When some think of daunting tasks, they may think of climbing Mount Everest or skydiving over the ocean. Others, however, think of something on a much smaller scale: drinking eight glasses of water a day. Gasp!
We’ve been told since we were in our youth that drinking eight glasses of water is needed for our bodies to function properly. Recently, experts have even recommended more than eight glasses. Here at Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey (GANJ), we always preach to our patients the importance of water for digestive health. That’s because adequate water consumption:
- Aids in digestion
- Flushes out bad bacteria that can call the gastrointestinal (GI) tract home
- Relieves and prevents constipation
However, most of our patients wonder how they can fit eight glasses of water into their busy lifestyles. The answer? It doesn’t have to be eight glasses of water. In actuality, many soups, fruits and vegetables can make up 20 percent of your daily water intake alone.
With that said, we’ve compiled some of the best foods to consume in order to reach your daily water intake:
The “Souping” Trend
According to a recent CNN article, souping is being used for weight loss, hydration, and overall health. Soups are loaded with water, veggies, fiber, protein-building foods and healthy fats which can help with maintaining blood sugars for more sustained energy while keeping calorie intake low.
Cucumbers, Iceberg Lettuce and Celery
It’s not exactly pizza and fried chicken taste-wise, but these three veggies offer 95 percent or above water content. What’s great also are these veggies are not high in calories and have a high offering of fiber and vitamins. Just include them in a salad or veggie platter for daily use to feel hydrated and healthy.
Watermelon, Strawberries and Coconut
Fruits are best known for their tropical sweet flavors, but they also have a high-water content like veggies. In fact, watermelon, strawberries and coconut weigh-in with the highest in water content around—92 percent, to be exact. Vitamin C also stands out in all three as an immune-boosting vitamin. This is essential especially in winter, when the immune system is in overdrive fighting off germs and viruses that are housebound for months. But, with these three fruits, patients can load up on vitamins, top off daily water intake and enjoy their sweet tastes as a dessert.
For more information about water intake to maintain your gastric health or to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, contact us today.
