Staying hydrated is crucially important to our health. Dehydration reduces blood volume, creating thicker, more concentrated blood which stresses the heart. This also decreases our body’s ability to transport oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and other living cells. Dehydration can be one of the root causes of almost every disease and dis-ease in the human body. Credits: Green & Tonic – Summertime Health: The Importance of Hydration
But, let’s face it no matter how well your prepare you may either not have enough water or the SHTF situation may last longer than you had planned. That means that, for disaster prep, you need to ingest water by not only drinking it but also by eating natural foods.
Here, is a list of the top six best natural water-based foods.
1. Cucumber: 95% of the Cucumber is water. So, eating them will keep your hydrated. As a bonus, cucumbers are also jam packed with vitamins (vitamin K, vitamin B, vitamin C, potassium, copper, and manganese.
2. Salad Greens: Leafy green, particularly, Dark Leafy Vegetables, such as kale, chard, and spinach are great natural sources of water. Also, leafy vegetables help with keeping your skin healthy and they provide cardiovascular benefits.
3. Papaya: This fruit is composed of around 88% water. Also, papaya’s are surprisingly a great source of fiber
4. Watermelon: With the name: watermelon you probably guessed that Watermelons are made of 92% water. But, you maybe didn’t know that they are also a great source of vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene. (Studies have shown that lycopene can prevent certain forms of cancer. )
5. Strawberry: The strawberry is composed of around 91% water. So, it goes without saying that they are a great source of water. The strawberry is also great nutritionally as a strawberry is packed with vitamin C. In fact, the strawberry delivers the most vitamin C out of all berries.
6. Butternut Squash: Butternut Squash is made up of over 88% water. So, eating them is a great way to hydrate. Also, they are packed with ample levels of magnesium, vitamin C, and potassium. But, what is great about them is that a cup of butternut squash will give you 400% dose of the daily recommendation of Vitamin A.