The hottest days of summer are among us! Staying hydrated – especially on those hot days – is important not only to your safety, but to your overall health.

Proper hydration helps your body maintain a healthy temperature, keeps your brain functioning, prevents infections, delivers nutrients to cells, aid organ function and can impact sleep quality.

Medical experts at Harvard recommend women drink roughly 11 cups of water a day while men drink about 16 cups.

While Continental Express has recently distributed custom water bottles to all employees, Harvard notes that 11 to 16 cups of plain water can seem unattainable to some. An alternative? Hydration from fruits and vegetables high in water content.

Here are the top 7 hydrating foods according to the Cleveland Clinic. All seven fruits and vegetables are available in the summer months and are nearly 90% water content by weight!

Cucumbers

Containing 95% water, cucumbers are a top hydrating food. Additionally, cucumbers are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds to assist your body in naturally removing waste. Sliced cucumbers make for an easy pack-ahead snack for the road or the office.
Celery

Also clocking in at 95% water by weight, celery is a great hydrating snack. Celery sticks with peanut butter and ranch is an accessible option and many truck stops. Being fiber-rich and hydrating, celery is a healthy, on-the-go snack.
Iceberg Lettuce

Leafy greens are a key to any healthy diet. The green color of lettuces indicates nutrients and water by weight. Kale, a dark, leafy green, is about 91% water and chock-full of nutrients. Iceberg lettuce is paler in color, but slightly higher in water content at 95%.
Zucchini

Zucchini season is the summer season! This plentiful squash is 95% water and packed with antioxidants.
Watermelon

With a name like “watermelon” we could assume there is a lot of water in this summertime fruit. It’s 91% water, freezes well, travels well, and is a sweet summer snack.
Strawberries

Like watermelon, strawberries are a popular summer fruit and beyond being cleaned and cut, require very little preparation. With 91% water, strawberries are both a sweet treat and hydrating food.
Cauliflower

“Peak” cauliflower starts right with summer’s end in September, but luckily this vegetable is available at grocery stores year-round — and in more varieties than ever! Cauliflower “rice”, “mashed potatoes” and “pizza crust” have cropped up in thousands of stores and restaurants across the country, making this hydrating food easily accessible.

The hottest days of summer are among us! Staying hydrated – especially on those hot days – is important not only to your safety, but to your overall health.

Proper hydration helps your body maintain a healthy temperature, keeps your brain functioning, prevents infections, delivers nutrients to cells, aid organ function and can impact sleep quality.

Medical experts at Harvard recommend women drink roughly 11 cups of water a day while men drink about 16 cups.

While Continental Express has recently distributed custom water bottles to all employees, Harvard notes that 11 to 16 cups of plain water can seem unattainable to some. An alternative? Hydration from fruits and vegetables high in water content.

Here are the top 7 hydrating foods according to the Cleveland Clinic. All seven fruits and vegetables are available in the summer months and are nearly 90% water content by weight!

Cucumbers

Containing 95% water, cucumbers are a top hydrating food. Additionally, cucumbers are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds to assist your body in naturally removing waste. Sliced cucumbers make for an easy pack-ahead snack for the road or the office.

Celery

Also clocking in at 95% water by weight, celery is a great hydrating snack. Celery sticks with peanut butter and ranch is an accessible option and many truck stops. Being fiber-rich and hydrating, celery is a healthy, on-the-go snack.

Iceberg Lettuce

Leafy greens are a key to any healthy diet. The green color of lettuces indicates nutrients and water by weight. Kale, a dark, leafy green, is about 91% water and chock-full of nutrients. Iceberg lettuce is paler in color, but slightly higher in water content at 95%.

Zucchini

Zucchini season is the summer season! This plentiful squash is 95% water and packed with antioxidants.

Watermelon

With a name like “watermelon” we could assume there is a lot of water in this summertime fruit. It’s 91% water, freezes well, travels well, and is a sweet summer snack.

Strawberries

Like watermelon, strawberries are a popular summer fruit and beyond being cleaned and cut, require very little preparation. With 91% water, strawberries are both a sweet treat and hydrating food.

Cauliflower