You’re sipping on water, trying to maintain your hydration level, but your lips are still dry, and your skin is patchy. It’s time to question yourself. Does your diet include foods that cause dehydration?
Are you saying Yes? Then, this is the secret your body might be hiding from you: some of the foods you love could conspire against your hydration efforts. No matter if you’re drinking 2-3L of water daily, these foods are just robbing the moisture from your body, leaving it like a desert.
If you want to know what foods cause dehydration, you are on the right page. In this article, you will discover 10 foods that cause adult dehydration. And the bonus tips to prevent dehydration and how electrolyte water can help. No more waiting. Let’s jump onto the list of hydration-reducing foods.
10 Foods That Can Make You Dehydrated
According to Stat Pearls by the National Library of Medicine, 75% of Americans are dehydrated chronically. To not be one of them, you should take care of your water intake and avoid the foods that dehydrate you.
Here is your most awaited list of ten foods that make you dehydrated.
- Spicy Food
Despite being delicious for your taste buds, spices can be hydration-reducing for your body. Department of Human Biology of Maastricht University published in a journal that spices cause body thermogenesis (increased heat production). The body regulates this heat production via sweating more.
The more you sweat, the more your body will lose water and electrolytes, ultimately dehydrating you.
So, if you are a spice lover, it’s time to reduce the frequency of spicy meals, as they cause dehydration in adults.
- Deep Fried Foods
Whether deep-fried chicken or potatoes, the taste is always up to the mark. But have you ever noticed that after having deep-fried food, you feel more thirsty? It’s a sign that your body is getting dehydrated.
These foods contain fats and salts, so you take more sodium than usual. A cross-sectional study on 18-23-year-old healthy males and females concludes that participants with higher salt intake have lower hydration status.
It means sipping water, but eating deep-fired food can make you dehydrated.
- Salty Munchies
Whether watching a movie or working from home, munching on salty crackers is common.
Current Sports Medicine Reports reviewed the effect of acute sodium ingestion on thirst and heart function in athletes. The results reported that acute sodium intake increased thirst, sympathetic activity, and transient blood pressure.
When you eat a lot of salty food but don’t drink enough water, your body has to take water from other parts of your body. This can make you more likely to get dehydrated. Too much salt can mess up how your body and kidneys work, leading to dehydration.
- Packaged and Processed food
Even though they’re convenient and yummy, eating processed and packaged foods can cause dehydration. These foods often have lots of sodium, which can make you super thirsty and make your body lose water. Sodium tricks your body into keeping water, but if you have too much, it messes up the balance and makes your body get rid of extra fluids, as mentioned above.
Also, these processed foods don’t have much water or the essential stuff your body needs, so they don’t help keep you hydrated. Remember to drink enough water, especially when you enjoy processed snacks!
- Red Meat
You must be eating red meat if you are a gym bird, trying to gain muscles, or someone who loves steaks. Red meat is an excellent source of protein, but have you ever thought that this protein-rich diet can dehydrate you?
The International Society of Sports Nutrition’s journal says that a high-protein diet tends to stress your kidneys, cause diarrhea, and even worsen dehydration.
Eat those steaks and cook some meat for dinner, but watch out; it may conspire against your body’s fluid concentration.
- Asparagus
With its thin green spears, Asparagus pops up in spring and goes great in dishes like salads and soups. It tastes fresh and a bit grassy, but that’s not all. The Journal of Functional Food in 2020 said that Asparagus has more non-protein-nitrogen and asparagine than many other fruits. This makes it work like a diuretic, which causes increased urine production.
So, it’s a tasty veggie to enjoy in spring. But be mindful that it could be the food that causes dehydration in you.
- High Fiber food
Do you love munching on chickpeas and beans or prefer oats for breakfast? Then, you should know what amount of fiber should be taken daily. According to Word Health Organization, an adult should aim to take an average of 25 grams of fiber daily.
High-fiber food means your body needs more water to digest and expel it out of the body. Recent literature from the National Library of Medicine says that if you take more fiber, you must increase your water intake because there is a risk of dehydration.
Here are some foods and their fiber concentration.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9268622/
- Dried Fruits
Dried apricots, dates, or figs are all nutritious, and a bowl of them makes your heart happy. Undoubtedly, they are good sources of nutrition, but eating a lot of dried fruits can cause adverse effects.
Journal of the American College of Nutrition concluded in a study that dried fruits, especially figs, are a great source of nutrition and act as antioxidants. But they also contain fiber and sugar, which can act as a rebel and push water out of your body.
- Sugary Treats
Being a big fan of cakes, brownies, and ice cream may satisfy your craving and calm your psychology. But have you ever thought that it could be the foods that make you dehydrated?
Yes, because taking sugar means your blood will be rich in glucose content.
