Water is your best bet for everyday hydration, since it is free of sugar, calories, and caffeine. All of your daily food and beverages contribute to your daily fluid needs.
Research shows that milk is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks. Researchers credit milk's natural electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein for its effectiveness.
"Milk is good for hydration, but water is a better option purely for hydration," Dr. Casaubon says, adding that water is typically the smarter option for those with diabetes, or whose doctor has prescribed a lower caloric intake, since milk can be high in calories and carbohydrates.
Gatorade, because of its electrolyte content, helps to restore the lost electrolytes and keep a person hydrated, during intense activity. It can also replace electrolytes, during times of illness, such as stomach viruses.
Coconut water is, undoubtedly, the best hydrating drink. It is low in calories and rich in potassium and is known to have better hydrating qualities than plain water.
Watermelon. OK, so this isn't a drink…but every time you eat watermelon, you're retaining 92 percent of the liquid you're eating. That's better than fruit juice! You can try these other hydrating foods, too.
Do caffeinated drinks like Coca‑Cola count towards my recommended daily water intake? Yes. Sparkling soft drinks, including reduced and no sugar, no calorie options, contain between 85% and 99% water, which means they can help quench thirst and count towards your recommended daily fluid intake. Did you know?
“The best ingredient for dry or dehydrated skin is hyaluronic acid, due to its ability to hold up to 1000 times its weight in hydration,” she says.
Juice and soda are not only less hydrating, but offer extra sugars and calories that won't fill us up as much as solid foods, explained Majumdar. If the choice is between soda and water for hydration, go with water every time.
Eating ice lollies and other iced treats won't provide a lot of hydration, but they will help to keep the throat moist and keep you from becoming dehydrated as easily.
If you drink only soda as your beverage of choice, you may be at risk for weight gain. Consuming an extra 3,500 calories leads to 1 pound of weight gain, explains the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Medium-dark yellow urine is often an indication that you are dehydrated.
While Gatorade can help you stay hydrated, it's best to only drink it when needed. For people who aren't exercising for at least one hour, five days per week, water is the best bet for staying hydrated. Electrolytes coming from natural sources without added sugars and dyes are recommended.
It's important to note, however, that given its calorie content and high satiety, it should not be used to replace water by any means. You couldn't drink enough milk in a day to stay appropriately hydrated, but it can be a nutritious way to work toward your overall hydration goal.
Drink an ORS Before Bed
Instead of drinking a glass of water, drink an oral rehydration solution like DripDrop ORS, which also contains electrolytes that are essential for hydration. Try to drink the ORS an hour or two before bed so you don't wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom.
How to Hyper-hydrate. Hyper-hydration is difficult because excess fluid intake before exercise will usually be quickly excreted through the urine; simply speaking, you'll pee it out quickly. To combat this, runners can use a product called Glycerol to help them retain fluids and electrolytes.
Cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, watermelon, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, sweet peppers, radishes, spinach, zucchini, and tomatoes are all at least 90% water. Soups, popsicles, water ice, and gelatins are also high in water.
When too much sodium throws the body and the kidneys out of whack, the body becomes dehydrated. During this period, the body will pull water from your cells. Drinking more water will help neutralize the sodium and rehydrate the cells throughout your body.