ENRI-129

Water Content of Fruits and Vegetables

Water makes up about 60% of the bodys weight. For the body to function properly, we need to consume about two quarts of water (or liquid) per day. Water needs vary but depend on the food a person eats, environmental temperature and humidity, a persons activity level and other factors. Fruits and vegetables contain large quantities of water in proportion to their weight. When these foods are eaten, the water can be absorbed by the body. The following table provides the water content of several popular raw fruits and vegetables.
Fruits

Vegetables Water Weight 116 92 85 123 144 55 82 75 112 122 76 139 135 56 106 136 146 Percent Water 84 86 74 85 90 81 87 81 91 87 88 84 87 85 87 92 92 Item Broccoli Cabbage (green) Cabbage (red) Carrots Cauliflower Celery Cucumber Eggplant Lettuce (iceberg) Peas (green) Peppers (sweet) Potato (white) Radish Spinach Zucchini Tomato (red) Tomato (green) Food Weight (g) 44 35 35 72 50 40 52 41 20 72 50 112 45 28 65 123 123 Water Weight 40 32 32 63 46 38 50 38 19 57 46 88 43 26 62 115 114 Percent Water 91 93 92 87 92 95 96 92 96 79 92 79 95 92 95 94 93

Item Apple Apricot Banana Blueberries Cantaloupe Cherries Cranberries Grapes Grapefruit Orange Peach Pear Pineapple Plum Raspberries Strawberries Watermelon

Food Weight (g) 138 106 114 145 160 68 95 92 123 140 87 166 155 66 123 149 160

Prepared by Sandra Bastin, Foods and Nutrition Specialist and Kim Henken, Extension Associate for ENRI. Information taken from Bowes & Churchs Food Values, 1994.

Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

December, 1997