Those eight 8-ounce glasses of water that you may or may not be drinking are not the only way to satisfy your body's need for water. In fact, there are several water-rich foods that you're likely already consuming now that can help you meet some of that highly touted eight 8-ounce glass recommendation. And the great news is that satisfying some of your H20 needs will not be the only benefit you gain after consuming these water-rich and nutritious foods. Match the water-rich food with its nutritional benefits.
Cucumber – soothes skin irritations and reduces skin swelling and helps lower blood pressure. A cucumber is approximately 95 percent water—making it a naturally hydrating food. This 95-percent water composition is part of the reason that its benefits include soothing skin irritations and reducing skin swelling. Cucumber juice is recommended for its silica content to improve the skin's complexion and health. Not only can you eat cucumbers, but you can also use cucumber slices topically for treating swollen eyes, sunburn, and dermatitis. Participants of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Study experienced healthier blood pressure levels when they added foods high in potassium, magnesium, and fiber to their diets—cucumbers are sources of all three. A one-cup serving has approximately 150 milligrams of potassium, 11 milligrams of magnesium, and about 1 gram of dietary fiber. "Slicing cucumbers," or cucumbers that are grown to be eaten fresh, are available year round but are at their best from May through July. Need another great benefit? A one-cup serving of sliced cucumbers, with peel, only contains 13 calories, so you can use it generously in your salads!
Watermelon – reduces the risk of heart disease and helps alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Watermelon is about 92 percent water—a great thirst-quenching food to enjoy in the coming summer months, when watermelon tends to be at its sweetest. Watermelon is a highly concentrated source of the carotenoid antioxidant lycopene. And lycopene has been extensively researched and studied in humans for its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. This powerful antioxidant can not only travel through the body neutralizing free radicals, harmful substances in the body that can do damage; it can oxidize cholesterol that sticks to blood vessel walls, where it can potentially lead to heart attack or stroke. One cup of diced watermelon contains almost 15 milligrams of vitamin C—that's 24.3 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA).* That one-cup also contains 11.1 percent of the RDA for vitamin A. And a high intake of vitamin C and beta-carotene has been shown in numerous scientific studies to alleviate some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. A one-cup serving of diced watermelon will also yield you about 176 milligrams of potassium (5 percent of the RDA), almost 17 milligrams of magnesium (4.2 percent of the RDA), and only about 49 calories. 
Tomato – helps prevent prostate cancer and promotes bone health. This option wasn't really meant to trick you—helping prevent prostate cancer could very well have been attributed to the watermelon, too. Tomatoes are approximately 93 percent water—making them another perfect summer season food (at their best from July through September). Like the watermelon, the tomato is also a rich source of lycopene—the powerful antioxidant that has been extensively studied in humans for its cancer-preventing properties. A meta-analysis of 21 studies published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention underscored the point that eating tomatoes, especially cooked ones, offers protection against prostate cancer. Men who ate the highest amounts of raw tomatoes were found to have an 11-percent reduced risk for developing prostate cancer. Men who ate the most cooked tomato products experienced a 19-percent reduced risk. Tomatoes are also good sources of vitamin K—a one-cup serving of raw tomato contains 17.8 percent of the RDA. And that vitamin K helps promote bone health. Vitamin K1 activates osteocalcin, which is the major non-collagen protein in bone, and osteocalcin anchors calcium molecules inside the bone.
Grapefruit – boosts liver enzymes and helps repair DNA. At 88 percent water, grapefruits are refreshing (best from winter through early spring). One cup of grapefruit contains 18.6 grams of carbs, including 2.5 grams of dietary fiber and 16.1 grams of sugars; 27.6 milligrams of calcium; and 319.7 milligrams of potassium. You can't beat that potassium content! All those nutrients and only 74 calories per one cup. Grapefruit juice greatly increases the production and activity of liver detoxification enzymes that are responsible for preparing toxic compounds for elimination from the body. A lab study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry reported that naringenin, a flavonoid concentrated in grapefruit, helps repair damaged DNA in human prostate cancer cells. Grapefruit also shares its rich lycopene content with watermelons and tomatoes. For the most antioxidants, it is recommended that you choose fully ripened grapefruit.
Broccoli – helps prevent cataracts and assists in fighting birth defects. Broccoli is 92 percent water. Broccoli, along with other leafy green vegetables, contains powerful phytonutrient antioxidants, called lutein and zeaxanthin, which belong to the carotenoid family. Both lutein and zeaxanthin are concentrated in high amounts in the lens of the eye. In a Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, 36,000 men were monitored. Study participants who ate broccoli more than two times per week experienced a 23-percent reduced risk of developing cataracts compared to participants who ate broccoli less than once a month. One cup of broccoli contains 94 micrograms of folic acid, which is a B-vitamin essential for proper cellular division because it is necessary in DNA synthesis. And without folic acid, a fetus' nervous system cells do not divide properly. Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy has been linked to neural tube defects like spina bifida. Due to its highly perishable nature, broccoli should be stored in an open plastic bag in your refrigerator crisper, where it should keep for a week.
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