Eat This Popular Breakfast Food To Boost Hydration
Your body is roughly 60% water, which is why you need to take in fluids to replace fluids you lose through sweat, urine, and bowel movements. Hydration is important for digestion because it helps break down the nutrients in food and flush out toxins from your system. Your joints and eyes need water to stay lubricated, and your skin needs water to maintain its health (per NHS Inform).
Some people, like athletes, need more fluids to help sustain their performance, but people who live at high altitudes or in extreme temperatures will also need extra hydration. When you're sick, you'll also need to add more fluids, especially if you have a fever or diarrhea, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
While drinking that much water might sound like a chore, remember that 20% of your hydration needs can come from foods. You probably already know that foods like cantaloupe, spinach, and watermelon have a high water content and can help with your hydration. Oatmeal not only sticks to your ribs, but it also helps you stick to your hydration needs.
Oatmeal soaks up water
Your favorite cold-weather breakfast might be a simple way to add to your daily hydration needs. Oatmeal requires at least a cup of water or milk to cook, and as that water absorbs into the oats, that same amount of fluid gets into your system. You could sneak in even more hydration by adding some fruit to your oatmeal. A cup of sliced strawberries is about 90% water, and a cup of sliced peaches has 89% water.
Adding two and a half tablespoons of chia seeds to your oatmeal will give you 10 grams of fiber and 8 grams of healthy fats. To help boost your hydration, soak your chia seeds in water overnight. Add four parts water to your chia seeds to soften them up before adding them to your oatmeal. Chia seeds have 15% of your daily value of magnesium and phosphorus, which are two electrolytes that are important in maintaining the fluid balance in your body, according to the University of Arizona.
Keeping an eye on your hydration levels
Rutgers University says you might not be drinking enough water if you notice daily lotion doesn't improve your dry skin. Dry mouth, fatigue, constipation, and headaches can also be warning signs of dehydration. It might sound crazy, but you could gain a little weight if you're dehydrated because it slows your metabolism. To give your metabolism a 30% boost, try drinking at least 17 ounces of water. Dehydration can also give you a case of the cranks. Just a 1% drop in optimum hydration levels can affect your brain's ability to focus and regulate your mood.
It's not that you should guzzle water every chance you get. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too much water can be harmful to your system. Instead, it's best to pay attention to your thirst levels and drink when you're thirsty. Rather than reaching for a high-sugar soda, juice, or energy drink, try to drink water as much as possible. If the water is unpalatable, get a water infusion bottle and add cucumber, mint, or basil to your water. You can also add flavor enhancers to your water.