There are several types of foods and drinks that cause dehydration that you need to know. Not only makes you feel thirsty, these various types of food and drinks can also encourage you to urinate more often. What are the types of food and drink in question?
Some types of foods and drinks contain substances that can stimulate the bladder to become more active, so you will urinate more often after consuming them.
If you urinate too often, especially if it is not accompanied by fluid intake or drinking enough water, you are at risk of mild dehydration.
List of Foods and Drinks that Cause Dehydration
The following is a list of foods and drinks that can trigger dehydration:
1. Snacks
Snacks, such as french fries, potato chips, and various types of fried foods, generally contain a lot of salt or sodium. This high salt intake can cause increased urine production and make you urinate more often, putting you at risk of triggering dehydration.
2. Fruits
Fruits have a variety of nutrients that are good for the body, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. However, some types of fruit, such as grapes, oranges, lemons, tomatoes, and pineapples, are high in citric acid.
These acidic fruits can stimulate the urinary tract to become more active to excrete urine, thus making you urinate more often. This can increase the risk of dehydration.
However, that does not mean you have to stay away from these fruits. If you want to eat fruit that can trigger you to urinate frequently, balance it by drinking enough water.
You can also choose other types of fruit that do not contain high citric acid, such as apples and bananas.
3. Spicy food
Spicy foods, such as chilies, ginger, wasabi, and curry spices, can irritate the bladder, making you urinate more often.
In addition, ginger is also known to have a natural diuretic effect so that it can encourage you to urinate more often and increase the risk of dehydration.
4. Onion
Certain types of onions, such as garlic and onions, are known to have a diuretic effect similar to ginger. This is why onions include the type of food that can trigger dehydration.
You will urinate more often if you eat raw garlic or onions. To prevent and reduce these effects, you should cook the garlic or onions first when you want to eat them.
5. Soft drinks
Packaged foods and beverages are generally added with artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and saccharin.
If you consume foods or drinks with artificial sweeteners, the amount of sugar in the blood will increase. Excess sugar levels can trigger the urge to urinate more often and increase the risk of dehydration.
In addition, some types of soft drinks also contain soda which is known to stimulate you to urinate more often. This is why soft drinks or foods containing artificial sweeteners can cause dehydration.
6. Caffeine
Coffee, tea, and chocolate are types of foods and beverages that contain caffeine. This substance is known to have a stimulant and diuretic effect that can trigger an active bladder, so you will urinate more often when consuming it.
In addition, caffeine is also often added to energy drinks. Excessive caffeine consumption is known to stimulate the elimination of more urine and put you at greater risk of dehydration.
7. Alcoholic drinks
Consuming alcoholic beverages does not make fluid intake in the body fulfilled. This is because alcohol is a diuretic, so it makes you urinate more often.
The habit of consuming alcohol can not only make you susceptible to dehydration, but also can damage the organs of the body, such as the liver, kidneys, brain, and heart.
Several types of foods and drinks above can increase the risk of dehydration if consumed in excess. To prevent and overcome dehydration, meet the needs of body fluids, namely by drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day.
Consumption of various types of foods and drinks that cause dehydration generally only causes mild dehydration that is not dangerous. However, if you are so dehydrated that you feel weak, your urine is dark yellow, and your lips are dry, you should immediately consult a doctor.