Quench Your Thirst With Water-Rich Veggies
The heat and humidity of summer raises your body's need for the cooling effects of water. That's another reason to keep on getting plenty of vegetables in your diet.
Aside from the health benefits they provide, like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, vegetables are also a good source of an overlooked nutrient—water. So "eat" a portion of your daily water needs and stay cool this summer deliciously!
The vegetables with the highest water content are:
- Cucumbers (96 percent water)
- Lettuce (95 percent water)
- Green peppers (93 percent water)
- Cabbage (93 percent water)
- Asparagus (92 percent water)
- Cauliflower (92 percent water
- Spinach (92 percent water)
- Broccoli (91 percent water)
- Beets (91 percent water)
Even carrots, which don’t seem very “wet,” are 87 percent water.
Not surprisingly, these same high water content vegetables are also the lowest calorie foods around! Munch away without guilt, knowing you're helping to hydrate your body too.
Vegetables not only contain valuable vitamins and minerals, but special plant nutrients that can't be found elsewhere. So enjoy a wide range of raw, grilled and steamed veggies during the summer months.
— by Christine M. Palumbo, RD
|Try these water-full FoodFit recipes: