The Surprising Everyday Foods That Can Help You Hydrate

As the weather warms up, those sweaty step sessions can leave you craving more than just your water bottle.  

While water is the ultimate hydration hero, here’s a refreshing truth: some foods can also help top up your hydration levels and replenish electrolytes.  

We asked Sanitarium’s in-house Accredited Practising Dietitians to share some simple hydration tips that’ll help keep your thirst in check this spring and summer. 

Trish, Is Water Enough for Hydration?

“For everyday activity, water is the best choice to stay hydrated,” says Trish Guy, Accredited Practising Dietitian.  

“Fruits and veggies such as cucumber, lettuce, celery, strawberries and watermelon are more than 90% water, so eating these foods can help your body stay hydrated.”

“When the temperature rises and your training sessions ramp up, it’s worth increasing your water intake and thinking about your electrolytes too, especially in hot or humid conditions or longer duration exercise. Electrolytes can be lost through sweating during and after exercise, but for shorter duration exercise in cooler weather, water is usually enough,” Trish added.

What are Electrolytes?

“Electrolytes are salts and minerals that have an electrical charge. Electrolytes help your muscles contract, heart pump and they also help maintain a healthy balance of fluid inside and outside your cells,” says Trish.  

Electrolytes include potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium.   

How Can I Get Electrolytes Naturally?

“You’ll often see electrolytes mentioned in advertising for sports waters but there are other ways to add electrolytes to your diet. Electrolytes can be found naturally in many common supermarket foods,” Trish shared.  

Here are Trish’s tips on foods to eat to help replenish your electrolytes:  

• Potassium can be found in everyday foods like banana, avocado and cocoa powder, which are great for adding to a smoothie after training. It is also found in potatoes, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, almonds and beans such as butter and kidney beans. 
• Magnesium is found in many seeds such as sunflower, chia, flax, linseed and pumpkin seeds. It can also be found in cashews, almonds, quinoa, butter beans, cocoa powder, wholegrain breakfast cereals and bread. 
• Calcium is found in dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, as well as fortified plant-based milks, including the So Good plant-based milk range. 
• Sodium helps with hydration, but most people get enough sodium in the everyday foods. Some electrolyte products can be very high in sodium – providing around half your daily sodium allowance in one hit. This is concerning when used for everyday use, as excess sodium can increase blood pressure. There’s usually no need to add extra sodium or electrolyte products to your everyday diet. 

How Do I Know I’m Dehydrated?

“An easy way to check your hydration levels is by looking at the colour of your urine. If it’s pale yellow, you’re likely well hydrated. If it’s a dark yellow colour, that is a clear sign you need to up your fluid intake. As a guide, most adults need around 2000 – 2500mls of fluid daily (around eight to ten cups). Your intake will also come from the foods you eat,” Trish says.    

“Ultimately, staying hydrated doesn’t have to be complicated. Drinking plenty of water and eating a healthy diet will give your body everything it needs to stay energised and quench your thirst.”