Lemonade, tea, etc. = water??

jamesrreed

Does drinking lemonade, tea or other drinks that are essentially water with something dissolved in it count towards servings of water?

anyoung1984

I am sure you will probably get some better answers on here from people who actually know what they are talking about but in my personal experience I do not count anything with caffeine (tea) as water servings as I feel the caffeine in it takes away all the healthy benefits water gives me. However, crystal light and things of that nature which is essentially just flavoring could perhaps count?

fullboost

Anything with water in is water as far as i'm concerned.
Remember watching an interesting program about it a while ago, they took two twins, gave one just water and one no water at all, only things like fizzy, juice, tea etc and ran lots of tests on them and there was no difference.

kayleigh333

I've wondered this before. Personally I think it probably does count, as it is water (just with some extra stuff as well!) but I don't count it, as I think that the more water the better so I always try to get 8 glasses of water on it's own each day. Also, I don't want to get in the habit of using coffee / fizzy drinks etc to get my water count up, as those kinds of drinks are just empty calories and even calorie free drinks like diet coke have bad additives in it, whereas water is calorie free and really good for you!

Mindful_Trent

I count anything with a water base as water (though I'm not good at tracking it on here). However, if it does have calories, I make sure and log it to count the calories. (Ex. Hot chocolate) Some people will tell you not to count anything with caffiene, but you have to drink a significant amount of caffiene for it to have a diuretic effect. I don't consume anywhere near that much caffiene on most days, so I don't worry about it. Here's what I got from the Mayo Clinic's website:

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http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661

Researchers used to believe that caffeinated drinks had a diuretic effect. This means that you would urinate more after drinking them, which could increase your risk of becoming dehydrated. Recent research shows that this is not true and that caffeine only has a diuretic effect if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (or 4 to 7 cups of coffee) a day.

Still, caffeinated drinks can make you jittery, sleepless or anxious. Water is probably your best bet to stay hydrated. It's calorie-free, caffeine-free, inexpensive and readily available.

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hmlayman

The first post is correct by saying that even though a drink is mostly made up of water, if it has caffeine in it that dehydrates you more. I would make sure I get the 8 glasses alone and just count the other as a benefit but watch the empty calories

cneal1140

I count it if its 0 calories and liquid. But I do try and at least drink 5 cups of natural water per day.

Ryhenblue

Like the other posters said if it has caffeine then you shouldn't count it as water. I drink 2 cups of green tea every morning but I don't count them.

Mookz0r

I've seen/heard that you shouldn't count fizzy drinks (like Coke, lemonade, etc) as water... BUT I have natural fizzy water and add a squeeze of lemon in it and count that - 0 calorie lemonade with no added extras!

astridfeline

Ask the Experts
April 2010 Archive2007200820092010


Q: Are caffeinated beverages dehydrating? Do they count towards my eight-a-day glasses of water?

A: Many people think they can’t count coffee, tea, and colas as part of fluid intake, because caffeine promotes urination briefly. But you don’t end up with a net loss of water from drinking moderate amounts of caffeinated beverages. In other words, they don’t dehydrate you.

For instance, in a study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center a decade ago, healthy adults showed the same “hydration status” (as determined from urine analysis and other tests) when they drank caffeinated colas and/or coffee as when they drank only water and/or fruit drinks. And in its 2005 report on water needs, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which advises the government about health issues, including dietary intakes, concluded that “caffeinated beverages appear to contribute to the daily total water intake similar to that contributed by noncaffeinated beverages.”

In any case, it’s a myth that you need to drink eight glasses of water a day. There’s no scientific backing for this rule. The IOM report confirmed this, too. People normally get enough fluids by drinking when they’re thirsty—though older people should drink water before they get thirsty, especially in the heat, since thirst is a less reliable indicator as we age. And other beverages besides water (including caffeinated ones), as well as foods (such as fruits and vegetables), help meet fluid needs

jamesrreed

I've started carrying those single serving powdered drink packets in my golf bag and drink as many as 2 or 3 twenty ounce bottles worth during a round. I typically use the Kroger brand lemonade.

animatedbecca

I only count water and try to drink between 64 and 80 oz a day. Tea or anything else water based is just a "bonus"

fitness20003556

Try etc Water

Dare2Believe

I am sure you will probably get some better answers on here from people who actually know what they are talking about but in my personal experience I do not count anything with caffeine (tea) as water servings as I feel the caffeine in it takes away all the healthy benefits water gives me. However, crystal light and things of that nature which is essentially just flavoring could perhaps count?

When I was in nursing school I had to do a research paper on the artificial sweeteners that are used in products like Crystal light, etc. What I found out was pretty amazing, I wont touch the stuff myself. I would reach for the caffeine before reaching for the artificial sweetened crap.

Froggorf

I have wondered the same thing. I drink LaCroix, which is sparkling water, no additives so I count that. I also keep reading that you should drink at least 6 cups of green tea a day, I would think that you would count that for water.

jennywren1971

I don't count soft drinks or tea or coffee in my water count for the day. I do count the occasional glass of diet cordial but I also add in the calories.

I was once addicted to diet coke and drank about 1-2 liters a day. I drank it when I was thirsty instead of having water. Ended up very addicted.

So now I try to drink at least 2 liters of water a day. I limit my caffeine intake to 3 cups of tea a day usually and maybe a coffee some days. I now only have coke zero as a treat or as a mixer if I am having a scotch or bourbon. I limit to one can a day a couple of times a week at most.

Luthorcrow

Yes you get water from everything you drink. But no you should not count anything other than pure water on your MFP water count. The intent of that scale is keep track of how many cups of water you drinking. The idea is to encourage you to drink more water.

jess_blonde

Currently studying for my licensing exam to become a registered nurse and the textbook I'm using put it best:

"Anything that is liquid at room temperature is considered part of the daily fluid intake." (Mosby's Comprehensive Review for the Canadian RN Exam)

I personally count tea, coffee and water in my log here on MFP but I know I get more fluid than that in reality. It all comes down to personal choice, if you feel like you'll float away drinking 8 cups of water plus all the other fluids you drink in a day, then don't force it down, count all your fluids.

Quarrysider

Does this mean I can count beer?

Seriously, I tend not to count caffeine or alcohol, cos they go in with my food, but anything else goes. Interesting article re caffeine Astrid, ta for that - I drink a fair bit of tea, so I'm probably pretty well hydrated.