5 Foods To Add To Your Water That Make It 10x More Hydrating, From An MD

Below, we've rounded up some of the best expert-approved additions to keep your hydration levels up to par. Happy sipping! 

We'll start with arguably the most popular hydrator out there. But what makes cucumbers so hydrating isn't the crunchy body of the fruit itself—it's the seeds. 

Look closely at a cut cucumber—do you notice those seeds suspended in a slimy substance? That slime is actually called "structured" or "gel" water1, and it happens when H₂O molecules layer upon one another. It's regarded by some experts as the fourth phase of water, as it straddles a solid and liquid state. "It is in that form that's found in nature, and it's also in that form that's found within our cells," Dana Cohen, M.D., integrative medicine physician and co-author of Quench, says on the mindbodygreen podcast. So chucking a few slices of cucumber into your water glass can enhance the hydration twofold. 

Chia seeds also contain gel water (when you add water to chia seeds, they clump together into a slimy glob). But chia seeds are also full of fiber—in fact, they can absorb up to 10 to 12 times their weight in water2. "The fiber is what really acts as a sponge," Cohen notes. "[Chia seeds can] hold on to that hydration much better than just plain bulk water alone." 

Try a sprinkle of salt in your water: This helps pull water into your cells through sodium transporters. As functional nutrition expert and certified sports nutritionist Jaclyn Sklaver, M.S., CNS, CDN, LDN, once told us, "They enable more water to be absorbed by the intestines than plain water alone." 

Lemon can help replace those lost minerals as well, like potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. Bonus points if you create a salty-sour concoction: "Not every single glass of water, but in a couple of those glasses, do a pinch of [salt] with some lemon to replace some other minerals," says Cohen. 

Apples also contain significant amounts of potassium3, which can help replace some electrolytes. As the saying goes: An apple a day...

When it comes to hydration, there are more than a few foods that can level up your water glass. Plus, some of these options are super summery and refreshing, too.