Hot days often cut the appetite, and hot dishes that take a long time to prepare in the kitchen are the first to be eliminated from the list of possibilities. So many people run out of ideas and wonder what they could eat in the hot summers. The good news is that there are plenty of dishes that can be eaten cold or at room temperature, which are healthy, and rich in nutrients, but also provide a very important bonus: they are high in water content, so they help keep us properly hydrated.

One option is tomatoes, which contain 94% water. Lettuce also contains between 80 and 95% water, depending on the type. The darker the leaves, the higher the water content. Melon also contains between 90 and 95% water. A good choice for garnish is broccoli, which contains about 91% water.

Percentages may vary depending on the source. A study in the US on the percentage of water in various foods found the following:

90-99%: cantaloupe, watermelon, lettuce, cabbage, celery, spinach, cooked squash
80-90%: fruit juice, apples, grapes, oranges, carrots, cooked broccoli, pears, pineapple
70-79%: bananas, avocado, baked potato, cooked corn, prawns
60-69%: pasta, pulses, salmon, chicken breast
50-59%: minced beef, feta cheese
40-49%: pizza
30-39%: bread, cheddar cheese
20-29%: cakes, biscuits, sausages
10-19%: butter, raisins
1-9%: nuts, peanuts, peanut butter
0%: oil, sugar

In any case, to avoid dehydration on hot days, you should limit coffee and alcohol consumption.