Staying Hydrated in the Summer
+ A Few Fun Zucchini Recipes
Staying well-hydrated is crucial for everyone, especially during the summer months. With rising temperatures, it’s important to be mindful of how much water you’re drinking and the foods you’re eating to ensure you’re staying hydrated. Here, I’ve compiled the most popular questions I get asked about hydration to help guide you toward drinking the right fluids and eating the right foods during the warmest months of the year.
Question: Can dehydration affect my overall health?
Answer: Yes, dehydration can significantly impact your health. It can lead to headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and even more severe conditions like heat stroke or kidney stones. Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluids than it takes in, causing an imbalance. It’s essential to drink plenty of water, especially during hot weather, intense exercise, or illness.
Question: Is it true that alcohol and caffeinated beverages are diuretics and contribute to dehydration?
Answer: Diuretics increase urine production, but this doesn’t necessarily lead to dehydration. It’s important to balance beverages like caffeinated drinks and alcohol with hydrating fluids and foods.
Alcohol: Drinking alcoholic beverages can increase urination. The liver prioritizes metabolizing alcohol over other functions, which can lead to dehydration. To stay hydrated, drink responsibly, eat while consuming alcohol, and alternate with non-alcoholic beverages.
Caffeinated Beverages: While caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, moderate consumption (a cup or two of coffee or tea) might not significantly increase dehydration risk. Caffeine affects people differently, so it’s a good idea to monitor how it affects you personally and ensure you’re balancing it with plenty of water.
Question: Are there any foods I can eat during the summer months to help me stay adequately hydrated?
Answer: Approximately 20-30% of our hydration intake comes from solid foods, while 70-80% comes from beverages and drinking water. Summer is a great time to include hydrating foods in your diet due to the abundance of fresh produce. Here’s my list of top 20 foods with high water content to help you stay hydrated:
Top 20 Foods to Help You Stay Hydrated this Summer
Bell Peppers (94% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 30 kcals, 7 grams carbohydrate
Broccoli (90% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 35 kcals, 6 grams carbohydrate
Cabbage (92% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 23 kcals, 5 grams carbohydrate
Cantaloupe (90% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 59 kcals, 13 grams carbohydrate
Cauliflower (92% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 28 kcals, 5 grams carbohydrate
Celery (95% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 16 kcals, 4 grams carbohydrate
Cucumbers (95% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 18 kcals, 4 grams carbohydrate
Honeydew Melon (89% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 56 kcals, 14 grams carbohydrate
Iceberg Lettuce (95% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 14 kcals, 3 grams carbohydrate
Kale (88% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 11 kcals, 1 gram carbohydrate
Mushrooms (91% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 21 kcals, 3 grams carbohydrate
Oranges (87% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 86 kcals, 18 grams carbohydrate
Peaches (88% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 71 kcals, 16 grams carbohydrate
Radishes (96% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 18 kcals, 4 grams carbohydrate
Romaine Lettuce (94% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 5 kcals, 1 gram carbohydrate
Spinach (92% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 7 kcals, 0.6 grams carbohydrate
Strawberries (91% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 53 kcals, 11 grams carbohydrate
Tomatoes (94% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 36 kcals, 7 grams carbohydrate
Watermelon (92% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 47 kcals, 12 grams carbohydrate
Zucchini/Summer Squash (96% water)
Nutrition Facts (1 cup): 23 kcals, 5 grams carbohydrate
Refreshing Summer Zucchini Salad
Ingredients:
• 2 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and basil.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat.
4. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Enjoy your hydrating and delicious zucchini salad!
Here are a few other delicious recipes including zucchini that you might consider trying:
Zucchini Boats I made these for a recent food demo and they were a huge hit. We had fun discussing different protein option swaps for the sausage including beans, ground poultry and even crab meat!
Chocolate Orange Zucchini Bread I love a good slice of zucchini bread, add chocolate chips and orange zest and I’m definitely having two slices. :)
Creamy Zucchini Blueberry Smoothie Squash is a fantastic nutrition booster in a smoothie. I’m excited to put this smoothie recipe on my list for breakfast this week.
Stay cool, stay hydrated, and enjoy the summer!
Best,
Alison Massey
Flourish Wellness