Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Page A-11
Beat the heat with hydrating foods this summer
Laura Williamson
American Heart
Association
Staying hydrated
can help you live a longer,
healthier life. But drinking
multiple glasses of water
throughout the day isn’t for
everyone.
Health experts say
that’s OK. While fluids are
important, hydration doesn’t
just come in a bottle or from
the tap. In fact, at least 19%
of a U.S. adult’s water intake
typically comes from water-
rich foods. And they’re not
hard to find.
“A lot of foods are high
in water content, especially
fruits and vegetables,” said
Penny Kris-Etherton, Evan
Pugh University Professor of
Nutritional Sciences at Penn
State University in University
Park, Pennsylvania. “Eating
these foods is a way of
helping to maintain good
hydration status.”
Though it has no
calories, water plays a vital
role in keeping people healthy.
It prevents dehydration,
helps rid the body of waste
products, lubricates joints,
protects the spinal cord, helps
to keep body temperature
in the normal range, helps
manage body weight and can
help reduce calories when
substituted for sweetened
beverages such as soda or iced
tea.
The National Academy
of Medicine recommends men
consume 13 8-ounce glasses
of water per day and women
consume nine, more if they
are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Dehydration occurs when
people don’t consume enough,
and symptoms may appear
with a water deficit as low as
2% under the recommended
amount. Symptoms may
include fatigue, confusion
or short-term memory loss
and mood changes such as
irritability or depression.
The important thing is to
stay hydrated, Kris-Etherton
said – regardless of where the
water comes from.
When looking for water-
rich foods, head straight to
the produce department, said
Georgia Jones, an associate
professor in the nutrition
department at the University
of Nebraska in Lincoln.
“Aim for fruits and
vegetables that contain at least
85% water,” she said.
Cucumbers top the list,
at about 95% water, Kris-
Ride on Otis
(Courtesy photo for the Illinois Valley News)
A small crowd turned out for the 11th annual Otis memorial bike ride Sunday June 4.
Etherton said. They’re also
low in calories while high in
fiber and vitamins K and A.
“The neat thing about
fruits and vegetables is
they bring with them some
important nutrients in addition
to water,” she said.
Tomatoes are another
good source for hydration,
along with cantaloupe,
honeydew and watermelon.
Also water-rich are celery,
peaches, zucchini, radishes
and asparagus. “And lettuce
can also provide a good
amount of water,” Jones said.
Snacking on fruit is a
good way to get the extra
hydration needed after
exercise or other activities that
cause a lot of perspiration,
Kris-Etherton said. But don’t
forget to drink water.
When choosing foods
for hydration – or any other
purpose – Jones said it’s
important to seek a wide
variety. “Don’t stick with just
one kind. Be willing to try
new things.”
What’s not good for
hydration are drinks that
contain alcohol or caffeine,
including many popular
energy drinks, Kris-Etherton
said. “They can worsen
dehydration. And sports
drinks often contain a lot
of sugar. They’re really not
a good source of fluid for
staying hydrated. You need to
read the labels.”
But remember that fruits
and veggies can’t completely
replace daily fluids, Kris-
Etherton said. If a 100-gram
cucumber is 95% water,
that’s 95 grams or 3.3 of the
recommended 72 ounces of
water per day for women.
“You’d be eating a lot of
cucumbers,” she said.
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Presents:
TICKETS: $50.00 per person
Includes Dinner, Wine & Brew
This is a fundraiser benefitting and
supporting the youth in Illinois Valley.
Dinner in the Vineyard
June , 2023 6pm to 8pm
Hosted by:
Augustino Estate & Vineyard
Rock N R Ranch
400 Brown Rd
O’Brien
Dinner in the Vineyard
is a fundraising event benefitting
For Tickets please call: Jenna Larkin
Illinois Valley Club………….541-244-8490
Administration Office………541-479-5258
Bus available from Grants Pass, please call for
reservation: 541-479-5258 ex 105