Fruits With the Highest Water Content: Natural Ways to Stay Hydrated

How food contributes to hydration

Water in fruit counts toward your daily fluid needs just like a drink. Fruit also provides potassium and small amounts of sodium and magnesium — electrolytes that help the body hold on to fluid. That makes hydrating fruit a sensible snack in hot weather or after exercise.

Fruits ranked by water content

Approximate percentage of water by weight:

• Watermelon: about 92%
• Strawberries: about 91%
• Cantaloupe: about 90%
• Peaches: about 89%
• Oranges: about 87%
• Grapefruit: about 88%
• Pineapple: about 86%
• Raspberries: about 86%
• Apples: about 86%
• Blueberries: about 84%

Benefits beyond hydration

Because water adds volume without calories, high-water fruits fill you up for relatively little energy. A large bowl of watermelon has fewer calories than a small handful of dried fruit. They also tend to be good sources of vitamin C and carotenoids.

Practical tips

• Keep cut melon chilled in a covered container for an easy summer snack
• Add strawberries or orange slices to a jug of water for flavor
• Pack frozen grapes or berries in lunch boxes as a cooling treat
• Eat cut melon within 3–4 days and keep it refrigerated for food safety

A note of balance

Fruit helps, but it does not replace drinking water, especially in heat, illness or intense exercise. Thirst and pale-yellow urine remain simple guides to whether you are drinking enough.