What is good to eat when you have heat exhaustion?

October 10, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, maintaining electrolyte balance is critical for preventing and recovering from heat-related illnesses. If you're experiencing heat exhaustion, consuming the right foods is crucial for replenishing lost fluids and essential minerals to help your body rebalance and recover quickly. This guide covers what is good to eat when you have heat exhaustion.

Quick Summary

This guide details the best foods and drinks to consume for quick recovery from heat exhaustion, emphasizing high-water content and electrolyte-rich options. It also outlines what to avoid and provides a comparison of hydrating foods to support effective rehydration and recuperation.

Key Points

Prioritize Hydration: Consume fluids rich in electrolytes, like coconut water or oral rehydration solutions, to quickly replace lost minerals and water.
Choose High-Water Content Foods: Eat fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, cucumbers, and oranges to help cool the body and provide natural hydration.
Replenish Electrolytes with Food: Opt for foods rich in potassium and magnesium like bananas, leafy greens, and plain yogurt to restore essential mineral balance.
Avoid Dehydrating Beverages: Steer clear of alcohol and caffeine, as these act as diuretics and can worsen dehydration.
Eat Light, Digestible Meals: Heavy, greasy, or high-protein foods require more energy to digest, which can increase body heat. Stick to light meals like broths and steamed veggies.
Use Lightly Salted Snacks: Replenish lost sodium with small, salty snacks like crackers, especially after excessive sweating.
Monitor Symptoms and Rest: Rest in a cool place and monitor symptoms. If they do not improve, seek medical help immediately.

When experiencing heat exhaustion, the primary goals are to rehydrate the body, replenish lost electrolytes, and choose easily digestible, cooling foods. Your body's ability to regulate its temperature is compromised, so the digestive system is also under stress. Focusing on light, nutritious, and hydrating options is key to a swift and safe recovery.

The Best Hydrating Drinks and Foods for Recovery

Replenish with Electrolyte-Rich Drinks

Sweating causes a significant loss of fluids and essential minerals like sodium and potassium. Simply drinking plain water is often not enough to restore balance, especially after prolonged exposure to heat.

Coconut Water: Often called nature's sports drink, it is naturally rich in potassium, sodium, and magnesium, making it an excellent choice for rehydration without added sugars.
Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS): Commercial ORS or electrolyte tablets mixed with water are designed to replace lost fluids and electrolytes rapidly and effectively.
Homemade Electrolyte Drink: A simple mixture of water, a pinch of salt, and a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup with some citrus juice can provide a balanced electrolyte boost.
Milk: Skim milk has been shown to be effective for post-exercise rehydration due to its balance of electrolytes, proteins, and carbohydrates.

Focus on Cooling and Water-Rich Foods

Eating foods with a high water content directly helps to replenish lost fluids and can have a cooling effect on the body.

Watermelon: With over 90% water content, this fruit is a heat exhaustion powerhouse. It also contains lycopene, an antioxidant, and electrolytes.
Cucumbers: At roughly 95% water, cucumbers are refreshing and can be added to salads or water for a hydrating boost.
Oranges: These citrus fruits are packed with potassium and vitamin C, both beneficial for recovery.
Berries and Melons: Strawberries, cantaloupe, and other berries contain significant water and antioxidants to aid in recovery.
Bananas: A fantastic source of potassium, bananas help prevent muscle cramps associated with electrolyte imbalance.
Leafy Greens: Spinach and kale provide magnesium, which is critical for maintaining fluid balance.
Plain Yogurt: Contains probiotics and important electrolytes like calcium and potassium, plus its cooling nature soothes the body.

Easy-to-Digest Meal Options

Since the body is already working hard, choosing lighter meals is best.

Broth-Based Soups: Clear soups and broths provide necessary salt and nutrients without burdening the digestive system.
Rice Porridge (Congee): A gentle and easily digestible meal that can help restore energy.
Boiled or Steamed Vegetables: Cooked vegetables like zucchini and carrots are gentle on the stomach.
Grilled or Poached Lean Protein: For a protein boost without heavy digestion, opt for lean chicken or fish.

Foods and Drinks to Avoid

When recovering from heat exhaustion, some foods and beverages can hinder the process or worsen symptoms.

Caffeine and Alcohol: These are diuretics that promote fluid loss and can further dehydrate the body, disrupting its ability to cool down effectively.
Heavy, Greasy Foods: Fried or fatty foods require more digestive effort and can increase internal body heat, making you feel more sluggish.
High-Protein Foods: Excessively high-protein diets can increase the metabolic heat your body produces and should be avoided immediately following heat exhaustion.
Sugary Drinks: High-sugar sodas and juices can contribute to dehydration and cause blood sugar spikes, leading to fatigue.
Very Cold Drinks: While counterintuitive, extremely cold drinks can shock the system and cause stomach cramps. Opt for cool or room-temperature beverages instead.

Hydrating Food Comparison


Feature	Watermelon	Cucumber	Plain Yogurt	Bananas	Broth-Based Soup
Water Content	Very High (~92%)	Very High (~95%)	High (~88%)	Moderate	Very High (~98%)
Key Nutrients	Vitamin C, A, Lycopene, Potassium	Vitamin K, Potassium, Magnesium	Calcium, Protein, Probiotics, Potassium	Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin B6	Sodium, Water, Trace Minerals
Digestibility	Very easy	Very easy	Easy	Easy to moderate	Very easy
Cooling Effect	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Moderate	Good
Best For	Instant hydration and electrolytes	Hydrating snack or infused water	Gut health and protein boost	Replenishing potassium	Salt and fluid replenishment

Conclusion

Proper nourishment is a vital component of recovery from heat exhaustion. The key is to focus on rehydrating the body and replenishing essential electrolytes with water-rich fruits, vegetables, and natural drinks like coconut water. By opting for light, easily digestible meals and avoiding diuretics like caffeine and alcohol, you can help your body recover more efficiently. It is important to remember that if symptoms of heat exhaustion do not improve with rest and hydration, or if they worsen, seeking immediate medical attention is necessary. A thoughtful diet, combined with staying in a cool environment, is your best defense against heat-related illness.

Frequently Asked Questions

For heat exhaustion, the best drinks are those with electrolytes, such as oral rehydration solutions (ORS), coconut water, or sports drinks. These help replace the minerals and fluids lost through sweating more effectively than plain water alone.

Yes, bananas are excellent for heat exhaustion. They are a rich source of potassium, a key electrolyte that is lost through sweat. This helps prevent and relieve muscle cramps, a common symptom of heat exhaustion.

You should avoid foods and drinks that can worsen dehydration, including alcohol, caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea, and sugary sodas. Heavy, greasy, or high-protein meals should also be avoided as they increase metabolic heat.

While drinking plain water is better than nothing, it's often insufficient for replacing lost electrolytes, especially after significant sweating. For quicker and more effective recovery, pair water with electrolyte-rich foods or drinks.

Yes, consuming a small amount of salty snacks, like crackers or pretzels, is good for heat exhaustion. This helps replenish the sodium your body loses through sweat and aids in rehydration.

It is best to start with light, easily digestible foods. Your digestive system is under stress, so it's wise to avoid heavy meals for at least 24 hours. Gradually return to your normal diet as you feel better.

Plain yogurt and milk can be helpful. They are high in water and contain electrolytes like calcium and potassium. Yogurt also provides cooling benefits and probiotics to support digestion.