British weather has given us a reprieve since last Tuesday when a COBRA meeting was called for a record-breaking heatwave. Nothing like 40°C (104°F) topping weather to get the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to warn citizens of a national emergency: Keep the elderly cool; tiny babies, chilled!
For the rest of us, seeing there are a few warmer nights still in store, and seeing that Monday, the 25th of July is Culinarian Day, we need to remember to consume and feed water-rich foods to help us keep ourselves cool, hydrated and free from night cramps. You’ll remember these foods from school days but here’s a threelittlepigs reminder of the top 10 veggies and fruit curated by percentage water content and vitamin/mineral goodies:
Water Content Vitamins & Antioxidants
1. Lettuce 96% Vitamins A, K
2. Cucumber 95% Vitamin K, Potassium, Magnesium
3. Celery 95% Vitamin K, Potassium
4. Courgette 94% Vitamin C
5. Tomato 94% Vitamins A, C, Lycopene
6. Watermelon 92% Vitamins A, C, Magnesium, Lycopene
7. Cauliflower 92% Vitamins B, C, Choline
8. Cabbage 92% Vitamin C, Glucosinolates
9. Bell Pepper 92% Vitamins B, C, Potassium, Lycopene
10. Strawberries 91% Vitamin C, Folate, Manganese
A longer list of water-rich foods and drinks is here. And a quick reminder of what these good vitamins and minerals can do for you here.
So weather* you’re a gourmand, epicurean, gastronome, culinarian, or threelittlepigs.space foodie, get creative this weekend ahead of Culinarian Day with fruit and veg – maybe even make yourself a Chilled Tiny Baby in Watermelon. And more importantly, don’t forget to keep healthy and hydrated for the upcoming heatwaves in Blighty and beyond.