Hydrate And Energize: 10 Foods For Summer Health

Summer is full of hiking trails, days spent by the sea, and plenty of outdoor activities that make hydrating and eating right necessary. Keeping fit and active is easy when you incorporate these healthy foods into your diet. Not only will you feel more energetic and hydrated, but you'll be ready to take part in all of summer's activities.

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Foods high in water content are great at hydrating you and cooling you down while out in the sun. Foods like lettuce, citrus, and other summer fruits and vegetables hydrate us and lower our body temperature to stay cool. The high water content can thin the blood and assist your body in releasing heat.

There are several foods to help you cut down on calories and still feel full while giving you energy for summer activities. Cut back on heavy pastas and rice bowls, and chow down on a helping of quinoa  instead, for example. Quinoa feels like a starch and fills you up like one, but is actually gluten-free and high in protein.

So, load up on these foods and hit the trails or the beach. Not only do some of these foods give you more energy, but they hydrate you as well for hot summer days. 

Oatmeal

Snack on a bowl of oatmeal before a hike or run. The oatmeal will hold you over until the end, but won't weigh you down with carb overload.

Avocados

These green fruits are full of magnesium and potassium, which helps your muscles function. Plus, it's a nutrient-dense food, which means it will sustain you well through all your outdoor activities.

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Emily Jacobs is the Recipe editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @EmilyRecipes.

This story was originally published on July 1, 2014.