of them. At 92% water, you can enjoy some for me.
Spinach – yep, also high in histamine. I hate that because I used to grow a lot of it in my garden and it grew well. It’s 92% water.
Strawberries – this one I miss. I love strawberries on shortcake, dipped in chocolate, on cereal, on cheesecake and made into jelly. They don’t need to be 92% water for me to want them. Unfortunately, they are also problematic for my low histamine regimen.
These are not comprehensive lists. Peaches, pineapple, oranges, and broccoli are also good for hydration as are blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. And it never hurts to increase our intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Extreme heat curbs my appetite for heavy food. Lighter fare appeals. Luckily, that lighter fare includes many foods that hydrate. I plan to enjoy several of them today!
