According to the old rule of thumb, you're supposed to drink eight glasses of water per day (and some experts recommend even more). That can seem like a daunting task on some days, but here's the catch: You don't have to drink all that water. Roughly 20% of our daily H2O intake comes from solid foods, especially fruits and vegetables.<br /> <br />It's still important to drink plenty of water -- especially in the summertime -- but you can also quench your thirst with these 15 hugely hydrating foods, all of which are at least 90% water by weight.<br />
According to the old rule of thumb, you're supposed to drink eight glasses of water per day (and some experts recommend even more). That can seem like a daunting task on some days, but here's the catch: You don't have to drink all that water. Roughly 20% of our daily H2O intake comes from solid foods, especially fruits and vegetables.

It's still important to drink plenty of water -- especially in the summertime -- but you can also quench your thirst with these 15 hugely hydrating foods, all of which are at least 90% water by weight.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images/File
<strong>Cucumber</strong><br />Water content: 96.7%<br /><br />This summer veggie -- which has the <a target="_blank" target="_blank">highest water content </a>of any solid food -- is perfect in salads or sliced up and served with some hummus, says Keri Gans, author of "The Small Change Diet: 10 Steps to a Thinner and Healthier You" and a consultant to Mindbloom, a technology company that makes life-improvement apps.<br /><br />Want to pump up cucumber's hydrating power even more? Try blending it with nonfat yogurt, mint and ice cubes to make cucumber soup. <br /><br /><a target="_blank" target="_blank">Health.com: The best foods for every vitamin and mineral</a><br />
Cucumber
Water content: 96.7%

This summer veggie -- which has the highest water content of any solid food -- is perfect in salads or sliced up and served with some hummus, says Keri Gans, author of "The Small Change Diet: 10 Steps to a Thinner and Healthier You" and a consultant to Mindbloom, a technology company that makes life-improvement apps.

Want to pump up cucumber's hydrating power even more? Try blending it with nonfat yogurt, mint and ice cubes to make cucumber soup.

Health.com: The best foods for every vitamin and mineral
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<strong>Iceberg lettuce</strong><br />Water content: 95.6%<br /><br />Iceberg lettuce tends to get a bad rap, nutrition-wise. Health experts often recommend shunning it in favor of darker greens like spinach or romaine lettuce, which contain higher amounts of fiber and nutrients such as folate and vitamin K.<br />It's a different story when it comes to water content, though: Crispy iceberg has the highest of any lettuce, followed by butterhead, green leaf and romaine varieties.<br />So when the temperature rises, pile iceberg onto sandwiches or use it as a bed for a <a target="_blank" target="_blank">healthy chicken salad</a>. Even better: Ditch the tortillas and hamburger buns and use iceberg leaves as a wrap for tacos and burgers.
Iceberg lettuce
Water content: 95.6%

Iceberg lettuce tends to get a bad rap, nutrition-wise. Health experts often recommend shunning it in favor of darker greens like spinach or romaine lettuce, which contain higher amounts of fiber and nutrients such as folate and vitamin K.
It's a different story when it comes to water content, though: Crispy iceberg has the highest of any lettuce, followed by butterhead, green leaf and romaine varieties.
So when the temperature rises, pile iceberg onto sandwiches or use it as a bed for a healthy chicken salad. Even better: Ditch the tortillas and hamburger buns and use iceberg leaves as a wrap for tacos and burgers.
s flanagan/UIG via getty images
<strong>Celery</strong><br />Water content: 95.4%<br /><br />That urban legend about celery having negative calories isn't quite true, but it's pretty close. Like all foods that are high in water, celery has very few calories: just 6 calories per stalk. And its one-two punch of fiber and water helps fill you up and curb your appetite.<br /> <br />This lightweight veggie isn't short on nutrition, however. Celery contains folate and vitamins A, C and K. And thanks in part to its high water content, celery neutralizes stomach acid and is often recommended as a <a target="_blank" target="_blank">natural remedy</a> for heartburn and acid reflux.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" target="_blank">Health.com: 30 foods under 40 calories</a>
Celery
Water content: 95.4%

That urban legend about celery having negative calories isn't quite true, but it's pretty close. Like all foods that are high in water, celery has very few calories: just 6 calories per stalk. And its one-two punch of fiber and water helps fill you up and curb your appetite.

