Watermelon and melon, but also peaches and papaya, then cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes: these are hydrating foods that help our bodies replenish the water and mineral salts we lose in the heat. Let's discover them all.
Sultry heat and high temperatures drain our body's fluids, and through sweat we also lose the mineral salts our bodies need. This is why in summer we need to drink more. However, water can also be taken in through fruit and vegetables, which we should favour in our summer meals and snacks. We have therefore identified the foods that contain the most water and that also provide a good supply of mineral salts, fibre and vitamins, which perform a variety of functions, from aiding digestion and sleep to promoting a tan and protecting the skin. Here they are.
The fruit with the highest water content of all? It's watermelon, at a quantity equal to 95 per cent. This is why watermelon is so enjoyable in summer: as well as having a sweet taste, it is also very thirst-quenching, stimulates diuresis and helps to purify the body. Watermelon also contains vitamins (A, C and B6) and mineral salts such as potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. It is a fruit that gives a sense of satiety, so it can be a valuable aid in a diet, also considering its low calorie and sugar content.
Made up of 90 per cent water, melon is another fruit we cannot do without in summer, both for its sweet flavour and for the help it gives us in replenishing fluids in the body. The most common variety in summer is the cantaloupe, the one with orange flesh, to be enjoyed on its own in slices, in fruit salads, or even paired with savoury foods. It is a food rich in vitamins, mineral salts and natural antioxidants and, thanks to its beta-carotene content, it stimulates melanin production, promoting a tan and protecting the skin from the sun.
Peaches too are very rich in water, almost as much as melon. They likewise contain vitamins, mineral salts and also plenty of fibre (eat them with the skin on if the fruit is organically grown, as most of the fibre is found there), which aids digestion and prevents complaints such as constipation. Peaches also contain beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A and promotes eye health. Peaches help to balance blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol.
Yellow, red, purple: there are countless varieties of plum. In general, it can be said that fresh plums are made up mostly of water (88 per cent) and that their most notable property is a laxative one, thanks to their high fibre content. Plums are also rich in potassium and perform an antioxidant function.
Plenty of water (around 90 per cent), vitamin C, potassium, little sugar and few calories: these are the main characteristics of grapefruit. This fruit also contains naringenin, a flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-tumour properties. Grapefruit is also a food that disinfects the digestive tract, aids digestion and helps sleep. Use it to make a refreshing freshly squeezed juice too.
Among the exotic fruits that have won us over most, papaya is rich in water and enzymes that help us, for example, with the digestion of proteins. It has a good content of beta-carotene, pro-vitamin A, vitamin C, B-group vitamins, and mineral salts such as potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Papaya also has anti-inflammatory properties and strengthens the immune system. You can enjoy it in slices or consume it in a smoothie together with other fruits such as peach.
No summer salad would be complete without cucumbers! They contain as much as 95 per cent water, so they help to cool you down, keep you hydrated and cleanse your system. Cucumbers also help replenish the mineral salts lost through perspiration, as they are rich in them — particularly potassium and phosphorus.
It is the summer vegetable par excellence, as well as a symbol of the Mediterranean diet. Tomatoes are a constant in Italian kitchens, and eating them in the heat is even more beneficial because they are rich in water (94 per cent). They contain vitamins and mineral salts such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, zinc and selenium. Tomatoes also contain lycopene, an important antioxidant substance. What's more, tomatoes stimulate diuresis, combat constipation and aid digestion (though they are not recommended for those who suffer from stomach acidity).
A generous salad is often the only dish we feel like eating in the heat. Lettuce is the perfect choice, with its leaves rich in water, fibre, and vitamins A, C and B2. The minerals it contains include calcium, phosphorus and potassium. Lettuce is very low in calories, making it ideal for those following a weight-loss diet.
They can be eaten raw or cooked in a thousand different ways — in a pan, in the oven, on the grill. Their delicate flavour makes them a great match for many ingredients and very easy to digest even in the hottest weather. Courgettes contain a great deal of water, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and phosphorus, and are very low in calories.
Courgette flowers are also very high in water (which makes up 95 per cent of their weight). They also contain iron and carotenoids. If you want to cook them in a lighter way, you can still fill them following the classic recipe with mozzarella and anchovies, but instead of frying them, bake them in the oven.
Did you know that peppers owe their green, yellow and red colour to their degree of ripeness and not to the variety? Now that we've shared that curiosity, let's move on to their properties. These vegetables contain water, fibre, mineral salts and vitamin C. To absorb the latter as effectively as possible, it is best to eat them raw, but if you find them hard to digest that way, lightly cook them in a pan or steam them. Cooking, on the other hand, increases the bioavailability of carotenoids.
Radishes are made up of 95 per cent water, but they also contain B vitamins, vitamin C and mineral salts such as iron and phosphorus. They are very low in calories, stimulate diuresis and have antibacterial properties. They also aid muscle relaxation and promote sleep.
