10 Easy Ways to Stay Hydrated (or Get Hydrated Quickly) Without Drinking Water

Co-authored by Olivia Mitchell, RDN, IFNCP and Eric McClure

Last Updated: July 15, 2022 References

You may be surprised, but almost every food and drink you consume contains some water.^{[1]
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Research source} In fact, roughly 20% of the average person’s daily water intake comes from their food and they don’t even realize it!^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} It’s exceptionally easy to get hydrated without water, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to drink plenty of H2O. While supplementing your diet with some water-rich foods and drinks is a surefire way to stay hydrated, you should still aim to knock back at least 11–15 cups (2.6–3.5 L) of water a day.^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}

1

Tea

Tea is technically just 100% water that is flavored with herbs. Whether you wake up with a warm cup of ginger tea, or you sip some unsweetened iced tea during your lunch break, tea is a phenomenal non-water option when it comes to staying hydrated. You can choose any flavor or type of tea you’d like, which is great if you like mixing things up!^{[4]
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- When it comes to staying hydrated, salt and sugar are your enemy. If you’re drinking tea to get hydrated, skip the sugar.
- There’s a myth out there that caffeine makes you dehydrated, but there actually isn’t evidence to support this. A cup of caffeinated tea may make you urinate a little faster than you normally would, but your body will still absorb the water content.^{[5]
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2

Coffee

Despite popular myths, coffee actually hydrates you. It’s hard to believe, but coffee is made with water, which means you’re getting a good dose of H2O every time you have a cup of Joe. Just be careful—too much coffee can run a number on your stomach, lead to headaches, and make it hard to fall asleep at night.^{[6]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Like tea, you may not feel like you’re getting hydrated when you drink coffee because it makes you urinate more often. This doesn’t mean you aren’t hydrated, though!

3

Milk

A cup of milk is one of the best ways to get hydrated fast. Milk contains some proteins and fats which actually take a long time for your stomach to process. As a result, your body actually hydrates itself over a longer period of time when you drink milk instead of water.^{[7]
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Research source} For these reasons, some evidence suggests that a cup of milk may actually make you more hydrated than water!^{[8]
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- Low-fat and fat-free milk are going to be healthier for you than full-fat milk.^{[9]
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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}
- This isn’t to say that you should just drink milk and skip the water entirely. Water is still the hands-down champion when it comes to keeping you happy and healthy.^{[10]
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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}
- A bowl of cereal is a great way to incorporate some milk into your diet!

4

Fruit

Watermelon, pineapple, and apple are all full of water. Watermelon in particular is super hydrating because it’s 92% water.^{[11]
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Research source} Still, basically every fruit is going to naturally have a high water content, so you really can’t go wrong here.^{[12]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source} Either snack on the fruit on its own, or chop a few different fruits up to make a fruit salad!
- Pears, cucumbers, and strawberries stand out as especially good options as well. All of these fruits are refreshing and have an exceptionally high water content.^{[13]
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- Even the least hydrating fruits, like bananas and grapes, are still 75-80% water.^{[14]
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- Dehydrated fruits still contain 15% water or more, which may be surprising. They won’t refresh you the same way a cup of water or a fresh pear will, but there’s some water in there!^{[15]
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- You can also add some pieces of fruit into your water to make it a little more fun and flavorful.^{[16]
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5

Vegetables

Bell peppers, squash, and celery all have high water contents. Come dinnertime, don’t forget to dice some veggies up for your side dish. You can also incorporate them into your pasta, casserole, or pizza recipes. If you’re looking for a hydrating snack, it’s hard to beat celery and peanut butter. That’s a winning combination of delicious, healthy, and hydrating!^{[17]
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- Potatoes do have a high water content on their own.^{[18]
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  Research source} Unfortunately, heating food removes a fair percentage of the water content, and potatoes tend to require high cooking times.
- Tomatoes technically count as vegetables. They’re 94% water and you can incorporate them into a ton of different dishes. Cherry tomatoes with olive oil and mozzarella make for a great snack!^{[19]
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6

