{"id":92318,"date":"2025-07-25T20:45:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T20:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/92318\/"},"modified":"2025-07-25T20:45:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T20:45:11","slug":"5-foods-that-cause-water-retention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/92318\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Foods That Cause Water Retention"},"content":{"rendered":"

Water retention can happen any time of the year, but experiencing swollen, heavy legs is especially common in the summer<\/a>\u2014and certainly uncomfortable. Luckily, there are some things you can do to help ease the puffiness<\/a> or, better yet, avoid it altogether. One of the most effective ways? Skipping the foods that cause water retention.<\/p>\n

Why do we retain water in the summer?<\/p>\n

Feet, ankles, and legs can swell in the summer when an excess of fluid accumulates in the tissues. This type of water retention is known as edema. \u201cEdema is a medical term for swelling caused by fluid buildup in the tissues,\u201d explains Dr. Asimah Hanif<\/a>. \u201cIt often appears in legs, ankles, and feet, but it can also affect other areas like the hands, arms, face, or even the lungs.\u201d<\/p>\n

While certain health conditions\u2014like heart or kidney disease\u2014and taking specific medications can cause fluid retention, Hanif says that it can also be due to poor circulation or lack of movement. \u201cEven something as simple as sitting or standing for too long, especially in hot weather, can cause the legs to swell up,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, women may be especially susceptible. \u201cFor many women, mild edema is part of monthly hormonal shifts or travel-related fluid retention,\u201d says Dr. Terry Dubrow<\/a>. \u201cThink of it as your body whispering that it\u2019s holding on to water\u2014often because something is off balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

What foods cause water retention?<\/p>\n

Certain foods, usually those high in sodium<\/a> or sugar, also promote fluid accumulation and venous stagnation, which inevitably leads to swollen and painful legs. If you are susceptible to leg swelling, avoiding these foods during the warmest months can be helpful.<\/p>\n

\u201cDiet can play a big role in how much fluid your body holds onto,\u201d Hanif says. \u201cThe biggest offender is salt. Eating salty foods\u2014like chips, canned soups, takeout, or ready-made meals\u2014makes your body hold onto more water, which can worsen swelling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Foods that don\u2019t taste particularly salty can lead to water retention\u2014especially if they\u2019re processed and packaged. \u201cThings like bacon, ham, sausages, and other cured meats can also contribute. Pickled foods and sauces like soy sauce tend to be salty too,\u201d says Hanif.<\/p>\n

Sugar<\/a> and alcohol can be culprits, too. \u201cHigh-sugar diets can lead to inflammation and make your body retain more fluid, while alcohol affects your liver and kidneys and can throw off your fluid balance by causing dehydration,\u201d Hanif says.<\/p>\n

5 surprising foods that lead to water retention<\/p>\n

Canned tuna<\/p>\n

Canned tuna can be high in sodium due to the salt that\u2019s added during processing and preservation.<\/p>\n

Tomatoes<\/p>\n

Although tomatoes are water-rich, they also contain histamine, which could contribute to water retention as histamine increases the permeability of blood vessels. Eating tomatoes with diuretic vegetables, such as cucumbers, can help mitigate the effects.<\/p>\n

Smoked salmon<\/p>\n

Like canned tuna, smoked salmon is high in sodium, which can contribute to water retention. \u201cSodium is the biggest culprit in water retention,\u201d says Dubrow.<\/p>\n

Crackers<\/p>\n

Crackers may seem like a light alternative to bread, but they\u2019re processed and therefore can be high in sodium. \u201cRefined carbs spike insulin and promote inflammation, which can worsen swelling,\u201d says Dubrow.<\/p>\n

Aged cheeses<\/p>\n

Many aged cheeses<\/a>, like parmesan, gruyere, cheddar, and manchego, are high in sodium thanks to the aging process\u2014as cheese ages, it loses moisture, which concentrates its salt content.<\/p>\n

What foods reduce water retention?<\/p>\n

Just as some foods can cause water retention, others can reduce it. \u201cEdema might show up as a little puffiness, but it\u2019s your body\u2019s way of asking for a reset. Choosing the right foods isn\u2019t just about de-bloating, it\u2019s about feeling lighter and more energized,\u201d says Dubrow, who recommends \u201cmagnesium-rich foods<\/a> like almonds and dark chocolate, which are especially helpful for hormonal swelling.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Water retention can happen any time of the year, but experiencing swollen, heavy legs is especially common in…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":92319,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[210,1182,67,132,68,3149],"class_list":{"0":"post-92318","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-unitedstates","12":"tag-us","13":"tag-wellness"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114915831669127779","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92318"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92318\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}