We wrote about the importance and care for hydration in the blog Hydration and Electrolytes. Here, however, we will focus on how we can take care of hydration, well-being, and energetic flow in our daily lives through the choice of food and drink from pure natural sources.
Water is definitely the first thought when we speak about thirst and hydration, but there are many foods that are full of minerals and electrolytes, and those where the main ingredient is water. Therefore, about 20-30% of daily liquid intake can come from food.
Which foods hydrate our bodies?
Foods consisting of more than 90% of water:
Cucumbers,
celery,
lettuce,
tomatoes,
radishes,
broccoli,
watermelon,
melon,
pineapple,
grapefruit,
apples,
strawberries,
blueberries.
Foods full of naturally present electrolytes:
Lemons - best known for their high vitamin C content, are a rich source of potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which regulate the pH of our body.
Green leafy vegetables - contain magnesium and potassium. Spinach, chard, kale, beet leaves, parsley can be added to various cold and warm dishes. We can add them to a smoothie for breakfast or lunch, or we can prepare them in a salad or warm side dish with the main meal.
Bananas, avocado, oranges, tomato, peas, asparagus, carrot, sweet potato - are full of potassium and calcium.
Beans, lentils, peanuts, nuts, and certain types of dried fruit - are rich in magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
Water kefir and kombucha - are refreshing probiotic beverages filled with naturally occurring minerals and electrolytes that support muscle regeneration.
Raw coconut water - is a natural isotonic beverage filled with potassium, sodium, and other minerals. Because it contains naturally-occurring healthy sugars, it can increase athletes' energy levels for longer training during their activity in addition to increasing their electrolytes. We can buy a young coconut in the store, or we can look in the fridge for a bottle with light to a mildly pink liquid that has no extra ingredients. However, we can also make coconut yogurt out of coconut and make a healthy breakfast or lunch.
Vegetable stock - water in which we cooked a variety of organic vegetables retains ion minerals and key electrolytes. If algae (from clean sources), such as kombu, are added to the vegetables, we increase chlorine levels.
Sea salt - contains most of the main electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium) that we lose daily, so it is recommended to add an extra pinch of pure quality salt into our drink if we are physically more active (but there is no need to exaggerate with the quantity).
Finally, we want to mention chia seeds, which due to their exceptional capacity to absorb fluid (up to 12 times its weight), can prolong the hydration and endurance in sports activities. It is important that they are pre-soaked to avoid the opposite effect.
However, the first place should be taken by quality water, occasionally also mineral water. If we want to enrich the taste, we can add lemon juice, a sprig or two of our favorite herb (mint, lemon balm, thyme,...), a slice of cucumber, or a spoon of berries to the water, and let it rest for a few hours.
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