5 Ways Being Vegan Helps You Stay Hydrated

Being vegan isn't just about the food you consume. It's also about what beverages you drink. To help you stay hydrated whether you follow the vegan lifestyle or are just trying to begin healthier habits, we collected the top 5 ways being vegan helps you stay hydrated.

Often, when people think about the vegan lifestyle, they just think about the food vegans eat. However, it’s also important to be conscious about the drinks you consume. Water is the most important drink you can have because hydration is vital to your health. 

If you don’t drink enough water, you may suffer from dehydration. Signs of dehydration include:

• Headache
• Dry mouth
• Dark or little urine
• Dizziness
• Confusion

To help you stay hydrated whether you follow the vegan lifestyle or are just trying to begin healthier habits, we collected the top 5 ways being vegan helps you stay hydrated:

You Drink Enough Water

Many vegans chose this lifestyle because of a health crisis or scare they experienced. While starting a healthier lifestyle to heal their bodies, they often start drinking more water. Health-conscious people are more likely to drink water instead of sugary drinks, which helps them stay hydrated.

Health-conscious people are also more likely to exercise. With increased perspiration, your body needs more water, which most people drink without thinking during and after a workout. 

In fact, drinking water is critically important for vegans because they have a higher fiber intake than meat-eaters. Without drinking enough water along with increasing your consumption of fiber, you may experience gas, bloating, or constipation. 

You Eat Mostly Fruits and Vegetables 

As a vegan, your diet largely consists of fruits and vegetables. Many fruits and vegetables are primarily made up of water. These water-rich foods help hydrate your body, including:

• Watermelon
• Strawberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cucumber
• Lettuce

Did you know that lettuce is at least 90% water?

Another hydrating food is seeds, such as chia seeds. When cooked or added to liquids, they can expand up to 27 times their original size, filling up with water or another liquid, and providing additional hydration in your meals. (Hello, overnight oats.) 

You Eat A Variety of Complex Carbohydrates 

Many complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, are cooked in water. Similar to hydrating your body with seeds, you help hydrate your body when you consume complex carbohydrates that are cooked in water because they expand as they absorb the water. Complex carbohydrates that help you hydrate include:

• Lentils
• Quinoa
• Barley
• Brown rice
• Buckwheat
• Whole wheat pasta
• Beans

You Enjoy Soups and Salads

Another way you can stay hydrated is to enjoy soups and salads. Salads are full of hydrating fruits and vegetables, but you can take it up a notch by pairing a salad with a plant-based soup. 

Plant-based soups usually have a base of water or vegetable stock, which is made from water and vegetables. Then vegetables and complex carbohydrates are added to the base, adding even more hydration to your lunch or dinner.

You Enjoy Fruit Juices and Smoothies

Fruit juices made with 100% fruit offer hydration when you’re craving something sweet. Likewise, smoothies, blended with fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, are also very hydrating. 

Other hydrating drinks include herbal teas and fruit- or vegetable-infused water. 

Conclusion

If you struggle to drink the average recommended 8 glasses of water per day, then try increasing your intake of hydrating foods.

Do you need to freshen up your plain water bottle to encourage yourself to drink more water? Check out our stickers.

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