# If no regular liquids were avaiable for years, could one remain healthy on watermelon, grapes,... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 12, 2019, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540 "2019-08-12T06:28:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steven\_Estes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Steven\_Estes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Estes)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/1 "2019-08-12T06:28:57Z")
If no regular liquids were avaiable for years, could one remain healthy on watermelon, grapes,…If so, what else. ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/2 "2019-08-12T06:58:29Z")
What means of processing do you have? If you can squeeze them through a strainer to make the juice as thin as possible, I see no health risks. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/3 "2019-08-12T07:26:50Z")
Very likely, yes. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/4 "2019-08-12T07:42:21Z")
Most fruit are mostly water, so obviously, the answer is yes. Presumably you have the power to squeeze them? Also, where are your fruit getting water from? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/5 "2019-08-12T07:46:37Z")
You don’t have to squeeze them into juice. Just eat them. You could concoct a healthy diet where you don’t have to drink any water. But, yeah, if the fruits can get water to grow, why can’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/6 "2019-08-12T11:35:46Z")
I’m thinking that perhaps modern watermelon/grapes might have too much sugar. I know that there is a level which is “too much”, where you can’t replace fluid loss by drinking sweet drinks. And I /think/ that grape juice might be approaching that level, but I’ll have to look it up, or wait for someone to correct me. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/7 "2019-08-12T13:00:41Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I’m thinking that perhaps modern watermelon/grapes might have too much sugar. > > I know that there is a level which is “too much”, where you can’t replace fluid loss by drinking sweet drinks. And I /think/ that grape juice might be approaching that level, but I’ll have to look it up, or wait for someone to correct me. Consider yourself corrected. Not a problem unless one is already a diabetic. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/8 "2019-08-12T13:44:07Z")
The only liquids humans consume that provide net negative hydration are strong alcoholic drinks (exactly how strong varies from individual to individual, but it’s usually up in the distilled liquor range). Sugary drinks might provide less hydration than pure water, but not by very much. And that just leaves the problems with the sugar itself, which depend on how much exercise you’re getting. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/9 "2019-08-12T14:04:38Z")
Are we to assume an adequate supply of fresh watermelons all year round? ---
**Author:** ![Dana\_Scully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Dana\_Scully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dana_Scully)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/10 "2019-08-12T15:04:33Z")
[quote=“SanVito, post:4, topic:838540”] Most fruit are mostly water, so obviously, the answer is yes. Presumably you have the power to squeeze them? Also, \*\*where are your fruit getting water from?[/\*\*QUOTE] That’s what I was wondering…if there’s enough water to keep fruit growing, wouldn’t that be available for humans to drink? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/11 "2019-08-12T15:11:05Z")
I have to assume that the OP means that watermelons etc. are the only source of liquid, and that supplies of proteins and fats are somehow made available. Otherwise, that diet isn’t healthy for very long. As for the watermelons’ source of water, imagine the one in the OP is a prisoner and eating only what the captors provide. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/12 "2019-08-12T16:06:51Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The only liquids humans consume that provide net negative hydration are strong alcoholic drinks (exactly how strong varies from individual to individual, but it’s usually up in the distilled liquor range). Sugary drinks might provide less hydration than pure water, but not by very much. And that just leaves the problems with the sugar itself, which depend on how much exercise you’re getting. Yes, we had a long thread on this. Apparently about the level of strong wines there is a break even point. Perhaps espresso shots might be negative hydration. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/13 "2019-08-12T16:17:09Z")
> [@Dana\_Scully](#): > > That’s what I was wondering…if there’s enough water to keep fruit growing, wouldn’t that be available for humans to drink? I interpreted the OP to imply that there was water, but not safe for human consumption and no way to make it safe. Basically grow fruit as a way to purify the water. Then the question becomes what sorts of contamination can be effectively filtered this way. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/14 "2019-08-12T16:28:04Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > . . . Sugary drinks might provide less hydration than pure water, but not by very much. And that just leaves the problems with the sugar itself, which depend on how much exercise you’re getting. I’ve met people who think that the digestion/metabolism of sugar pulls water out of your system, which is emphatically not the case. Chemically, the metabolism of sugar creates water and carbon dioxide. It doesn’t create enough water to count in the body’s water balance, but it doesn’t remove any water either. While the sugar is unmetabolized, it could throw your electrolyte balance off if you were dehydrated. Possibly. Sodium and potassium have a stronger effect. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/15 "2019-08-13T07:14:32Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Consider yourself corrected. Not a problem unless one is already a diabetic. Or hypoglycemic. > [@Chronos](#): > > The only liquids humans consume that provide net negative hydration are strong alcoholic drinks (exactly how strong varies from individual to individual, but it’s usually up in the distilled liquor range). Sugary drinks might provide less hydration than pure water, but not by very much. And that just leaves the problems with the sugar itself, which depend on how much exercise you’re getting. What about caffeinated drinks; sodas, coffee, energy drinks, etc? Is the amount of the caffeine’s diuretic effect less than the amount of liquid consumed? What about the ‘shot-like’ drinks like 5-hr Energy which have less liquid in them but the same amount of caffeine? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/16 "2019-08-13T07:38:53Z")
Normal strength soda, coffee, and tea and not “net negative hydration”. They aren’t as hydrating as, say, plain water, but you can live indefinitely on any of them. There may be issues with added items like sweeteners, cream, etc. due to calories or sugar content, but all of them provide sufficient hydration. Your body adjusts to the slight diuretic effect and overcomes it. Really concentrated sources of caffeine like “shot” energy drinks? I don’t know, never looked into that myself. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/17 "2019-08-13T16:11:40Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Normal strength soda, coffee, and tea and not “net negative hydration”. They aren’t as hydrating as, say, plain water, but you can live indefinitely on any of them. There may be issues with added items like sweeteners, cream, etc. due to calories or sugar content, but all of them provide sufficient hydration. Your body adjusts to the slight diuretic effect and overcomes it. > > Really concentrated sources of caffeine like “shot” energy drinks? I don’t know, never looked into that myself. Right. Someone said that espresso shots are negative hydration, and I can accept that, but plain old coffee certainly isnt. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/18 "2019-08-13T21:02:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Right. Someone said that espresso shots are negative hydration, and I can accept that, but plain old coffee certainly isnt. Nor are espresso shots. One cannot get dehydrated from drinking caffeinated beverages; the body compensates for its diuretic effect by adjusting its own production of anti-diuretic hormone. One will get caffeine toxicity long before one could possibly dehydrate oneself by drinking only espresso, or even ristretto. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2019, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/19 "2019-08-13T21:19:37Z")
Sadly, there are plenty of actual doctors who help promulgate this particular fantasy health meme. If you can drink it, it has more water in it than it will “use up” from digesting it. All the fringe cases have vastly more obvious side effects that will kill long before you die from dehydration. A human being produces enough water that closed system life support must include ways of removing it from the environment. If you live on beer, crackers, and beef jerky, it’s the salt that’s going to kill you. Tris * * * Well, it might be bar fights, depending on where you drink. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540/20 "2019-08-14T00:21:19Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Nor are espresso shots. One cannot get dehydrated from drinking caffeinated beverages; the body compensates for its diuretic effect by adjusting its own production of anti-diuretic hormone. One will get caffeine toxicity long before one could possibly dehydrate oneself by drinking only espresso, or even ristretto. Well, dead is dead, like I , DrDeth, always say!😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-no-regular-liquids-were-avaiable-for-years-could-one-remain-healthy-on-watermelon-grapes/838540.md?page=2)