Staying hydrated is important for maintaining overall health and wellbeing. Water makes up a significant portion of our body weight and is essential for many bodily functions including temperature regulation, nutrient transportation, and waste removal. While plain water is the best way to stay hydrated, eating fruits and vegetables with high water content can also contribute to your daily fluid intake.
What does it mean for a fruit to have high water content?
The water content of a fruit refers to the percentage of the fruit’s weight that comes from water. For example, if a watermelon weighs 1 pound and 80% of that weight comes from water, the water content would be 0.8 or 80%. The higher the percentage, the more water the fruit contains.
Fruits with over 90% water content are considered high water fruits. This means that more than 9/10ths of their weight comes from water. Fruits like cantaloupe, strawberries, and watermelon are all examples of high water fruits.
Benefits of eating high water fruits
Eating fruits with high water content has many benefits:
- Helps hydrate the body – The water in fruits contributes to daily fluid needs and helps prevent dehydration.
- High nutrient content – Many high water fruits are also high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Low in calories – The high water and fiber content means these fruits are low in calories, making them a healthy snack option.
- May promote weight loss – Their low calorie and high fiber content helps promote fullness and can support weight management.
Ranking fruits by water content
Many fruits have high water content, but some varieties contain even more fluid ounce for ounce. Below are some of the fruits ranked from highest to lowest percentage of water:
| Fruit | Water Content |
|---|---|
| Watermelon | 92% |
| Strawberries | 92% |
| Cantaloupe | 90% |
| Peaches | 88% |
| Pineapple | 87% |
| Oranges | 87% |
| Grapefruit | 87% |
| Apples | 86% |
| Apricots | 86% |
| Pears | 84% |
| Plums | 84% |
| Blueberries | 84% |
| Blackberries | 82% |
| Cherries | 82% |
| Grapes | 81% |
As you can see, watermelon and strawberries top the list with over 90% water content. Most other fruits still maintain a high water percentage over 80%. This table helps highlight which fruits can maximize your fluid intake per serving.
Watermelon is #1
With 92% water content, watermelon is the #1 fruit for highest water content. Watermelon is one of the most hydrating fruits you can eat, providing more fluid ounce for ounce than almost any other fruit. Some key facts about watermelon’s high water content:
- 92% of a watermelon’s weight comes from water
- 1 cup of diced watermelon has over 1/2 cup of water
- Staying hydrated helps maintain fluid balance, regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, and aids digestion
- Watermelon hydrates without added sugars or calories – one cup only has 46 calories
- Provides electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium which are lost through sweat
- The high water content gives it a low calorie density so you can eat more
With all these benefits, watermelon rightly earns the top spot for being the fruit with the highest water content. Its refreshing sweetness makes it a tasty way to hydrate during hot summer months.
Other top hydrating fruits
While watermelon takes first place, other fruits can also provide excellent hydration:
Strawberries
Strawberries match watermelon with 92% water content. They provide valuable hydration along with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Strawberries have only 45 calories per cup.
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is 90% water, putting it close behind watermelon and strawberries. It is an excellent source of hydration plus vitamins A and C. One cup of cantaloupe cubes has only 50 calories.
Peaches
With 88% water content, peaches are another juicy, hydrating fruit. Peaches contain key minerals like potassium and vitamins A, C, and E. One medium peach has 59 calories.
Pineapple
Pineapple has 87% water content. It provides hydration as well as manganese, vitamin C, and bromelain. One cup of pineapple chunks has 82 calories.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit matches oranges with 87% water. It has hydrating properties along with immune-boosting vitamins and minerals. Half a grapefruit has just 52 calories.
Tips for getting more hydration from fruit
Here are some simple tips to maximize your hydration from fruit:
- Eat fruits with the highest water content like watermelon, strawberries, and cantaloupe
- Consume fruits in their fresh, raw form instead of juice to get more fiber
- Add fruit to your water like cucumber, lemon, lime, or watermelon to infuse more flavor and nutrients
- Snack on fresh fruits between meals to provide hydration throughout the day
- Use fruits like peach, strawberry, or pineapple in smoothies
- Enjoy fruit salad topped with citrus fruits like oranges for extra hydration
The bottom line
Fruits can provide essential hydration throughout the day. Watermelon is the clear winner when it comes to the fruit with the highest water content at 92%, followed closely by strawberries. Cantaloupe, peaches, pineapple, and grapefruit also make the top list for keeping the body hydrated. Focus on consuming fruits in their fresh, whole form and combine high water fruits together for optimal hydration.