What foods retain water in the human body: the list

Fluid retention in the body – an unpleasant phenomenon familiar to most people, especially women. It leads to swelling, which affects not only appearance, but also increases the load on the internal organs. Restricted withdrawal of fluid from the body – a symptom of some heart diseases and kidney disease. But most often this is due to poor lifestyle and because many do not know what products retain water in the body. If swelling were constant companions of life, you first need to adjust the menu, reducing or eliminating fully in this these products. Often it is enough to get rid of bags under eyes in the morning and a couple of extra pounds.

Why is there fluid retention in the body

The main cause of water retention in the tissues and cells – electrolyte imbalance. Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium) play an important role in ensuring the normal functioning of the body. They are responsible for the metabolism and affect the composition of the blood. Excess or inadequate consumption of even one of these minerals leads to imbalance.

Sodium and potassium regulate water-salt metabolism: the sodium ions retain water, while potassium brings it. The excess of sodium in the body causes accumulation of excess fluid. Insufficient intake of potassium also provokes swelling.

The daily dose of sodium to maintain electrolyte balance and 1.5 – 3 g. the Regular excess of this dose (4-5 g) leads not only to edema but also to high blood pressure, kidney disease.

The main source of sodium in the body – foods that contain salt. Excessive consumption of salty foods is the main cause of morning puffiness, but not the only one.

Another reason why there is a delay of water is high insulin levels in the blood, stimulating the release of aldosterone, a hormone that holds sodium in the tissues. Therefore, also provoke swelling foods and beverages with high glycemic index.

Thus, there are two main food groups that are able to retain water in the body. Discuss in detail on each.

Foods with lots of sodium

All products containing a large amount of sodium in its composition – the products, check the fluid in the body. The most common source of sodium is table salt (sodium chloride). Almost all food of animal and vegetable origin contains pure sodium chloride:

• milk;
• seafood;
• meat;
• eggs;
• celery;
• legumes;
• cereals.

The salt content in them is small, and their use is the minimum necessary to maintain electrolyte balance. But in the production of many food products in them is artificially added sodium. Most manufacturers aim to strengthen the flavor and keep the freshness of the product, so added salt instead of additional forms of sodium:

• sodium nitrite to improve color and as a preservative;
• monosodium glutamate to enhance the taste;
• sodium saccharin – a sugar substitute;
• sodium benzoate – long lasting freshness of the product (preservative);
• sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).

These forms of sodium in great quantities in all processed foods. The quantitative content of sodium in them will show in the table.

Food, noted in the table, are leaders in the salt content, so the tendency to edema it is their first and foremost need to eliminate from your diet.

The little package of any salty snacks or just a few slices of sausage provide the dose of sodium several times higher than the daily rate. Constant adding different sauces, even healthy foods with low salt content also leads to an overdose of this trace element provokes electrolyte imbalance and fluid retention in the body.

Foods with a high glycemic index

Another group of foods that trigger water retention is a food with a high glycemic index (GI). Its use causes a sharp insulin spike, which leads to the production of the hormone aldesterone. It retains sodium in your cells and causes swelling.

The following is a list of foods high in GI:

• all the sweets: chocolate, cookies, candy, halva, waffles, muffins;
• butterproducts;
• dried fruits;
• bakery products;
• potatoes;
• corn flakes.

These foods retain water in the body, also should be restricted if there is swelling and excess weight. From dairy products with high fat content in the body also begins to produce aldosterone, so you can put them in the list of foods that trigger water retention

Drinks retain water in the body

The use of certain drinks, the liquid will be delayed and not appear, so the tendency to edema should limit their intake. For example, beer and sweet drinks have a high glycemic index, and coffee in small doses it has a diuretic effect, but when it is abuse or large amounts of sugar, coffee water retention in the body.

The use of alcohol always causes swelling. Alcohol is a strong diuretic, they remove fluid from the body, but upset the balance of all body systems, including water-salt balance. For detoxifying liver requires water, so all the liquid is drunk after alcoholic libations, accumulate in the extracellular space and causes edema.

How to deal with fluid retention in the body

The best way to get rid of the edema that occurs because of eating foods and beverages that cause fluid retention is to limit them in your diet.

But due to various circumstances it is not always possible to adhere to the principles of proper nutrition, so these foods and beverages can appear in the menu of any person. What to do to minimize the risk of swelling after eating foods that cause the accumulation of water in the tissues of the body?

This should follow a few rules and recommendations.

1. Drink plenty of pure non-carbonated water (at least 1.5-2 liters per day). At first glance, this seems counterintuitive: if water accumulates, it would have to be reduced. But the body will respond to fluid restriction even more delay, will save it "in reserve". When sufficient fluid intake (except for coffee and soft drinks) the need for the accumulation of water lost.
2. Exercise and walk in the fresh air. This helps to speed up metabolism, improve the functioning of the kidneys and faster to remove excess water.
3. If a lot of fluid in the body, to successfully bring its surplus bath helps or a warm bath with sea salt and baking soda.
4. Try as little as possible salt foods when cooking. The salt contained in the diet of modern man, is sufficient for the normal functioning of all organs (even without the use of various sauces, smoked meats and appetizers).
5. Eat foods and drinks that are high in potassium and fiber – they contribute to the rapid excretion of excess fluid:
   • green tea and of green tea;
   • dried apricots and raisins;
   • berries, especially cranberries, blueberries, Aronia;
   • wheat bran;
   • nuts;
   • bananas;
   • avocado;
   • the potatoes in their skins;
   • melons;
   • herbal teas from the flowers of chamomile, calendula, leaves, cranberries, blueberries, lemon balm;
   • zucchini;
   • cucumbers.
6. Use the juice of fresh vegetables (carrot, cabbage, beet) as a diuretic. Assign yourself and drink pharmacy diuretics are banned – they are addictive and excreted along with salts sodium salts potassium, magnesium and calcium.
7. Periodically arrange fasting days. Prevent the stagnation of fluid in the cells of the regular unloading on yogurt, apples or molokochae (2 l milk 2 tbsp brewed green tea).
8. To resolve swelling caused by foods with a high content of salt, some days you need to eat rice or porridge on the water (unsalted, of course). It is a proven tool, used by athletes for drying of muscles before the competition.

If after deletion of menu products, provoking fluid retention, and compliance with recommendations for prevention of edema, they still arise and trouble is a reason to see a doctor for a thorough examination of the body. Perhaps the reason for the swelling is a serious disease that requires medical intervention and the purpose of medical treatment.

Proper nutrition and an active lifestyle are the best means of preventing swelling caused by accumulation of fluid in the body. Daily consumption of pure water, fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood, steamed or boiled, exclusion from the diet of fast food, sweets and sauces industrial production is the key to good appearance, absence of edema and health problems.