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It's heating up in South Africa with humid temperatures and scorching sun. We all love to get outside and enjoy these days of the year, and staying hydrated is the key.
An active adult human requires roughly 2 litres of water to stay hydrated and for the body to perform at its best. When we exercise, we sweat and we sweat a whole lot more when it's hot outside.
Fortunatly, it isn't just water that hydrates you, but there are plenty of foods packed with water, vitamins and nutrients which can replenish your stores and give you a little body benefit at the same time.
We look at the 10 best foods for hydrating your body during those hot weather work-outs...
Cucumber
Not just for those puffy and tired eyes, but cucumbers are also bursting with water. What's even better is that the peel contains silica which helps promote elasticity in joints, skin and fingernails. Bonus!
Apples
An apple a day keeps dehydration at bay! Ok, well you may need a few more apples for that, but these tasty fruits contain roughly 84% water and they are great for snacks, lunches and dessert salads. Yum!
Celery
These wands of wonderful green are crunchy and delicious. Low in calories, high in fibre and in high water content, celery is a delicious snack and a great way to get those bonus hydration points.
Peppers
Another food that's high in water content is peppers, with over 90% of their make-up being water. Packed with Vitamin A and C, peppers are super tasty when cooked, and eaten raw and especially as a pizza topping.
Grains
Grains like oats, Quinoa and rice absorb water as they cook. That retained water is then transferred to your body as you digest it. The great thing about grain based foods is that there's so much you can do with it for meals and snacks!
Berry Blasts
These little tasty fruits really pack a punch when it comes to water content, with some varieties exceeding 92% water content. Berries are rich with anthocyanins which help reduce inflammation as well, yay!
Soup
Surprisingly enough, soup is a great meal in hot weather. Not only can you customise it and throw in whatever you fancy, but you can make soup to contain a high sodium level which is necessary to replenish the salts you lose from sweating.
Lettuce
Green leafy foods are great for hydration, with iceberg lettuce leading the way with over 96% water content.Great for sandwich filling, salads and general noms throughout the day.
Melons
Summer just isn't the same without some freshly melon to chomp on. Made up of 90% water, they are a refreshing treat and replaces glycogen stores quickly in the body.
Ice Lollies
Refreshingly yummy. Ice lollies are easy to make at home and totally customisable so you can make them as healthy, or un-healthy as you like. Try throwing in some fruit pieces, or making lollies from cucumber water for ultra hydration.
It's easy to get caught up in the lovely warmth of Summer and ignore the signs of dehydration. While sipping water throughout the day is a great way to get those essential fluids up, a lot of foods have high water content that work too.