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You probably already know how important it is to consume enough water to avoid dehydration. However, you don’t necessarily have to take in all your water from a cup, glass, or bottle. What you eat can also help you stay hydrated.

Eating water-rich foods can help supplement the water you drink. Although eating foods with high water content can’t fully replace drinking water, it can complement it.

Many foods have high water content, including a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Adding some of the foods listed below to your diet can help you stay hydrated.

Why Is Water Important?

Simply put, humans need water to survive. Water fulfills many important roles in our bodies, including:

• Controlling our body temperature.
• Helping to remove waste.
• Lubricating joints.
• Protecting important parts of the body, such as the brain, heart, and spinal cord.

According to a 2024 report in JAMA Network Open, water consumption may aid with weight loss and prevent kidney stones. The report added that some studies had also linked water consumption with preventing migraines, urinary tract infections, and low blood pressure.

Consuming enough water also prevents dehydration, which can range from mild to severe. At its most severe, dehydration can cause death — so proper hydration is essential.

Can Food Help With Hydration?

In addition to drinking water and other fluids, eating water-rich foods can help you stay hydrated. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, about 20% of our water consumption comes from food.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights fruits and vegetables as particularly good food sources of water.

Which Foods Are Good Sources of Water?

Fruits and vegetables — especially raw fruits and vegetables — are typically the best food sources of water. Here are 10 foods with high water content, with percentages according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In addition to good water sources, these foods are also good sources of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. So, their health benefits extend beyond hydration.

Bell peppers

Whether you prefer green, orange, red, or yellow, these colorful vegetables pack in plenty of water. According to the USDA, bell peppers are about 92% water.

If you want a little extra spice, you’re in luck. Bananas, jalapeños, and serrano peppers are also over 90% water.

Carrots and celery

These longtime partners are good sources of water whether you’re eating them together or separately.

According to the USDA, celery is about 95% water. Carrots run slightly behind at 88%, but they’re still a water-rich vegetable.

Citrus fruits

There are many members of the citrus family — and these sweet, super juicy foods are good water sources.

Grapefruit leads the way at 91% water. But you can’t go wrong with lemons (89%), limes (88%), oranges (87%), or tangerines (85%), either.

Cucumbers

Although many think of cucumber as a vegetable, it’s technically a fruit. Either way, cucumbers are high in water content — about 95%, according to the USDA.

Fun fact — pickles come from cucumbers, and because of that, they’re also high in water content. According to the USDA, dill pickles are about 94% water.

Lettuce

Whatever type of lettuce you prefer, it’s helpful for hydration. Iceberg lettuce is over 95% water, and other types — butterhead, green or red leaf, and romaine — are in the same range.

Cabbage (92% water) and dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and collard greens are also high in water content.

Stone fruits

Many stone fruits — those with a pit, seed, or other “stone” in the middle — are high in water content. Peaches, plums, nectarines, and apricots are all above 85% water.

Strawberries

Whether you’re enjoying them by themselves or adding them to yogurt, a smoothie, or oatmeal, strawberries are a good water source.

And they’re not the only food ending in “berries” to contain plenty of water. Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cranberries are all above 80% water.

Squash

It doesn’t matter if it’s summer squash or winter squash — the water content is high regardless.

Summer squash varieties, such as zucchini, crookneck, straightneck, and scallop/pattypan, are all 94% water.

Among winter varieties, spaghetti squash has the highest water content at 91%. But butternut, acorn, and Hubbard squash are all above 85% water as well.

Tomatoes

If you’ve had an especially juicy tomato, you’d probably guess it was high in water content — and you’d be right.

Red, ripe tomatoes contain about 94% water, according to the USDA. And you can use fresh tomatoes in many ways, including on sandwiches, in salads, and in homemade salsas or sauces.

Watermelon

As the name suggests, watermelon is a good food source of water. According to the USDA, watermelons contain about 91% water.

Cantaloupes and honeydew may not have “water” in their name, but they both have plenty of water inside them. According to the USDA, both melons are about 90% water.

Keep in mind that these 10 foods aren’t the only foods with high water content. Talk to your doctor or a dietitian about other water-rich foods you can add to your diet.

How Much Water Should I Drink in a Day?

“Eight glasses of water a day” is the popular adage, but it’s not exactly true.

The National Academy of Medicine recommends men consume 3.7 liters (or about 125 ounces) and women consume 2.7 liters (or about 91 ounces) of water daily. That equates to about 15.5 glasses of water a day for men and about 11.5 glasses of water per day for women.

Those numbers are general recommendations and represent the recommended total water intake, which includes fluids and food. Some people, such as pregnant women, may need more water for health.