This lightweight veggie isn't short on nutrition, however. Celery contains folate and vitamins A, C and K. And thanks in part to its high water content, celery neutralizes stomach acid and is often recommended as a natural remedy for heartburn and acid reflux.

Health.com: 30 foods under 40 calories
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<strong>Radishes</strong><br />Water content: 95.3%<br /><br />These refreshing root vegetables should be a fixture in your spring and summer salads. They provide a burst of spicy-sweet flavor -- and color! -- in a small package, and more important, they're filled with antioxidants such as catechin (also found in green tea).<br /> <br />A crunchy texture also makes radishes a perfect addition to healthy summer coleslaw, with no mayo required. Slice them up with shredded cabbage and carrots, sliced snow peas, and chopped hazelnuts and parsley, and toss with poppy seeds, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.<br />
Radishes
Water content: 95.3%

These refreshing root vegetables should be a fixture in your spring and summer salads. They provide a burst of spicy-sweet flavor -- and color! -- in a small package, and more important, they're filled with antioxidants such as catechin (also found in green tea).

A crunchy texture also makes radishes a perfect addition to healthy summer coleslaw, with no mayo required. Slice them up with shredded cabbage and carrots, sliced snow peas, and chopped hazelnuts and parsley, and toss with poppy seeds, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Tomatoes</strong><br />Water content: 94.5%<br /><br />Sliced and diced tomatoes will always be a mainstay of salads, sauces and sandwiches, but don't forget about sweet cherry and grape varieties, which make an excellent hydrating snack, Gans says. "They're great to just pop in your mouth, maybe with some nuts or some low-sodium cheese," she says. "You get this great explosion of flavor when you bite into them."<br /> <br />Having friends over? Skewer grape tomatoes, basil leaves and small chunks of mozzarella on toothpicks for a quick and easy appetizer.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" target="_blank">Health.com: 20 snacks that burn fat</a><br />
Tomatoes
Water content: 94.5%

Sliced and diced tomatoes will always be a mainstay of salads, sauces and sandwiches, but don't forget about sweet cherry and grape varieties, which make an excellent hydrating snack, Gans says. "They're great to just pop in your mouth, maybe with some nuts or some low-sodium cheese," she says. "You get this great explosion of flavor when you bite into them."

Having friends over? Skewer grape tomatoes, basil leaves and small chunks of mozzarella on toothpicks for a quick and easy appetizer.

Health.com: 20 snacks that burn fat
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<strong>Green peppers</strong><br />Water content: 93.9%<br /><br />Bell peppers of all shades have a high water content, but green peppers lead the pack, just edging out the red and yellow varieties (which are about 92% water). And contrary to popular belief, green peppers contain just as many antioxidants as their slightly sweeter siblings.<br /> <br />Peppers are a great pre-dinner or late-night snack, Gans says. "We tell people to munch on veggies when they have a craving, but a lot of people get bored of carrots and celery pretty quickly," she says. "Peppers are great to slice up when you get home from work, while you're making or waiting for dinner."<br />
Green peppers
Water content: 93.9%

Bell peppers of all shades have a high water content, but green peppers lead the pack, just edging out the red and yellow varieties (which are about 92% water). And contrary to popular belief, green peppers contain just as many antioxidants as their slightly sweeter siblings.

