When most people consider the benefits of getting their 5 a day, they think about the nutrients in fruits with high water content – especially the vitamins – the fruits can provide.
Vitamin C, potassium, and folate are just a few of the beneficial nutrients found in fruit, hence why you should aim to have several servings of fruit per day.
However, there’s another major benefit of eating more fruit that many people don’t consider.
Fruit can be an excellent source of hydration because, in addition to vitamins and minerals, they contain a significant amount of water.
Some fruits have higher water content than others. If you struggle to drink enough water during the day, you might want to consume more fruits with high water content.
Here is a list of the 27 fruits that contain the most water per gram, so you can meet your daily water requirements while benefiting from other nutrients, too!
1. Orange (Citrus X Sinensis)
The average orange is composed of roughly 86% water, making this citrus fruit one of the most hydrating fruits out there (although it’s not the highest in water, as we’ll see later).
As well as hydrating you, eating an orange a day will help you meet your daily vitamin C requirements.
2. Lemon (Citrus Limon)
If you’re a fan of sour flavors, another citrus fruit with high water content is the lemon!
Lemons are natural diuretics, so they help to decrease bloating, but instead of dehydrating the body, they actually improve hydration levels.
Lemons actually contain more water than oranges, at 88 to 89%.
3. Strawberry (Fragaria X Ananassa)
Strawberries are popular fruits because of how sweet and delicious they are, but another benefit of eating strawberries is that each one contains about 92% water!
Additionally, strawberries are the 4th highest fruits in terms of antioxidants.
4. Blueberry (Vaccinium Sect. Cyanococcus)
At 84% water, blueberries can help you to stay hydrated throughout the day.
You’ll also get plenty of antioxidants from just a handful of these berries.
Studies have shown that consuming blueberries on a regular basis may actually counteract damage to human DNA, which may slow down signs of aging and even combat some cancers.
5. Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus)
If you’re looking for a fruit that will really quench your thirst, try snacking on some cucumber. Cucumbers are made up of a massive 96% water.
As a result, this fruit is very low in calories and provides lots of dietary fiber for digestive health.
6. Peach (Prunus Persica)
Peaches are many people’s favorite fruit because they’re so sweet and juicy.
This juiciness is due to the fact that peaches contain 89% water, making them one of the most hydrating fruits overall.
Peaches are also particularly high in vitamins A and C as well as B vitamins.
7. Nectarine (Prunus Persica Var. Nucipersica)
Because nectarines are very similar to peaches (as you can see, the binomial nomenclatures show that the nectarine is a variant of the peach), they are practically the same in terms of water content.
Nectarines consist of 89% water, and they’re also slightly lower in calories than peaches.
8. Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum)
Tomatoes are fruits that can be eaten raw but are also easy to incorporate into savory dishes, from salads to pizzas.
Weighing in at an impressive 95% water, tomatoes are one of the most hydrating fruits. However, cooking tomatoes reduces both their water content and vitamin C levels.
9. Blackberry (Rubus Fruticosus)
Blackberries have a unique flavor that combines sweetness with tartness, but one of the most interesting things about this fruit is the fact that its water content is 88%.
Blackberries will also help you to get enough vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, and calcium.
10. Mango (Mangifera Indica)
This delicious tropical fruit tastes like a sweet treat rather than a healthy food choice, but it’s actually super healthy!
Not only do mangos pack a punch of healthful antioxidants and assist with digestion, but they’re good for your hair and skin, partly because they’re made up of 83% water.
11. Grapefruit (Citrus X Paradisi)
We’ve discussed the nutritional and hydrating benefits of oranges and lemons, but another citrus fruit that contains a lot of water is grapefruit.
Grapefruit contains 88% water, and if you’re trying to lose weight, research has shown that consuming this fruit might help.
12. Pineapple (Ananas Comosus)
Pineapples are known for having a whole host of nutritional benefits, from boosting metabolism to keeping the body free from dangerous free radicals.
They provide pain relief for those with arthritis amongst many other uses. Additionally, they contain 87% water.
