Got Water?

GOT WATER?

Today, I began to read an article in the latest Harvard Medical School Health Letter that offered some surprising information: the old recommendation of drinking 8 cups of water a day is not sufficient. Instead, we should aim for about 11 cups per day for women and 15 cups per day for men. My initial reaction was that this is significantly more than I currently consume. However, after reading the entire article, I realized I might not be falling as short as I thought. Here are excerpts from the July 1, 2024 post by Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Using food to stay hydrated.

(Please also check out my May 2019 post Keep Yourself Hydrated.)

Boost the amount of water-rich foods in your diet to supplement your daily fluid intake

It’s easy to guzzle a glistening glass of ice water on a hot summer afternoon; it quenches your thirst and cools your body as you fight the blistering heat.

What’s harder is routinely reaching for water and other drinks to stay hydrated each day. Maybe you don’t sense that you’re thirsty (which is common as we age), you worry about frequent trips to the bathroom, or you forget to take a few sips every hour. Whatever the reason, take heart: you can make up some of the difference with food.

Fluid in food

Most foods contain at least a little water, even walnuts (about 3% water), a whole-wheat bagel (about 38%), and cooked salmon filets (about 65% water).

But the superstars of water-rich foods are fruits and vegetables. “For example, celery, cucumbers, and romaine lettuce are about 95% water,” says Nancy Oliveira, a registered dietitian and manager of the Nutrition and Wellness Service at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Other fruits and vegetables, such as green grapes, peaches, and corn, are in the 70% to 90% water range.”

Soups, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and smoothies are also excellent sources of dietary fluid. (See “Foods that are good sources of water.”)

Are you consuming enough?

The amount of fluid to consume each day from food and drink depends on your body size and health needs. The National Academy of Medicine recommends about 11 cups (88 ounces) per day for women and 15 cups (120 ounces) per day for men.

If that seems steep, remember that everything you drink — water, moderate amounts of caffeinated coffee or tea, juice, milk, or even drinks with a low alcohol content, like beer — counts toward this total.

Plus, a balanced diet may help contribute up to two cups of fluid to your daily intake. For example, eating the recommended two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables each day might provide about 15 ounces of fluid.

Pump up the volume

If staying hydrated is challenging for you, consider increasing the amount of watery foods you eat. Don’t worry about calculating ounces; just up the ante a bit. Oliveira suggests

• having a smoothie for breakfast made of one or two fruits and plant or dairy milk (or water)
• snacking on raw veggies, grapes, an orange, or a slice of watermelon
• eating a large salad for lunch with a wide variety of colorful vegetables
• enjoying soup for dinner
• adding small amounts of water-rich foods to each meal, such as a handful of berries to cereal, a cup of cooked veggies to dinner, or a dollop of plain nonfat Greek yogurt to chili or soup.

Drink just a little more

No matter how much water-rich food you consume, it’s still essential to drink enough fluids to stay hydrated. “Water is the best choice because it has no additives, so it’s absorbed quickly. Have some at each meal,” Oliveira says. Here are her tips to make water more enticing.

• Add fresh herbs like mint or basil (tap the leaves with the end of a wooden spoon to release the flavor).
• Add a slice of cucumber or fruit.
• Drink it at different temperatures (chilled, with ice, or warm).
• Add a small amount of a non-caloric water enhancer like Mio or Crystal Light.

It might take time to find the right combination of drinks and water-rich foods to stay hydrated. Hitting the sweet spot will keep you energized, alert, and refreshed on a warm summer day or all year round.

FOODS THAT ARE GOOD SOURCES OF WATER
FOODS	PERCENTAGE OF WATER
Asparagus, baby carrots, broccoli, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, iceberg or romaine lettuce, peppers, skim milk, spinach, strawberries, watermelon, zucchini	90%-100%
Apples, cottage cheese, green grapes, navel oranges, pears, peaches, pineapple, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, sweet potatoes	80%-90%
Avocados, bananas, lentils (cooked), part-skim ricotta cheese, salmon (cooked), shrimp (cooked), yellow corn (cooked)	70%-80%