Drinking water isn’t the only answer to hydration

SALT LAKE CITY — With the recent hot temperatures, it’s important now more than ever to stay hydrated. However, hydration isn’t just about drinking water like we all might assume.

In the latest Let’s Get Moving with Maria podcast episode, Maria Shilaos spoke with Gina Bria, Anthropologist and Founder of the Hydration Foundation, to learn why the food we eat can do a much better job of keeping us hydrated than water can.

When asked about the importance of hydration, Bria traced it back to how our bodies are built.

“All your body tissues—every cell inside of you—is basically a tiny water balloon,” she said. “You start to get the idea that we are really bodies of water. That flow system of continually saturating and nourishing it is how we stay alive.”

As an anthropologist, Bria has discovered that a lot of people actually get their water not from drinking water, but from plants.

“If we include more foods in our hydration strategy, we’re going to be better hydrated,” Bria said.

One example she gave was the plants you see in salads.

“That leafy green is 98% water, and it’s water that’s set up by nature to be absorbed directly into our tissues themselves,” Bria said.

Listen to the full episode below to hear the rest!

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