It’s Hot Out There! Try These 9 Thirst-Quenching Foods

 

Baby, it’s hot out there! If glass after glass of water doesn’t seem to be quenching your thirst, try one of these nine foods as recommended by food writer and educational consultant Rebecca Wood in her book, The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia.

You certainly don’t want to stop drinking water this summer, but with a bit of smart menu-planning your snacks and meals can also provide some thirst-quenching relief. Here are nine foods you can integrate into your beat-the-heat summer menus:

Apples

Apples are available throughout most of the country year-round, and they may be especially refreshing to us during the hot summer months. According to Wood, apples are moistening and can help to ease thirst, as well as comfort dry lungs (a common complaint for those living in dry, arid regions).

Bananas

Perhaps it makes sense that the banana, a quintessential tropical fruit, is also a thirst-quencher. Wood states that bananas are thirst-quenching, although underripe bananas can actually be astringent (meaning they can dry you out).

Coconuts

By this point we’ve all seen (and probably guzzled a few bottles of) coconut water at the grocery store—this popular thirst-quenching drink has risen wildly in popularity in the last few years. According to Wood, coconut is energy-building, thirst-quenching, and useful in dispelling summer heat.

Cucumbers

What would a day at the spa be without cucumber slices on the eyes, or a glass of cucumber-infused water? According to Wood, the cucumber is made up of 90 percent water, a quality which keeps the internal temperature of the vegetable in a constant state of coolness. Cucumbers can quench our thirst and also act as a powerful diuretic, relieving puffiness and keeping us refreshed.

Grapes

Few things are as refreshing in the summer as cold grapes, each round fruit popped in the mouth, bursting with tart juices. Wood explains that grapes are effective not only at quenching thirst, but also in reducing menopausal heat conditions and dry cough.

Kiwis

According to Wood, kiwis are cooling fruits by nature and they can quench one’s thirst easily, and may even be effective at squelching thirst in those with fevers.

Mangoes

To enjoy mango’s natural cooling and thirst-quenching benefits, Wood recommends enjoying them raw, sliced with lime juice, tossed into fruit salsas, or pureed into fruit smoothies and parfaits.

Plums

A relative of the more popular summer peach or cherry, the plum is also an excellent choice for squelching one’s thirst, according to Wood. Purple plums, she notes, are more cooling than yellow plums, although all varieties may relieve symptoms of dehydration or thirst.

Spinach

Yes, even leafy greens can be thirst-quenching! According to Wood, spinach leaves are moistening and can ease one’s thirst; they are also effective at relieving constipation.

What are your fave foods during the summer to cool down and quench your thirst?

Written by Kimberley Stakal