Did you know what foods could negatively affect hydration? (Source: Thinkstock Images)The importance of staying hydrated in summer needs no retelling. But hydration is not just about drinking an adequate amount of water, it is equally about avoiding certain foods that may make you feel dehydrated.
Wondering what those foods are? Nutritionist Lovneet Batra recently took to Instagram to share some foods that may impact your hydration in a reverse manner.
“Hydration is important and, drinking water is wellness 101. But what you might not know is that there are some foods that can work against you, actually causing you to be more dehydrated,” she captioned the post.
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Coffee
It is already well known that coffee is dehydrating in nature. Further, the expert shared that coffee is also “diuretic in nature and anything above two cups can inhibit the reabsorption of sodium in your body” — which can lead to dehydration. “Hence, you need to regulate its intake,” she suggested.
Diet soda
You may resort to aerated drinks to quench your thirst. But “the sugar content in soft drinks has a hypernatremic effect i.e. it draws water from tissues,” said Batra. She added that soft drinks also contain caffeine which has a “mild diuretic impact on your body.”
Alcohol
Alcohol is a hugely dehydrating substance, hence feeling dehydrated the morning after a drinking session is quite common. “This is all because of the effect booze has on the brain,” she shared.
High protein intake
If you are on a high protein diet, chances are you may feel dehydrated. “The body uses up more water in order to metabolise the naturally occurring nitrogen in protein, due to which cells may lose water content significantly, further making you feel dehydrated,” she said.
Salty snacks
Salt causes dehydration due to the impact sodium has on the body. “Your kidneys will acknowledge this flood of salt and seek to rectify it by pulling water from elsewhere within your body, which, of course, leaves other organs and cells short on fluid,” said Batra. As a result, any food that is high in salt can be highly dehydrating for the body.
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