Keep Your Children Hydrated with These Superfoods

Getting children to drink water may feel like an uphill task most times. But did you know that you can keep your child hydrated and happy by simply introducing the right fruits and vegetables? If you are at your wits end on how to keep your child hydrated with minimal fuss, here’s a mouth-watering list of fruits and vegetables that might do the trick.

Watermelon: Watermelons top the list as one of the most hydrating fruits. Its red flesh alone is 92 per cent water. Its water content, accessibility and availability all year long makes it easy to find in the market and a favourite for kids. They come in various types and sizes and are rich in vitamin A, vital for proper eyesight.

Apples: Remember the saying, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’? Well, that has more to do with its cancer fighting nutrients but there’s no harm in getting some water from it as well! Apples are sweet, succulent and have 84 per cent water content. So chomp chomp!

Citrus fruits: This refers to fruits such oranges, tangerines and grapefruit (not to be confused with grapes as they look more like oranges than grapes). Citrus fruits are also packed with vitamin C, essential for immune building. Oranges are approximately 84 per cent water while tangerines are 85 per cent water.

Cucumber: If watermelon is the giant in water content, then the cucumber is the mother lode as it contains 96 per cent water. In case the kids are unmoved, serve it with a peanut butter dip. Peanut butter always wins!

Spinach: Spinach is such a versatile vegetable that can be thrown into so many dishes and even desserts such as smoothies. It is not only rich in iron, but is also 92 per cent water.

Carrots: With its vibrant colour and taste, convincing your child to chomp on a carrot stick may not be such a hard task. Carrots are 84 per cent water. They are also a rich source of anti-oxidants and Vitamin A.

In case your children do not take to the fruits or vegetables fast enough, just blend and make a spritzer with sparkling water.

Published in October 2016