As temperatures soar across our desert lands, what you eat and drink becomes more important than ever in order to ensure you stay cool and hydrated. While cases of dehydration may be rare, low hydration levels also affect our wellbeing in ways you may not know, influencing everything from energy levels, to the digestive system and blood pressure. According to Zenia Menon, nutritionist at Dubai Herbal and Treatment Center, “water is essential for thermoregulation of the body. A water loss of even two percent or more causes severe fatigue and cardiovascular impairments and also disrupts brain function. “Dehydration causes loss of essential electrolytes from the body, therefore, the primary goal is to replenish these with foods high in potassium and sodium,” she told Arab News. Electrolytes are essentially minerals — such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium — containing an electric charge that help regulate most important bodily functions. When you are not adequately hydrated, it causes electrolyte imbalance. While the time-tested advice of drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday holds true, there are many other ways in which you can up your water intake. A general rule of thumb that you should always keep in mind is seasonality — there is a reason that nature intended certain produce to grow at a certain time of the year, it is related to geography and climate. So, certain summer fruits and vegetables naturally tend to have a more cooling and hydrating effect. It is also useful to note that too much protein should be avoided, as proteins take up more intra-cellular water for digestion. To help make things easier, here are seven food-related ways in which you can increase your hydration levels this summer: Cool as a cucumber With a 95 percent water content, cucumbers are one of the most hydrating foods around and also taste refreshing. The low-calorie vegetable contains high levels of potassium and other essential minerals, Vitamin C, and fiber, making it nutritionally dense too. Apart from the obvious salads, try experimenting with chilled cucumber soup, dips, as a toast topping and sorbet. Get coco-licious Coconut water is a hydration superstar. Touted as one of this era’s superfoods, its high potassium makes it ideal for replenishing essential electrolytes. The best way to drink it is, of course, au naturel, and whole coconuts are available in certain supermarkets in this region. But there are some excellent packaged coconut waters too — just remember to opt for natural and organic brands over sweetened versions. Interesting infusions Just drinking lots and lots of water can get boring for some. Enter, infused water. Adding things like sliced cucumber or lemons (this one is a winner as lemon water also helps with digestion), or even chopped fresh basil leaves and fresh berries not only makes the water taste a lot better, but increases its nutritive levels too. Make a bottle of infused water and leave it in the fridge and keep sipping throughout the day. The good fats So, you have upped your water intake but did you know you also need essential fatty acids (EFAs), which bind with the oxygen in water to hydrate your cells effectively? EFAs have numerous other health benefits, so be generous in your consumption of cold-pressed or virgin olive and nut oils but remember that cold-pressed oils do not react well with high temperatures. Watermelon? The giveaway is in the name This luscious juicy fruit is inextricably linked with summer! Not only does it contain a whopping 92 percent of water, it is also a good source of the antioxidant lycopene, as well as Vitamin C and plant chemicals lutein and zeaxanthin, which help boost hydration. While it is delicious as is, also try watermelon in salads — it pairs brilliantly with salty cheeses like feta — as an accompaniment with cured meats, or, to add a whole new flavor dimension, grilled! Making watermelon ice pops is also really easy and a definite crowd-pleaser. Herbs for hydration Swap your colas and coffee for herbal teas instead. Caffeine has a diuretic effect — which means it increases the excretion of water — whereas herbal beverages will hydrate while providing additional nutrition. Different herbs have different nutritional benefits, ranging from aiding digestion (peppermint tea) to de-stressing (chamomile), but most are packed with antioxidants. Go green Nothing compares with leafy green vegetables in the nutrition stakes and this applies to hydration too. The main issue with a lack of hydration is the loss of minerals in the body and the best way to replace these is with super-green foods — i.e. foods containing chlorophyll, which in turn is rich in essential electrolytes. So, load up on spinach, kale, chard, celery, lettuce and other salad leaves. Broccoli is a great option too, as it is 91 percent water. If you want to make a real difference, try wheatgrass — it is the queen bee of chlorophyll-rich foods and can be consumed in powder or capsule form, either as straight-up shots or snuck into a smoothie.