Peppers are a great pre-dinner or late-night snack, Gans says. "We tell people to munch on veggies when they have a craving, but a lot of people get bored of carrots and celery pretty quickly," she says. "Peppers are great to slice up when you get home from work, while you're making or waiting for dinner."
ELISE GIORDANO/Gainesville Sun/Landov
<strong>Cauliflower</strong><br />Water content: 92.1%<br /><br />Don't let cauliflower's pale complexion fool you: In addition to having lots of water, these unassuming florets are packed with vitamins and phytonutrients that have been shown to help lower cholesterol and fight cancer, including breast cancer. (A 2012 study of breast cancer patients by Vanderbilt University researchers found that eating cruciferous veggies like cauliflower was associated with a lower risk of dying from the disease or seeing a recurrence.)<br /> <br />"Break them up and add them to a salad for a satisfying crunch," Gans suggests. "You can even skip the croutons!"<br />
Cauliflower
Water content: 92.1%

Don't let cauliflower's pale complexion fool you: In addition to having lots of water, these unassuming florets are packed with vitamins and phytonutrients that have been shown to help lower cholesterol and fight cancer, including breast cancer. (A 2012 study of breast cancer patients by Vanderbilt University researchers found that eating cruciferous veggies like cauliflower was associated with a lower risk of dying from the disease or seeing a recurrence.)

"Break them up and add them to a salad for a satisfying crunch," Gans suggests. "You can even skip the croutons!"
ENNING KAISER/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Watermelon</strong><br />Water content: 91.5%<br /><br />It's fairly obvious that watermelon is full of, well, water, but this juicy melon is also among the richest sources of lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant found in red fruits and vegetables. In fact, watermelon contains more lycopene than raw tomatoes: about 12 milligrams per wedge, versus 3 milligrams per medium tomato.<br /> <br />Although this melon is plenty hydrating on its own, Gans loves to mix it with water in the summertime. "Keep a water pitcher in the fridge with watermelon cubes in the bottom," she says. "It's really refreshing and a great incentive to drink more water overall."<br />
Watermelon
Water content: 91.5%

It's fairly obvious that watermelon is full of, well, water, but this juicy melon is also among the richest sources of lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant found in red fruits and vegetables. In fact, watermelon contains more lycopene than raw tomatoes: about 12 milligrams per wedge, versus 3 milligrams per medium tomato.

Although this melon is plenty hydrating on its own, Gans loves to mix it with water in the summertime. "Keep a water pitcher in the fridge with watermelon cubes in the bottom," she says. "It's really refreshing and a great incentive to drink more water overall."
NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Spinach</strong><br />Water content: 91.4% <br /><br />Iceberg lettuce may have a higher water content, but spinach is usually a better bet overall. Piling raw spinach leaves on your sandwich or salad provides nearly as much built-in hydration, with an added nutritional punch.<br /> <br />Spinach is rich in lutein, potassium, fiber and brain-boosting folate, and just one cup of raw leaves contains 15% of your daily intake of vitamin E, an important antioxidant for fighting off the damaging molecules known as free radicals.<br /> <br /><a target="_blank" target="_blank">Health.com: The 20 best foods for fiber</a>
Spinach
Water content: 91.4%

Iceberg lettuce may have a higher water content, but spinach is usually a better bet overall. Piling raw spinach leaves on your sandwich or salad provides nearly as much built-in hydration, with an added nutritional punch.

Spinach is rich in lutein, potassium, fiber and brain-boosting folate, and just one cup of raw leaves contains 15% of your daily intake of vitamin E, an important antioxidant for fighting off the damaging molecules known as free radicals.

Health.com: The 20 best foods for fiber
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<strong>Star fruit</strong><br />Water content: 91.4%<br /><br />This tropical fruit, also known as carambola, comes in sweet and tart varieties and has a juicy texture similar to pineapple. Its eye-catching shape looks great in a fruit salad or as an edible garnish on the rim of a summer cocktail. As a bonus, it's rich in antioxidants, especially epicatechin, a heart-healthy compound also found in red wine, dark chocolate and green tea.<br /> <br />One note of caution: People with kidney problems should avoid star fruit because of its high levels of oxalic acid.<br />
Star fruit
Water content: 91.4%

This tropical fruit, also known as carambola, comes in sweet and tart varieties and has a juicy texture similar to pineapple. Its eye-catching shape looks great in a fruit salad or as an edible garnish on the rim of a summer cocktail. As a bonus, it's rich in antioxidants, especially epicatechin, a heart-healthy compound also found in red wine, dark chocolate and green tea.

