Coffee and/or diet soda

selftutor

Can cups of coffee and/or diet soda be counted in place of water or are they just added to the eight glasses of water.

CarvedTones

yes, they count

quiksylver296

They're 99% water. Of course they count.

kgirlhart

Tracking your water intake isn't really necessary. All liquids count towards hydration including liquids from foods. So yes, coffee and soda (regular or diet) counts. Just log any calories they may have.

curtismccall

I know I never count my coffee or green tea towards my water intake. That being said, I don't see why you couldn't so long as you had black coffee or plain tea. All you're doing in that case is adding one ingredient for each and adding just a few calories that wont make much of a difference in the majority of cases. The soda on the other hand I never count that towards the water just because of everything that's added to it.

CarvedTones

curtismccall wrote: »

I know I never count my coffee or green tea towards my water intake. That being said, I don't see why you couldn't so long as you had black coffee or plain tea. All you're doing in that case is adding one ingredient for each and adding just a few calories that wont make much of a difference in the majority of cases. The soda on the other hand I never count that towards the water just because of everything that's added to it.

What is it you think is added to soda that makes the water "not water"?

curtismccall

CarvedTones wrote: »

curtismccall wrote: »

I know I never count my coffee or green tea towards my water intake. That being said, I don't see why you couldn't so long as you had black coffee or plain tea. All you're doing in that case is adding one ingredient for each and adding just a few calories that wont make much of a difference in the majority of cases. The soda on the other hand I never count that towards the water just because of everything that's added to it.

What is it you think is added to soda that makes the water "not water"?

Oh that wasn't what I had meant, my apologies if it came off like that. I know the water in it is still water of course, nothing can change that. I still drink diet soda regularly and have nothing against it in the slightest. But just personally when I drink diet soda I never have seen it as a source of hydration even if it is. Just comes down to personal preference. I know I'm not a registered nutritionist or dietician so personal opinions and observations are all myself and most people are qualified to give But in the end as long as were consuming enough water in one form or another that's all that matters

karenvandam

I've always been a bit mystified by the whole water debate. If I have a 16 oz. cup of hot water and I put in a tea bag, then it's not counted as water (by some recommendations). But, if I have that same tea bag in 8 oz. of water and drink the other 8 oz, then I have consumed 1 glass of water. If I take a caffeine tablet and chase it with 16 oz. of water, I have had two glasses of water.

By the same token, I can have a meal with pasta and chicken with a glass of water and count it as one glass of water. If I have the same pasta, chicken, and water as a soup, suddenly that water doesn't count?

I understand the benefit of encouraging people to drink more water to maintain proper hydration. I also understand that some people may benefit from trading high calorie beverages for water when they are thirsty. But, sometimes the recommendations just become silly.

OHFlamingo

I count my unsweetened iced herbal and green teas as water, as I find I keep myself hydrated better if I keep my insulated tumbler filled with iced tea than plain water. (Especially in this heat!) I tend to add agave and a little almond milk to my hot tea, and don't count that as water, but log the calories from the additions.

orngnerdz

I also do not count my diet soda, energy drinks or coffee toward my water intake. I only count actual water, preworkout and bcaas because I feel like the other stuff is more crap than healthy. I KNOW I need to drink more water so that's why I don't count them. If that makes ANY sense

mph323

Are you asking because of the myth that caffeine is dehydrating? It's not - you can count any fluid except alcohol toward your daily total.

In my case I don't keep track of my fluids, I just go by my urine color

vanityy99

No I don’t count other beverages as my water intake.

cwolfman13

staying hydrated is the name of the game...any beverage you drink is going to count towards hydration.

AnvilHead

Yes, all beverages count for hydration purposes.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/821181/myths-and-facts-about-hydration-requirements/p1

DomesticKat

It's flavor-enhanced water.

kgirlhart

orngnerdz wrote: »

I also do not count my diet soda, energy drinks or coffee toward my water intake. I only count actual water, preworkout and bcaas because I feel like the other stuff is more crap than healthy. I KNOW I need to drink more water so that's why I don't count them. If that makes ANY sense

It is still liquid. If you are drinking and eating plenty of liquids then you don't necessarily need to drink more water.

vanityy99

curtismccall wrote: »

I know I never count my coffee or green tea towards my water intake. That being said, I don't see why you couldn't so long as you had black coffee or plain tea. All you're doing in that case is adding one ingredient for each and adding just a few calories that wont make much of a difference in the majority of cases. The soda on the other hand I never count that towards the water just because of everything that's added to it.

orngnerdz wrote: »

I also do not count my diet soda, energy drinks or coffee toward my water intake. I only count actual water, preworkout and bcaas because I feel like the other stuff is more crap than healthy. I KNOW I need to drink more water so that's why I don't count them. If that makes ANY sense

This.

Plus caffeine in sodas and coffee tend to make me dehydrated.

vanityy99

AnvilHead wrote: »

Yes, all beverages count for hydration purposes.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/821181/myths-and-facts-about-hydration-requirements/p1

Thanks for posting this mister. It actually makes sense.