UK Heatwave Prompts Diet and Hydration Advice

As temperatures exceed 30C in parts of the UK on 8 July 2026, health experts have released comprehensive diet and hydration guidelines to help the public cope with the extreme heat. BBC Health reporter Philippa Roxby, drawing on insights shared on Radio 4, outlined crucial strategies for managing nutrition and fluid intake while core body temperatures risk rising towards 37 degrees celsius.

Aisling Daly highlighted a key nutritional strategy for the hot weather, noting that we need to eat our water as well as drink it. Daly also addressed dietary misconceptions during the heatwave, explicitly stating that there is no need for more protein in a heatwave.

Regarding overall fluid consumption, the NHS normally recommends six to eight glasses of fluid a day. However, Dr Charlotte Mills of the University of Reading noted the nuance behind these numbers, explaining that there is no single amount that suits everyone, because how much fluid your body needs depends on lots of factors like your age, body size, activity levels and health status.

To supplement drinking habits, experts point out that 80-90% of fruit and vegetables are full of water. Specifically, cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, watermelon and strawberries boast above 90% water content. Meanwhile, apples, carrots, cooked broccoli, pears, oranges, grapes and pineapple contain between 80% to 89% water content.

Other everyday food items vary widely in their water content according to the data. Boiled eggs sit at 75% water, cheese and tomato pizza contains 38% water, takeaway chips hold 51% water, and digestive biscuits are notably lower at just 2.8% water.

As part of broader household adaptations during the hot period, Oxford Brookes University experts noted that cooking a chicken leg in an air fryer uses less than half the energy of a conventional oven, offering a cooler and more efficient cooking method.