One note of caution: People with kidney problems should avoid star fruit because of its high levels of oxalic acid.
ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>Strawberries</strong><br />Water content: 91.0%<br /><br />All berries are good foods for hydration, but juicy red strawberries are easily the best of the bunch. Raspberries and blueberries both hover around 85% water, and blackberries are only slightly better at 88.2%.<br /> <br />"I love strawberries blended in a smoothie or mixed with plain nonfat yogurt, another hydrating food," Gans says. Strawberries add natural sweetness to the yogurt, she adds, and the combo of carbohydrates, fiber and protein make a great post-workout recovery snack.<br /> <br /><a target="_blank" target="_blank">Health.com: 12 summer fruit and veggie recipes</a>
Strawberries
Water content: 91.0%

All berries are good foods for hydration, but juicy red strawberries are easily the best of the bunch. Raspberries and blueberries both hover around 85% water, and blackberries are only slightly better at 88.2%.

"I love strawberries blended in a smoothie or mixed with plain nonfat yogurt, another hydrating food," Gans says. Strawberries add natural sweetness to the yogurt, she adds, and the combo of carbohydrates, fiber and protein make a great post-workout recovery snack.

Health.com: 12 summer fruit and veggie recipes
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<strong>Broccoli</strong><br />Water content: 90.7%<br /><br />Like its cousin cauliflower, raw broccoli adds a satisfying crunch to a salad. But its nutritional profile -- lots of fiber, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C -- is slightly more impressive. What's more, broccoli is the only cruciferous vegetable (a category that contains cabbage and kale, in addition to cauliflower) with a significant amount of sulforaphane, a potent compound that boosts the body's protective enzymes and flushes out cancer-causing chemicals.<br /> <br />
Broccoli
Water content: 90.7%

Like its cousin cauliflower, raw broccoli adds a satisfying crunch to a salad. But its nutritional profile -- lots of fiber, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C -- is slightly more impressive. What's more, broccoli is the only cruciferous vegetable (a category that contains cabbage and kale, in addition to cauliflower) with a significant amount of sulforaphane, a potent compound that boosts the body's protective enzymes and flushes out cancer-causing chemicals.
Mario Proenca/Bloomberg via Getty Images
<strong>Grapefruit</strong><br />Water content: 90.5%<br /><br />This juicy, tangy citrus fruit can help lower cholesterol and shrink your waistline, research suggests. In one study, people who ate one grapefruit a day lowered their bad (LDL) cholesterol by 15.5% and their triglycerides by 27%. In another, eating half a grapefruit -- roughly 40 calories -- before each meal helped dieters lose about 3? pounds over 12 weeks. Researchers say compounds in the fruit help fuel fat burn and stabilize blood sugar, therefore helping to reduce cravings.<br />
Grapefruit
Water content: 90.5%

This juicy, tangy citrus fruit can help lower cholesterol and shrink your waistline, research suggests. In one study, people who ate one grapefruit a day lowered their bad (LDL) cholesterol by 15.5% and their triglycerides by 27%. In another, eating half a grapefruit -- roughly 40 calories -- before each meal helped dieters lose about 3? pounds over 12 weeks. Researchers say compounds in the fruit help fuel fat burn and stabilize blood sugar, therefore helping to reduce cravings.
Ulrich Baumgarten via Getty Images
<strong>Baby carrots</strong><br />Water content: 90.4%<br /><br />A carrot's a carrot, right? Not when it comes to water content. As it turns out, the baby-size carrots that have become a staple in supermarkets and lunchboxes contain more water than full-size carrots (which are merely 88.3% water).<br /> <br />The ready-to-eat convenience factor is hard to top, as well. Snack on them right out of the bag, dip them in hummus or guacamole, or -- for a bit of added crunch and bright orange color -- chop them up and add them to salads or salsas.<br />
Baby carrots
Water content: 90.4%

A carrot's a carrot, right? Not when it comes to water content. As it turns out, the baby-size carrots that have become a staple in supermarkets and lunchboxes contain more water than full-size carrots (which are merely 88.3% water).

