Coffee and Tea Question

theaterfan23

When you make coffee or tea at home, do you count your water has part of your daily water intake? Why or why not?

ValMcB

I only count my water when I drink water, it makes me drink more water that way. But also I don't count the water in the coffee or tea because of the caffeine. Caffeine is dehydrating so kind of negates the fluid.

NotGoddess

I don't but that is just because I needed to drink more water so I made the decision not to.
Yes caffeine is a diuretic, but that just means it'll make you go a little more-it's not like you drink 1 cup of coffee and you'll pee 1.5 cups. The volume of water in the drink more than makes up for the diuretic effect.
If you are worried on that count, but want to log your coffee/tea, just log only half to the water and you'll be ahead.

Paddy31

I don't but that is just because I needed to drink more water so I made the decision not to.
Yes caffeine is a diuretic, but that just means it'll make you go a little more-it's not like you drink 1 cup of coffee and you'll pee 1.5 cups. The volume of water in the drink more than makes up for the diuretic effect.
If you are worried on that count, but want to log your coffee/tea, just log only half to the water and you'll be ahead.

Coffee and tea do not have any more of a diuretic effect than plain water.

NY Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html?_r=1

Journal of the American College of Nutrition: http://www.jacn.org/content/19/5/591.full

American College of Sports Medicine: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/559762

It is a commonly held belief but it isn't supported by evidence. If you want to log coffee and tea you'll be fine.