Eating This Superfood Is Almost As Hydrating As Drinking Water

You've been downing the water and Gatorade with a vengeance because hydration is essential to keep your body functioning the way it should. According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, fluids regulate your body temperature, lubricate joints, keep organs functioning, and help improve your mood and sleep.

How much water you should drink daily varies based on who you talk to, but Harvard suggests between 11 and 16 cups depending on your sex. However, the water you need for your body to run doesn't just come from just drinking water out of your tap. You also get water from food. Nutrition and wellness author Malina Malkani, RDN, told Everyday Health, "While about 80[%] of our fluid intake comes from liquids, roughly 20[%] comes from the liquid found in watery foods like juicy fruits and vegetables."

Not every fruit or vegetable you find at the market is high in water, but spinach contains 93% water, according to Bupa. It's also a superfood, meaning it's full of vitamins and minerals that help to keep your body and mind balanced. Let us show you how to add this water food to your diet and other essential nutrition facts that make spinach the perfect addition to any meal. 

Spinach is one of the best when you want watery food to help you meet your hydration needs. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, spinach is just below water in the water content range, along with cantaloupe, strawberries, and watermelon. Spinach is also versatile enough to add to various meals. For example, you can throw it in a salad, add it to a sandwich, or sprinkle it into your chicken parmesan. It's also easy to add to your fruit smoothie since the taste of the spinach can be overpowered by the sweetness of the fruit.

Spinach isn't the only vegetable packed with water. The University of California, Los Angeles Health (UCLA) stated cucumber has the highest water content of any food at 96%. Iceberg lettuce also has 96% water and is full of fiber and folate. Try adding a bit of celery to your salad or bento since it has 95% water and is high in fiber. Other high-water-content foods include romaine lettuce (95%), tomatoes (94%), and squash (94%). Spinach and other vegetables can help you get the water you need daily, but you can't substitute water when dehydration hits since only 20% of your fluid needs come from food. 

Sprinkling the superfood spinach into your life is the perfect way to meet your water requirements, but it also has other benefits. Spinach is also high in antioxidants. Research in the European Journal of Nutrition showed eating even just a small amount of spinach helped protect against DNA damage. Defending your cells from oxidative damage protects them from chronic conditions.

Medical News Today also noted spinach is high in iron, calcium, and magnesium. Iron helps transport oxygen to the lungs and is needed for physical growth, neurological development, and cellular function. Calcium is necessary for the growth of bones and teeth, but not all the calcium in spinach is absorbed due to high oxalate content. Magnesium is needed for muscle and nerve function, along with energy metabolism. It can also help regulate blood pressure, according to Medical News Today.

Speaking of blood pressure, a study in Clinical Nutrition Research demonstrated spinach consumption can be beneficial in lowering blood pressure. The study showed a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure after seven days of spinach supplementation.