PULSE Magazine | August 2018 Issue

Healthy Hydrating Summer Foods

In Texas the summer heat can last well into late October with days so hot that your body can quickly overheat, leaving your basic organs unable to function. Recently there has been a lot of interesting research about how hydration affects our mind, our mood, memory and learning, thinking and reaction time. Even if you're just mildly dehydrated, it can lead to mood changes and fatigue. Heat emergencies (Heat Stroke) can quickly occur if the body lacks hydration and is unable to cool itself down through perspiration. A good rule of thumb, sip half your body weight in ounces of water every day. A 150- pound person, for example, should drink 75 ounces, or just more than 9 cups of liquid daily. But it's not just water that hydrates you, 20 percent of your water intake comes from the food you eat. Below is a list of fruits and vegetables that are healthy, nutri- tious and loaded with water to add to your daily H2O intake.

Hydration affects our mind, our mood, memory and learning, thinking and reaction time. Mildly dehydrated, can lead to mood changes and fatigue.

Spinach Popeye was on to something. Spinach is not only rich in non-heme iron, but also it is 92 percent water and has only 23 calories per cup. Endive One of the most water-dense leafy greens out there (and that’s saying something), endives are nearly 95 percent water, containing less than 8 calories per cup Zucchini Raw zucchini is 95 percent water and has just 21 calories a cup. It’s a good source of vitamin C, manganese and other essential phytonutrients Bell Peppers Sweet red bell peppers have even more vitamin C than oranges. They’re also 92 percent water a delicious hydrating addition to your summer diet.

Radishes They’re an often-overlooked veggie, but here’s one great reason to add radishes to your summer salad rotation: They are 95 percent water. As a bonus, they’re high in riboflavin, fiber, calcium and magnesium, according to Nutrition Data. Arugula These peppery greens are extremely low in calories. There are only 25 calories in a cup, along with 91 grams (.38 cups) of water. Broccoli This cruciferous veggie appears dense, but it is actually 91 percent water — great news because compounds in broccoli have been shown to help reduce cancer risk and more.

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