You’ve probably heard about the benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning, but there are more than a few foods that can help pep up your glass of water — something you may want to consider when replenishing the water pitcher during the hot summer days. Below, you’ll find some of the best expert-approved water additions to level up your hydration.
Cucumber. What makes cucumber such a good hydrator is not its crunchy body, but its seeds. Particularly, the slime that suspends a cucumber’s seeds is where most of the water is. That slime is actually called “structured” or “gel” water and it’s the result of water molecules layering on top of each other. Adding a few slices of cucumber to your water glass can significantly enhance the amount of water your body’s taking in.
Chia seeds. These nutrient-packed seeds also contain gel water, and they’re full of fiber which, in fact, enables the seeds to absorb 12 times their weight in water. “The fiber is what really acts as a sponge,” says Dana Cohen, M.D., an integrative medicine physician. “[Chia seeds can] hold on to that hydration much better than just plain bulk water alone.”
Sea salt. This one may seem a bit counterintuitive, but sea salt can help remineralize filtered water as well as help your cells better absorb water molecules through sodium transporters. Plus, if you spend a lot of time in hot or humid environments, you may need to replace sodium that’s lost through perspiration.
Apple. While watermelons or cucumbers may come to mind first when thinking about fruit-infused water, apples are a hugely underrated hydrator, containing up to 86 percent water. What’s more, apples are rich in potassium, which can help replace some electrolytes.