Salad

Basically any salad is good for hydration since leafy greens are mostly water. Leafy greens contain a lot of water naturally. In fact, iceberg lettuce is 96% water, which makes it one of the most hydrating foods out there.^{[20]
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Research source} On top of that, you’re likely throwing in some other veggies or fruits in your salad as well, so you’re double-dipping in the high-water food groups. Cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes are all going to keep you hydrated, and they all taste great in a salad.^{[21]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- Stay away from the high-salt and high-sugar dressings if possible. Salt and sugar are just going to make you thirstier. Olive oil on its own is a great, subtle alternative if you need one!

7

Soup

Most soups have a lot of water, but clear varieties are best. Basically, the thicker and more opaque a soup is, the less hydration you’ll get from it.^{[22]
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Research source} Something like chicken noodle soup is going to be ideal, but minestrone, Italian, and cabbage soup are all great choices as well. Throw some veggies in there to get even more hydration alongside some beneficial nutrients!^{[23]
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- Tomatoes are 95% water, so things like tomato soup and tomato bisque are going to be solid options.^{[24]
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- Some canned soups are really high in sodium or sugar. Try to get “light” soups, or make your own for the best results!

8

Applesauce

Apples are high in water to begin with, but it gets better. Most applesauce recipes require water, which is obviously going to help in the hydration department. All things considered, it’s hard to find a healthier, more hydrating snack. You can also mix in a dash of brown sugar and some cinnamon without dramatically altering the water content of the dish.^{[25]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}

9

Yogurt

A single serving of yogurt is roughly 85% water! If you want a healthy, hydrating snack, it’s hard to beat yogurt. It also comes in a variety of different flavors, which is nice if you’re trying to stay more consistently hydrated but you get tired of eating the same thing over and over. You can always mix in some nuts or berries to give your yogurt a more interesting texture as well.^{[26]
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- While Greek yogurt is still good from a hydration perspective, regular yogurt contains more water. The difference isn’t that big though, so feel free to choose whichever type of yogurt you like best.^{[27]
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10

Meat

Juicy steaks and tender chicken breasts are high in water. It’s not your best choice, but a cooked cut of beef or chicken contains roughly 62% water.^{[28]
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Research source} If you’re trying to orient your diet so that you’re getting more water, don’t worry about cutting meat out entirely. Just cut back on the salt when it comes to the seasoning, and don’t eat more than 3 servings of red meat a week.^{[29]
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Research source}^{[30]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- Meat is a solid source of protein, and it helps to eat a balanced diet. You shouldn’t be throwing burgers and sausage on the grill every night, but the occasional steak and regular lean meats are perfectly fine.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can you tell if you are dehydrated?

Olivia Mitchell, RDN, IFNCP
Integrative & Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner
Olivia Mitchell is an Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner (IFNCP™) and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a focus on women's hormones and fertility. Olivia has her virtual practice where she helps her clients dive deeper into often overlooked causes of infertility with a customized diet, lifestyle, and supplement changes. She is also the co-founder of the Natalwork and Lead Nutrition Coach with On The Goga. Olivia received her Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Sciences from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and her RDN from The University of Houston.

Olivia Mitchell, RDN, IFNCP

Integrative & Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner

Expert Answer

Signs of dehydration include urine that is very dark or concentrated in color—ideally, you want it to be light-colored. Other symptoms include lightheadedness and cramping.

Warnings

Stay away from beverages with a lot of sugar in them if you want to stay hydrated. Any benefit you get from the beverage will be outweighed by the negative health impact of the sugar.^{[33]
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While alcohol often has a high water content, it also suppresses your anti-diuretic hormones, which help to absorb water. This means that while one or two alcoholic beverages may make you feel hydrated, drinking a lot of alcohol will eventually make you dehydrated.^{[34]
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