13. Prickly Pear (Opunita stricta)
Prickly pears may look dry and spiky from the outside, but the flesh inside is made up of roughly 85% water!
This fruit also contains Linoleic acid, which has hydrating properties and is especially beneficial for the hair and skin, providing a moisturizing effect.
14. Zucchini (Cucurbita Pepo)
You might think of zucchini as more of a vegetable than fruit because of its use in savory dishes.
However, zucchini is surprisingly a fruit, and perhaps even more surprisingly, it has 90% water content!
The combination of vitamins and minerals in zucchini helps to protect the heart and lower blood pressure.
15. Eggplant (Solanum Melongena)
In a similar vein to zucchini, eggplant is another vegetable-like fruit that is high in water.
At a huge 92.7% water, eggplant also consists of 1% protein.
The antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin A are also present in high quantities in eggplants.
16. Apple (Malus Domestica)
Apples feel very firm in terms of their texture (at least, when they are not overly ripe), but you might be surprised to hear that apples are some of the most water-heavy fruits in the world.
The water content of apples is 85% and these fruits can be incorporated into so many dishes that eating plenty of them is easy.
17. Asian Pear (Pyrus Pyrifolia)
Asian pears are more than 80% water, so they are a good choice of snack if you’re feeling a bit dehydrated or your skin is looking a little dry.
This type of pear is also especially rich in potassium (much like bananas, although bananas are not anywhere near as hydrating).
18. Raspberry (Rubus Idaeus)
If you enjoy eating raspberries (who doesn’t?), then you’re in luck because these also happen to be some of the most high-water fruits out there.
The average raspberry is made of 85% water, and at just 64 calories per cup, a serving of raspberries is the ideal healthy snack.
19. Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus)
It should come as no surprise that the water content of the average watermelon is sky-high – the clue is in the name.
Watermelons contain 92% water, so if you find drinking water to be a chore, snacking on watermelon is a great alternative.
20. Plum (Prunus Domestica)
You can ingest a surprising amount of water just from eating plums regularly. Plums, like many of the other fruits on this list, consisting of 85% water.
The fiber and antioxidants in plums will also be beneficial for your health.
21. Starfruit (Averrhoa Carambola)
The average starfruit contains almost as much water per gram as a watermelon: 91.4%!
This fruit is also low in sugar, which is great because many of the more hydrating fruit options are often high in sugar, and thus difficult for some people to eat safely.
22. Cantaloupe (Cucumis Melo Var. Cantalupensis)
The cantaloupe melon species is made of 90% water, so go ahead and enjoy a serving of cantaloupe if you’re worried about your water consumption. Each serving is only 29 calories.
23. Papaya (Carica Papaya)
This tropical fruit is over 88% water.
Papayas have many other benefits besides hydrating the body, including decreasing bad cholesterol in the blood, thus lowering the average person’s risk of heart disease.
24. Apricot (Prunus Armeniaca)
Apricots are super juicy if you wait long enough for them to ripen.
In fact, apricots contain 80% water, although dried apricots, naturally, are much less hydrating, at just 22% water.
25. Kiwi (Actinidia Deliciosa)
The rough skin of the kiwi might not immediately indicate that this fruit is hydrating, but don’t be fooled!
Kiwis are more than 80% water overall, and while the skin isn’t the juiciest part, it has plenty of other benefits such as providing folate and vitamin E.
26. Honeydew Melon (Cucumis Melo L. ‘Honey Dew’)
Honeydew melons offer an impressive 90% water content, so you’ll definitely stay hydrated if you make this melon a regular part of your diet.
Vitamins A and C are the main nutrients you can derive from honeydew melon.
27. Bell Pepper (Capsicum Annuum)
The vast majority of the average bell pepper is pure water – 92%, to be exact. A serving of raw bell peppers is only 31 calories, but this fruit contains high amounts of vitamin C.
Final Thoughts
Staying hydrated during the day doesn’t have to mean chugging endless glasses of water!
Of course, you should be drinking plenty of water, but making an effort to consume just a few of these juicy fruits regularly will benefit you on the inside and the outside.
