Summer heat drains moisture from the body and skin, causing dehydration and dullness. It is crucial to stay hydrated this season for both body and skin health. Drinking water is very important for both the body and the skin, but adding fruits high in water content to your everyday meal plan can help you stay hydrated, replace any lost nutrients, and provide the nutrients your skin needs to stay healthy.
Most summer fruits contain a large amount of water, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, all of which will help the body stay cool and provide energy. The majority of these fruits can help improve digestion and contribute to healthy skin, as well as combat fatigue due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures.
Below are seven very hydrating fruits that are perfect for the summer!
1. Watermelon
Watermelon is a popular summertime fruit due to the fact that it is over 90% water by volume, which makes it the ultimate refreshing food on a hot summer day.
This refreshing fruit will help replace sweat you may have lost, helping to keep your body cool. It also comprises many vitamins (C and A) and antioxidants (such as lycopene) that may help promote healthy skin while preventing dry skin from the sun during the summer months.
The cooling nature of watermelon also means it’s a great alternative to heavy or sugary foods or high-calorie, sugary drinks.
Hydration Benefits:
- Helps to keep body fluids in balance
- Supports luminous and rejuvenated skin
- Naturally helps to maintain your coolness
- Aids in hydrating your body post-outdoor activities
2. Muskmelon
Also known as Cantaloupe, Muskmelon is another fruit that is high in water content, thereby possibly preventing dehydration. Muskmelon is high in water, potassium, and vitamins, and thus contributes to good health as temperatures rise.
Muskmelon is also a good source of vitamin A and antioxidants, which may help protect your skin. While some foods can influence hormone balance related to hydration and skin, muskmelon’s primary benefits here come from aiding fluid and electrolyte balance rather than directly affecting hormones.
The naturally sweet taste of muskmelon makes it a healthful alternative to desserts that are high in sugar and packaged beverages that are high in sugar.
Hydration Benefits:
- Helps with the balancing of electrolytes
- May assist with decreasing summer fatigue
- Helps with keeping your skin healthy and hydrated
- Helps maintain energy levels in your body
3. Cucumber
Though commonly referred to as a vegetable, cucumbers are a fruit and are popular in hot weather for their hydrating and cooling qualities. It has a very high water content and can promote digestion and keep the body refreshed. Cucumber also contains antioxidants to promote healthy, hydrated skin.
Cucumber can be added to salads, water, or smoothies to supplement your hydration.
Hydration Benefits:
- May promote natural cooling of the body
- Assists with healthy digestion
- May reduce the drying of your skin
- Help keep your body cool in hot weather
4. Papaya
Papaya is a fruit containing many beneficial nutrients that keep you hydrated and help your digestive system work efficiently. It is a rich source of vitamins, especially vitamin C, as well as contains water, fiber, and an enzyme called papain that helps your digestive system run smoothly.
Being well hydrated and having a properly functioning digestive system usually shows through your skin. The antioxidants found in papaya can aid in promoting your skin’s natural luminosity and supporting your skin against damaging forces throughout our environment.
Papaya is a light fruit that is perfect for summertime breakfasts or snacking.
Hydration Benefits:
- Support your digestion, and keep hydrated
- Promote clear skin
- Provide refreshing nourishment during the Summer months
- Help relieve the feeling of fullness after eating
5. Oranges
Everyone knows that oranges contain a high concentration of vitamin C; they also provide very high levels of hydration. The juicy nature of the fruit provides plenty of fluids and antioxidants, while vitamin C and antioxidants in oranges will help support a healthy immune system and healthy skin.
Furthermore, Vitamin C is a vital component in the process that produces collagen in your body, which contributes to the overall health of your skin by providing texture and elasticity. If you consume oranges consistently during the summer months, your skin will have a much healthier and more vibrant appearance throughout the warm seasons.
In addition, oranges can provide more hydration than sodas or juices.
Hydration Benefits:
- Helps with maintaining healthy skin
- Hydrates and refreshes
- It may help support your immune system through seasonal changes
- Replenishes fluids
6. Strawberries
Strawberries are an excellent source of hydration because they are made up of mostly water and have a high concentration of vitamin C. Ensuring a healthy level of hydration, it can provide the same benefits to your skin as to your body.
Strawberries are also high in antioxidants, which can help combat the negative effects of oxidative stress from heat and environmental pollutants. Additionally, the nutritional profile of strawberries can aid in promoting an overall healthy appearance to your skin by increasing its brightness.
Enjoy strawberries in smoothies, yogurt bowls, or fruit salads this summer as a refreshing treat.
The hydrating benefits of strawberries include:
- Keeps skin hydrated naturally
- Refreshes the body when hot
- Provides essential nutrients for skin
- Helps with fatigue during the summer months
7. Pineapple
Pineapple is a tropical fruit that everyone loves because it’s juicy and refreshing. It is loaded with water, vitamin C, manganese, and bromelain (an enzyme that may aid in digestion).
Pineapples can help keep you cool, and because they contain water, they may help keep your body hydrated. Pineapples are also loaded with antioxidants that protect skin cells from heat and sun damage, and they cool the body.
This summer, enjoy fresh pineapple on its own, in smoothies, or in fruit bowls as a cooling snack.
The hydrating benefits of pineapple include:
- Helps digestion and keeps you hydrated
- Is refreshing for your skin
- Cools the body naturally
- Provides essential vitamins and minerals during the summer
Why is Hydration Important for Your Skin in the Summer?
In the summertime, you tend to lose a lot of fluid through perspiration, so you need to stay hydrated in order to get enough fluids into your body each day; otherwise, it will affect your skin’s appearance as well as the way you feel overall.
Your skin will show signs of being dehydrated by being dry, dull, and/or looking tired.
Basically, fruits that contain high levels of water also add vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to your system, providing you with the additional benefits not only to your skin but to every part of your body.
Wrapping Up
Fruits from the summer not only taste delicious on a hot day, but they can also keep you hydrated, while providing you with essential nutrients and antioxidants to promote healthy skin throughout the summer. Some excellent hydrating fruit choices include watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, papaya, oranges, strawberries, and pineapple. Consider adding fruits to your summer meals as an excellent way to achieve a balanced diet.