The ready-to-eat convenience factor is hard to top, as well. Snack on them right out of the bag, dip them in hummus or guacamole, or -- for a bit of added crunch and bright orange color -- chop them up and add them to salads or salsas.
George Rose/Getty Images
<strong>Cantaloupe</strong><br />Water content: 90.2%<br /><br />This succulent melon provides a big nutritional payoff for very few calories. One 6-ounce serving -- about one-quarter of a melon -- contains just 50 calories but delivers a full 100% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A.<br /> "I love cantaloupe as a dessert," Gans says. "If you've got a sweet tooth, it will definitely satisfy." Tired of plain old raw fruit? Blend cantaloupe with yogurt and freeze it into sherbet, or puree it with orange juice and mint to make a refreshing soup.
Cantaloupe
Water content: 90.2%

This succulent melon provides a big nutritional payoff for very few calories. One 6-ounce serving -- about one-quarter of a melon -- contains just 50 calories but delivers a full 100% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A.
"I love cantaloupe as a dessert," Gans says. "If you've got a sweet tooth, it will definitely satisfy." Tired of plain old raw fruit? Blend cantaloupe with yogurt and freeze it into sherbet, or puree it with orange juice and mint to make a refreshing soup.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Foods that keep you hydrated

Story highlights

Upping water intake by 6 cups daily fights recurring bladder infections in women

Any safe-to-drink water will do, experts say

CNN  — 

Chalk up another win for Mom: She was right when she told you to drink more water to fight off pesky and painful recurring bladder infections.

Women who added 1.5 liters of water a day to their regular intake for 12 months were 50% less likely to get another urinary tract infection than women who drank less than that amount, according to a study published Monday in JAMA.

The reduction in recurring infections was probably because the increase in urine volume drove more frequent urination, both of which flushed more bacteria from the bladder, the study authors said. This study is the first randomized, clinical trial to examine the common recommendation of adding water to the diet, the authors said.

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 9 - The outside of the Food and Drug Administration headquarters is seen in White Oak, Md., on Monday, November 9, 2015. The FDA is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and has been in commission since 1906. (Photo By Al Drago/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 9 - The outside of the Food and Drug Administration headquarters is seen in White Oak, Md., on Monday, November 9, 2015. The FDA is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and has been in commission since 1906. (Photo By Al Drago/CQ Roll Call)
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Related article Vaginal 'rejuvenation' devices have serious side effects, might be unsafe, FDA says

Drinking 1.5 liters a day is the equivalent of about six cups of water or four 12-ounce bottles of water.

The study was funded by Danone Research, which sells bottled water, including the brand used by women in the study. But an accompanying editorial by Dr. Deborah Grady of the University of California, San Francisco, says any safe-to-drink water will do. She’s deputy editor for JAMA Internal Medicine.

At least half of all women are at risk of what doctors call “acute uncomplicated cystitis” or “urinary tract infections” at some point in their lives. Once they get one, about a quarter of those women will get another within six months. Up to 75% of women will have another within a year.

The intense burning, itching and frequent urination can make life miserable.

But there’s another, bigger problem, said the study authors: Treating UTIs accounts for about 15% of all antimicrobial use, according to research, which contributes to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. That’s why many women are encouraged to try lifestyle changes before or in addition to prescription medication.

A recent study shot down another home remedy, though: The use of cranberry juice was not shown to help prevent or cure UTIs. (sorry, Mom!)

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But experts said women should know about other risk factors and be counseled on how to avoid them.

Common recommendations: Do not delay urination. Urinate immediately after intercourse, and practice good vaginal hygiene, which includes using “plain, unperfumed soaps to wash the area around the vagina (the vulva) gently every day,” according to the UK’s National Health Service. Avoid douches and perfumed soaps, as they can interfere with the natural balance of bacteria and pH levels.

And of course, listen to Mom and drink up.