The body loses a lot of water in summer anyway. To stay well, you need to drink enough water and eat foods that keep the body hydrated.

Some foods, by contrast, dehydrate the body. Top of the list are ultra-processed foods. They contain a lot of salt and preservatives, which draw water from the body, a process in which the kidneys play a role.

When a food is high in salt, the kidneys detect it first and then draw water from the body to reduce the excess salt concentration. The water in various organs falls, and the result is dehydration. So it is best to avoid ultra-processed food first of all.

Ultra-processed foods include crisps, cold drinks, cake, ice cream, fried packaged food and packaged food that keeps for a long time, such as 3-6 months.

The list also includes certain vegetables. Vegetables do not automatically keep the body hydrated; some dehydrate it. These include cabbage, carrot, aubergine, beetroot, mushroom, sponge gourd and broccoli.

Meat contains animal protein. In hot weather, plant protein is better for the body than animal protein because it does not heat the body easily, whereas animal protein heats the body quickly. The article nonetheless goes on to say: keep fish and meat in your diet.

Like vegetables, not all fruits keep the body hydrated; some dehydrate it. These include banana, apple, dates, mango, peach, grapes and cherries. They absorb water from the body during digestion and so dehydrate it.

Citing The Times of India.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.