It’s crucial to stay hydrated when the temperature rises or you live in a hot environment. Although many sports drinks are brightly colored and claim to replenish your body, many of these products can cause harm to our health. You can incorporate hydrating foods or beverages into your daily diet to beat the heat.
You will need a hydrating, replenishing food or beverage to do this:
High water/liquid ratio
Electrolyte minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as calcium, magnesium, and chloride, are all available.
Water
Water is the best hydrating drink to beat the heat. Consuming 8 cups of water per day is best. If it’s boiling, or you spend a lot of time in the sun, then more.
There are many types of water that you can choose from. We’ve outlined all options in How To Choose a Water Filter. If you prefer to avoid drinking water straight up, infused water mixed with fruits and herbs is a good option.
Green Juice
The fiber is removed from green juices made with vegetables, fruits, and herbs. These juices are easy to digest, and you can enjoy a high concentration of nutrients (including electrolyte minerals) because they require a lot of ingredients. We love to make green juices with a lot of dark leafy greens and low-glycemic fruits such as green apples, oranges, or pears. Also, we like to use anti-inflammatory herbs like ginger.
Nut and seed milk
Nut or seed milk contains various vitamins and minerals, which can be great for hydrating food. You may not need to strain the nut or seed, depending on what type you choose. This adds fiber. You can skip straining to avoid testing it for your smoothies or gluten-free baking.
Because it is simple and inexpensive, we prefer to make nut/seed milk from scratch. Get our No-Fail Nut Milk Formula.
Bone Broth (or Veggie Broth)
Bone broth is hydrating and rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals and amino acids that help to nourish the intestinal tract, immune system, bones, joints, and teeth. By adding electrolyte-rich vegetables and herbs, you amp up the nutrient content and reduce food waste. You don’t have to sip broth while it’s boiling – you can wait until it’s warm to drink or use it to cook grains in grain-based salads. There are some people who even like to freeze bone broth into popsicles (this is also an excellent cooling treat for pets!), though we are personally not fans of this.
Coconut Water
This beverage is rich in potassium and natural sugars, as well as small amounts of sodium, magnesium, and calcium. One of our favorite ways to consume this hydrating food is straight from the coconut, as some store-bought, shelf-stable coconut waters may contain added sweeteners, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners, have been pasteurized, and packed into containers lined with bisphenol A (BPA), a known hormone disruptor.
Coconut water is lovely to drink on its own or add to smoothies, iced elixirs, popsicles, mocktails, or teas.
Kombucha
Kombucha is concocted from a mix of tea and sugar, but the fermentation process eats all the caffeine and sugar and leaves behind beneficial enzymes, minerals, and vitamins. As a fermented food, kombucha offers the additional benefits of aiding digestion, boosting immunity, and improving gut health.
Get your step-by-step guide to brewing and flavouring your own kombucha here. We like drinking it on its own, but it’s also lovely blended with fruit to create mocktails.
Citrus Fruits
The citrus family of fruits contains plenty of water, potassium, and Vitamin C, a fantastic immune booster and detoxifier. Some citrus segments you can eat, like orange, tangerine, grapefruit, etc., while others are probably too sour to chew on, like lemons and limes. Squeeze citrus fruits into the water, iced tea, smoothies, or popsicles for a flavourful zing.