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, Volume 9, showed that dehydration can occur because of water loss due to increased sodium and glucose in the blood.
- Alcoholic beverages
Alcohol acts as a diuretic for your body. It is alarming for you if you are a fan of alcoholic drinks.
Moreover, according to the scientific literature 2018, alcohol could lower vasopressin levels in your body. Vasopressin is like a natural water-retaining helper, but when alcohol reduces it, your body may struggle to hold onto the water it requires, leading to dehydration.
How to prevent dehydration?
Now that you know the ten culprit foods that cause dehydration, it’s time to fix it or find another way out. All the foods mentioned above are common in our diet, but here is the catch: how to ditch dehydration while enjoying all of them?
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies suggests that adult women should aim for about 2.7 liters, while men should target around 3.7 liters of water to stay well-hydrated.
The secret to preventing dehydration is simply to drink more water. Imagine water as your hydration superhero, always ready to save the day and keep you feeling your best. So, raise a glass to stay refreshed and revitalized, even in the face of the trickiest dehydrating foods.
Here are 5 tips that can help you prevent dehydration:
- Keep water handy
Use a water bottle for it. Keep the bottle with you while going out or on your office desk. When water is in your reach, you are more likely to sip it and avoid any signs of dehydration.
- Water-Rich Food
If you are not in the mood to sip water, eat it. Including water-rich food into your daily routine could be the game changer for maximizing your hydration. Here are some foods with high water content:
- Watermelon
- Zucchini
- Strawberry
- Cantaloupe
- Orange
- Fruit juices
Another yummy way to say goodbye or avoid dehydration is to bless your taste buds with fresh fruit juices. Why not squeeze some oranges and fill your bottle with fresh and vibrant colored juices?
A recent study funded by the Florida Department of Citrus at the University of Kansas found that 100% orange juice hydrates just as well as water and sports drinks.
- Prefer Electrolyte beverages
Who said you have to drink simple water to prevent dehydration? No, electrolyte drinks can supercharge our hydration as they contain sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
You can replace your water bottle with an electrolyte drink or simply mix an electrolyte powder of your favorite flavor to get refreshed.
- Set Reminders
This is a cheat code to stay hydrated if you need to remember things quickly. Take out your phone and set reminders every 30 minutes to finish your current water bottle and refill it.
Or get a hydration buddy who keeps reminding you to sip water.
Follow any of your favorite tips above and watch how much water you drink daily, especially if you eat any food that causes dehydration.
Also read: Top Tips To Drink More Water: Maximize Your Hydration.
How electrolyte can help to prevent dehydration?
When you are dehydrated, water, essential minerals, and vitamins are depleted from your body. So, you need electrolytes and water to stay in your complete form and perform well throughout the day.
In a 2017 systematic review, it was discovered that electrolytes play a crucial role in retaining body fluids and preventing excessive water loss via urine. This preservation of internal body fluids is vital for maintaining hydration when consuming carbohydrate-electrolyte (CHO-E) beverages during exercise.
To prevent dehydration and maintain your electrolyte balance, you can try HealthyStripe Electrolyte Powder Drink Mix. Do you know what the bonus is? It is sugar-free and contains fifteen micronutrients that might replenish your energy levels.
And if you are planning to go for a hike, this electrolyte powder might help you prevent dehydration and supercharge your recovery.
Conclusion
In conclusion, staying hydrated is essential for our well-being, but sometimes, the foods we love can sneakily lead us to dehydration. Whether it’s spicy or deep-fried chicken, dried fruits, sugary treats, and alcoholic beverages can all contribute to dehydration.
First and foremost, drink more water – it’s your hydration superhero. Keep a water bottle handy, or opt for water-rich foods and fresh fruit juices to stay well-hydrated. And don’t forget the power of electrolyte drinks or powders, like HealthyStripe Electrolyte Powder, which can help maintain your electrolyte balance and keep you performing at your best.
So, next time you enjoy your favorite meals, remember to pair them with good hydration practices. Your body will thank you for it. Stay refreshed and stay healthy!
FAQs
What drinks can cause dehydration?
Drinking soda water, sugary drinks, or alcoholic beverages like liquor, wine, or beer can cause dehydration in you.
Does fasting dehydrate you?
Even if you are not drinking enough water or fasting throughout the day, you need to get enough water to meet the body’s requirements. Thus, fasting puts you at risk of dehydration.
What are the symptoms of a lack of calories?
Following are the symptoms that appear when you are not taking enough calories:
Change in appetite
Hair loss
Low energy levels
Mood changes
Nausea
Does protein cause dehydration?
Eating more protein, like red meat, can cause dehydration. Because a high-protein diet needs more water to get processed and excreted out of your body. So, high protein could be the food that causes dehydration.
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