Dehydration is not something you should ever take lightly. Water is essential to life, and dehydration can cause serious health issues. There are several possible causes of dehydration, including but not limited to lack of water intake, the flu with a fever, physical exertion, and more. A lot of people tend to ignore dehydration because the body does find ways to compensate by reabsorbing fluid from blood and tissue.

However, because of that it is even more important that you not ignore dehydration, as even just losing 5% of the body’s overall fluids can lead to nausea, weakness, and irritability.

Severe dehydration has even worse effects, such as impairment in major senses like vision and hearing. A dehydrated person will have difficulty walking and talking.

There is increased nausea and dizziness, as well as headaches. Actually, losing more than 15% of the body’s fluids can be fatal.

The good news is that when trying to rehydrate your body, water is not your only option.

7 Helpful Food Items That Will Hydrate Your Body

Watermelon

It’s pretty obvious, given the name of the fruit, right? Watermelons consist of 92% water, which is just what you want when you’re looking for foods that can help improve your hydration levels.

The good thing about watermelon is that it doesn’t just have water in it.

It also contains carbohydrates, which can help your body absorb the water content much more easily. Watermelons also have potassium. Potassium combined with sodium can help keep your body’s hydration level at an optimum point.

Cucumbers

Just like watermelons, cucumbers also contain a lot of water. This good old green baby has 95% water, plus it gives you a bit extra.

You also get vitamin C and fiber — both very helpful in keeping the body healthy.

Another thing: cucumbers are quite versatile and can be used in many different ways. You can use cucumbers for juicing, or add it as an ingredient in your salad. You can even use it for your snack dips and soups, if you like.

Strawberries

More fruits for hydration! Strawberries contain 91% water, plus they come packed with vitamin C and folate, which helps speed up the production of new cells.

The good thing about fruits and their water content is that these are naturally refreshing. A lot of food items can hydrate, but there’s something about juicy strawberries that really hits the spot — both physically and emotionally. Pop those strawberries straight into your mouth for a healthy burst of hydration. If you’d like these strawberries in baked goods, that’s fine, too, although nothing beats the natural form.

Chicken Soup

All right, the truth is that all soups and broths can be used to hydrate the body.

As you probably recognize by now, it’s not only the water content that matters. Soups and broths are nourishing; there’s logic to your mom’s chicken noodle soup and its seemingly magical powers.

For better results, use fruits and vegetables that contain lots of nutrients, vitamins, and electrolytes. These healthy broths will certainly boost not just your hydration levels, but also your spirits.

Celery

Admittedly, no one looks at celery and thinks, “That’s hydrating”. It’s a nice ingredient in a lot of dishes, sure, but can celery really be hydrating? Yes. Celery is rich in electrolytes, which help replenish the body’s hydration level.

Even after an intense workout, just a few sticks of celery can help boost a person’s mineral levels, e.g. sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and more. Celery also works well in your Juicer.

Broccoli

Again, this isn’t one of your usual hydrating foods.

Surprise: broccoli contains 90% water plus it really has a lot of health-boosting features. It is anti-inflammatory and contains high levels of antioxidants to prevent the weakening of body cells and tissue.

The body comes into contact with lots of toxins daily. Broccoli has the antioxidants needed to protect your DNA and might even help prevent cancer.

Finally, broccoli contains high levels of magnesium — a very important mineral that helps regulate the body’s sugar levels and prevent heart attacks.

Coconut Water

Why not just regular water, right?

Because coconut water is a much better source of electrolytes; in fact, coconut water is much more effective in hydrating the body than most sports drinks. It hydrates without filling the body with sugar, and it also helps protect the heart by lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure. It’s low sodium, though, so this might be a concern for high endurance athletes.