Include These Hydrating-Boosting Foods In Your Training
With the warm weather during spring and the upcoming summer months, it’s especially important for middle school, high school and college student-athletes to stay well-hydrated. Lost fluids from perspiration in humid and dry heated conditions from intense workouts and sports can easily cause dehydration – creating health-impairing issues such as low blood pressure, cramps, fatigue, dizziness, and headaches. Experiencing dehydration symptoms will also, of course, negatively impact academic, sports, and exercise performance.
Thus, athletes at all levels must consume water before, during, and after practices, games, and sports conditioning sessions to replenish lost fluids and include plenty of water-based fruits and vegetables in their diet. These water-based foods additionally promote adequate hydration and also contain essential minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium to prevent muscle cramps common during strenuous physical activity in hot or humid weather.
Bonus: Regularly consuming these water-based fruits and veggies supply vitamins and anti-inflammatory compounds to help athletes overcome muscle and joint soreness and pain associated with over-training, sprains, strains and other sports and exercise-related injuries.
So, keep that water bottle handy in the weight room and on the field, but also ensure you bring some of the following portable high-water percentage veggies or fruits in a plastic container or sandwich bag to school or the gym. Eat them a few hours before workouts, practices or games so you’re sufficiently hydrated. The water content percentage is listed next to each one:
Hydrating Foods
- Strawberries (91%)
- Orange slices (86%)
- Celery sticks (95%)
- Watermelon chunks (91%)
- Cantaloupe chunks (90%)
- Pineapple chunks (87%)
- Carrot sticks (95%)
- Pepper sticks (92%)
- Grapes (81%)
- Apple slices (86%)
- Broccoli florets (90%)
- Sliced peaches (90%)
- Cherries (81%)
- Plums (87%)
- Pears (84%)
- Sliced tomatoes (95%)
According to the Cleveland Clinic Newsletter (December 30, 2020), “When heat and humidity soar, keeping your body hydrated matters more than ever.” The Newsletter cites registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, R.D., L.D. recommending additional foods high in water content:
- Cucumbers (95%)
- Zucchini (95%)
- Cauliflower (92%)
- Lettuce (95%)
Pair protein foods such as nuts, sliced hard-boiled eggs, or string or cubed cheese with any of the above-mentioned water-based fruits and veggies, and you’ve got some muscle-building, hydration-supporting, and energizing portable small meals to fuel workouts and sports activities. Another suggestion for combining protein with various water-based fruits like berries, oranges, melon, or pineapple is to make a fruit smoothie! Mix plain protein-rich Greek yogurt, water or milk, and ice cubes, and put all the ingredients in the blender. Consume for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack a few hours before workouts or sports (allowing for digestion), or as a nutritious post-exercise muscle-building and recovery-enhancing beverage.
And what could be more cool and refreshing in hot weather than eating juicy seasonal summer fruits like the earlier-mentioned cherries, melons, peaches, and plums. Cut them and combine to make a nutrient-dense fruit salad (tossed with a protein source such as chopped nuts or diced cheese). Place in a small container and refrigerate a few hours and have as a pre-practice, pre-game, or pre-workout snack.
Summer vegetable salads are also hydrating, light and cool meals accompanied with some protein. Examples include leafy greens mixed with tomato slices, diced cucumbers, chopped celery and carrots. Add some olive oil and lemon juice, and toss. Season with pepper and some salt.
Think not only of water as being a hydrating source. Utilize your water bottle throughout the day, but also eat a variety of those specified high water content percentage fruits and veggies also to benefit hydration and keep you healthy on and off the field!
Reference
Cleveland Clinic Newsletter. “Dehydrated? These 7 Foods Will Satisfy Your Thirst and Hunger.” (December 30, 2020).
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Include These Hydrating-Boosting Foods In Your Training
With the warm weather during spring and the upcoming summer months, it’s especially important for middle school, high school and college student-athletes to stay well-hydrated. Lost fluids from perspiration in humid and dry heated conditions from intense workouts and sports can easily cause dehydration – creating health-impairing issues such as low blood pressure, cramps, fatigue, dizziness, and headaches. Experiencing dehydration symptoms will also, of course, negatively impact academic, sports, and exercise performance.
Thus, athletes at all levels must consume water before, during, and after practices, games, and sports conditioning sessions to replenish lost fluids and include plenty of water-based fruits and vegetables in their diet. These water-based foods additionally promote adequate hydration and also contain essential minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium to prevent muscle cramps common during strenuous physical activity in hot or humid weather.
Bonus: Regularly consuming these water-based fruits and veggies supply vitamins and anti-inflammatory compounds to help athletes overcome muscle and joint soreness and pain associated with over-training, sprains, strains and other sports and exercise-related injuries.
So, keep that water bottle handy in the weight room and on the field, but also ensure you bring some of the following portable high-water percentage veggies or fruits in a plastic container or sandwich bag to school or the gym. Eat them a few hours before workouts, practices or games so you’re sufficiently hydrated. The water content percentage is listed next to each one:
Hydrating Foods
- Strawberries (91%)
- Orange slices (86%)
- Celery sticks (95%)
- Watermelon chunks (91%)
- Cantaloupe chunks (90%)
- Pineapple chunks (87%)
- Carrot sticks (95%)
- Pepper sticks (92%)
- Grapes (81%)
- Apple slices (86%)
- Broccoli florets (90%)
- Sliced peaches (90%)
- Cherries (81%)
- Plums (87%)
- Pears (84%)
- Sliced tomatoes (95%)
According to the Cleveland Clinic Newsletter (December 30, 2020), “When heat and humidity soar, keeping your body hydrated matters more than ever.” The Newsletter cites registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, R.D., L.D. recommending additional foods high in water content:
- Cucumbers (95%)
- Zucchini (95%)
- Cauliflower (92%)
- Lettuce (95%)
Pair protein foods such as nuts, sliced hard-boiled eggs, or string or cubed cheese with any of the above-mentioned water-based fruits and veggies, and you’ve got some muscle-building, hydration-supporting, and energizing portable small meals to fuel workouts and sports activities. Another suggestion for combining protein with various water-based fruits like berries, oranges, melon, or pineapple is to make a fruit smoothie! Mix plain protein-rich Greek yogurt, water or milk, and ice cubes, and put all the ingredients in the blender. Consume for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack a few hours before workouts or sports (allowing for digestion), or as a nutritious post-exercise muscle-building and recovery-enhancing beverage.
And what could be more cool and refreshing in hot weather than eating juicy seasonal summer fruits like the earlier-mentioned cherries, melons, peaches, and plums. Cut them and combine to make a nutrient-dense fruit salad (tossed with a protein source such as chopped nuts or diced cheese). Place in a small container and refrigerate a few hours and have as a pre-practice, pre-game, or pre-workout snack.
Summer vegetable salads are also hydrating, light and cool meals accompanied with some protein. Examples include leafy greens mixed with tomato slices, diced cucumbers, chopped celery and carrots. Add some olive oil and lemon juice, and toss. Season with pepper and some salt.
Think not only of water as being a hydrating source. Utilize your water bottle throughout the day, but also eat a variety of those specified high water content percentage fruits and veggies also to benefit hydration and keep you healthy on and off the field!
Reference
Cleveland Clinic Newsletter. “Dehydrated? These 7 Foods Will Satisfy Your Thirst and Hunger.” (December 30, 2020).