We’re at the height of summer, and temps across the country are hot, hot, hot. One of the best ways to keep cool and healthy during the summer is to stay hydrated. Sounds easy, but it can be challenging for many. Fortunately, I have an easy solution: Eat your water.
Here are a few of my favorite tips and recipes to sneak in a bit more hydration on these hot summer days (and all year round).
Tip 1: Build hydrating meals
Create hydrating meals using high-water-content foods such as a cucumber noodle bowl, grapefruit and avocado salsa, watermelon crust pizza, nachos using apple discs instead of chips, and swap out hamburger buns for tomato slices.
Tip 2: Eat carbohydrates that absorb water when cooked
Not only are these foods hearty and filling, but they are also very hydrating. When oats and quinoa are cooking, they expand and absorb the water they’re being cooked in. Not into these warm foods when it’s so hot out? Try overnight oats or cold quinoa salad. As an added boost, sprinkle chia seeds or flax seeds to add healthy fats and keep you fuller for longer and add heart healthy fats.
Tip 3: Load up on soups and broths
Broths and soups are rich in water and therefore excellent foods to include in your diet to promote hydration! And they do double duty when you add water-packed veggies. Not interested in drinking hot soup in the summer? Freeze broth in ice cube trays. You can even pop them in cocktails. Here’s a great cocktail recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of chicken bone broth
- 1 cup of ripe honeydew melon, chilled and roughly chopped
- ½ English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped, plus 2 vertical slices for garnish
- ¼ cup of fresh lime juice (about 1 to 2 limes) plus wedges for garnish
- 3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro leaves, plus a few leaves for garnish
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon of jalapeño hot sauce or 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
- 2 ounces of tequila or potato vodka
- Chicken bone broth ice cubes
Directions: Place ingredients, except alcohol and ice, in a blender and puree. Fill two tall glasses with bone broth ice cubes, add 1 ounce of potato vodka and half of the mix to each glass. Stir and garnish with a cucumber slice, lime, and cilantro.
Tip 4: Swap in gelatin for dessert
Gelatin is immensely healing to the gut wall. It also improves digestion, as it naturally binds to water and helps food move more easily. It supports skin, hair, and nail growth. If that’s not enough, it’s also healthy for your joints, helps decrease cellulite, and is a fantastic source of dietary collagen. And it’s made with mostly water! Now buyer beware, many boxed gelatins, including Jell-O, can be filled with artificial sweeteners and added sugar, which is why you want to increase the water content to boost the health benefits. Here’s one of my favorite recipes
Dr. Kellyann’s Lime Gelatin with Strawberries & Basil Essence
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of pasture-raised beef gelatin, i.e. Great Lakes Gelati
- ½ cup of cold water (to soften dried gelatin)
- 3 cups of boiling water
- Handful of fresh basil leaves, about ½ cup
- ¼ cup of cold water (for basil)
- ½ cup of freshly squeezed lime juice, about 4 to 5 Persian limes
- 3 to 4 tablespoons of honey
- About 5 to 6 large strawberries
- Basil leaves for garnish
- Whipped coconut cream (optional)
Directions: Add the gelatin to the cold water to soften. Bring 3 cups of water to boil. While waiting for the water, add basil leaves and ¼ cup of water to a blender and blend until the leaves are dissolved into the water. Pour basil water through a fine mesh sieve, add to gelatin, and stir.
Pour boiling water over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Add lime juice and honey to taste. Pour gelatin into six dessert cups. Refrigerate for about an hour and add fruit. Refrigerate until fully gelled and serve cold. Garnish with fresh basil and top with whipped coconut cream.
