While you can chuck any hydrating foods you like into a blender, she does highlight a few star ingredients. We’ll start with the obvious: greens. Whether you’re partial to kale or spinach, blending up greens helps the smoothie become extra hydrating (also what helps give the drink its gorgeous color). Leafy greens contain tons of fiber, which research has shown helps you hold on to water much better. “The fiber is what really acts as a sponge,” Cohen adds.
Next, we have cucumber and chia seeds: These contain “structured” or “gel” water, says Cohen. “When you look at a cucumber seed, you can literally see the gel around it,” she explains. Same goes for chia seeds—they have a goopy, jelly texture when you submerge them in water. In both cases, the H20 molecules layer upon each other to form a gel-like substance, and it’s incredibly hydrating for your body. “It is in that form that’s found in nature, and it’s also in that form that’s found within our cells,” Cohen says.
She also throws a juicy apple into the blend. You might not regard apples as the most hydrating fruit (watermelon surely earns the title, no?), but apples actually contain up to 86% water. Perhaps that’s why Cohen says “an apple and a bottle of water is more hydrating than two bottles of water.”
Here’s exactly what you’ll need to quench your thirst: