counting green tea as water

staceyb2003

Would you? I made some green tea today and I was wondering if any of you count it as your water?

tigersword

Only if you drink it.


Seriously, whatever you drink "counts" as water, no matter what mental games you want to play, or things you've been told. If it's liquid, and you drink it, your body gets hydrated by it, and that's all it cares about, it doesn't matter ifs it's plain water, tea, coffee, soda, juice, milk, whatever.

navyw1fe

If its made from a hot cup of water and a tea bag then yea i count it but if its out of a bottle from the 7-11 then no because i dont know what else has been added to it!

Aroz25

I count herbal teas as water but I don't count coffee as I heard it can actually make you more dehydrated if you have too much

ItsLessOfMe

I count the water I use in my chamomile tea

skateboardstef

As long as I don't sweeten it (which I rarely do), I count it as water.

pupcamper

I consider green/white/red/herbal/caffine free teas to be water, black tea I add milk and sugar to plus it has caffine so I don't!

laurastrait21

I wouldn't count it unless it's caffeine free. Anything with caffeine acts as a diuretic!

karinaes

Only if you drink it.

HA!.. YES!.. as long as it's herbal tea and you don't add anything to it
oh, and yes, ... caffeine free

ymvestal

I do...it's a cup of hot water with a tea bag...if nothing is added, count it!

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

I do! I drink (store bought) diet green tea by the half gallon! Its basically just water with added herbs.

loveliisa

I wouldn't count it unless it's caffeine free. Anything with caffeine acts as a diuretic!

Truth! Almost any drink I would say counts as water except for those containing caffiene!

MaximalLife

Would you? I made some green tea today and I was wondering if any of you count it as your water?

Any liquid counts....

Pepper2185

It was a cup of water before you put the tea bag in it....

I log it as water. I just make sure to drink "real" water, too.

oldsoul918

I wouldn't count it unless it's caffeine free. Anything with caffeine acts as a diuretic!

Truth! Almost any drink I would say counts as water except for those containing caffiene!

Not true...most tea actually hydrates. I heard this once and started researching it (because I love green tea) and sure enough it's not a diuretic and doesn't dehydrate you unless you drink 400+ mg/day.

http://teafinelybrewed.com/blog/does-tea-hydrate-or-dehydrate-you/

adjones5

I count tea as water.

deadstarsunburn

My dietitian says as a general rule not to count it if it has caffeine in it.

tigersword

I wouldn't count it unless it's caffeine free. Anything with caffeine acts as a diuretic!

WATER is a diuretic. Diuretic has nothing to do with dehydration. All a diuretic does is help eliminate excess water. Can this myth please die?

bcampbell54

I count all liquids as water. Especially something as insipid as green te!

rajivdubey

I would not do it! Coz "Water" is water! No matter what!

shannon_stallone

I count it I drink a lot in the winter, so I for sure always count it as water

KayteeBear

I disagree with counting anything you drink as water. Personally if you drink a cup of coffee loaded down with cream and sugar there's no way in hell it should be counted as water.

I count water as water (obviously) and tea if I add nothing to it and it's plain tea. Once I start adding sugar (or buying bottles of green tea drink loaded with sugar and other things) I don't count it as water.

FoxyMcDeadlift

I dont count green tea as water, i just dont count it. Every time i make a cup of tea, i get a glass of water, so sorted

HMonsterX

Havent had to do this in a while!

Here we go again!

You need the equivalent of 8 cups of water a day on average, from any source. These sources can be pure water/tea/coffee/juice/soda/milk/fruit/veg etc. It does NOT have to be pure neat water!

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/13/myth-eight-glasses-water-day

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/wellness-water-8x8-myth.html

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/12/08/the-myth-behind-drinking-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/


As for coffee being a diuretic, so many people just spout that word as a reason, without actually understanding what "diuretic" means.

di·u·ret·ic (d-rtk)
adj.
Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
n.
A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.

Neat water is also a diuretic. The diuretic effect of caffeine is far, far outweighed by the actual water in the tea/coffee. Also, regular consumers of caffeinated beverages will build up a tolerance to said effect, eventually reaching the point where caffeinated drinks provide practically the same amount of hydration as a cup of neat water will.


http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what

http://worldofcaffeine.com/2011/06/14/caffeine-does-not-dehydrate/

http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/020722/02072207.htm

http://nomoredirtylooks.com/2011/04/surprise-caffeinated-tea-does-not-dehydrate-you/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html

http://www.sharecare.com/question/does-caffeine-dehydrate-not

http://www.artofdrink.com/2009/12/caffeine-in-coffee-does-not-increase-dehydration-during-hangovers.php

http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions/do-caffeinated-beverages-cause-dehydration.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5552790&page=1#.TrQWc0O5_oo

stylistchik

If it's caffeinated I'd count it as half (8oz tea = 4oz water), decaf I'd count as water. That's just my personal rule.

stylistchik

Havent had to do this in a while!

Here we go again!

You need the equivalent of 8 cups of water a day on average, from any source. These sources can be pure water/tea/coffee/juice/soda/milk/fruit/veg etc. It does NOT have to be pure neat water!

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/13/myth-eight-glasses-water-day

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/wellness-water-8x8-myth.html

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/12/08/the-myth-behind-drinking-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/


As for coffee being a diuretic, so many people just spout that word as a reason, without actually understanding what "diuretic" means.

di·u·ret·ic (d-rtk)
adj.
Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
n.
A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.

Neat water is also a diuretic. The diuretic effect of caffeine is far, far outweighed by the actual water in the tea/coffee. Also, regular consumers of caffeinated beverages will build up a tolerance to said effect, eventually reaching the point where caffeinated drinks provide practically the same amount of hydration as a cup of neat water will.


http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what

http://worldofcaffeine.com/2011/06/14/caffeine-does-not-dehydrate/

http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/020722/02072207.htm

http://nomoredirtylooks.com/2011/04/surprise-caffeinated-tea-does-not-dehydrate-you/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html

http://www.sharecare.com/question/does-caffeine-dehydrate-not

http://www.artofdrink.com/2009/12/caffeine-in-coffee-does-not-increase-dehydration-during-hangovers.php

http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions/do-caffeinated-beverages-cause-dehydration.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5552790&page=1#.TrQWc0O5_oo

You seem to be so well-versed in this subject but never touch on why we need the magic number 8 cups per day? Even your articles say that's not true. What about the fact that we need roughly half our body weight in oz of water but up to 40% of that can come from food like fresh fruits and vegetables, but most people don't eat enough fruits and vegetables and drink too many caloric chemical soups like soda instead of water? Maybe you can find some articles on that, instead of articles that don't even support the point you're trying to make? Check out "Your Body's Many Cries for Water" by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D or watercure.com

ttrussel

I would not do it! Coz "Water" is water! No matter what!

I mean... that's what I was thinking??? I drink coffee in the morning and water from then on. I very rarely drink anything else (well except a Bud Select 55..lol) I never thought to count anything as water but water.

HMonsterX

remember, the rule isn't referring to NEAT water. Just water. And if something you have, like coffee, has water in it, it doesn't suddenly become a solid when you add something to it.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter if you "count" it or not. Your body IS getting hydration from it. Fact. It doesn't stop just because you don't "count" it.

TourThePast

Can this myth please die?

Don't hold your breath*.

*Note holding your breath is not a diuretic.

TourThePast

Havent had to do this in a while!

Here we go again!

You need the equivalent of 8 cups of water a day on average, from any source. These sources can be pure water/tea/coffee/juice/soda/milk/fruit/veg etc. It does NOT have to be pure neat water!

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/13/myth-eight-glasses-water-day

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/wellness-water-8x8-myth.html

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/12/08/the-myth-behind-drinking-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/


As for coffee being a diuretic, so many people just spout that word as a reason, without actually understanding what "diuretic" means.

di·u·ret·ic (d-rtk)
adj.
Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
n.
A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.

Neat water is also a diuretic. The diuretic effect of caffeine is far, far outweighed by the actual water in the tea/coffee. Also, regular consumers of caffeinated beverages will build up a tolerance to said effect, eventually reaching the point where caffeinated drinks provide practically the same amount of hydration as a cup of neat water will.


http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what

http://worldofcaffeine.com/2011/06/14/caffeine-does-not-dehydrate/

http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/020722/02072207.htm

http://nomoredirtylooks.com/2011/04/surprise-caffeinated-tea-does-not-dehydrate-you/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html

http://www.sharecare.com/question/does-caffeine-dehydrate-not

http://www.artofdrink.com/2009/12/caffeine-in-coffee-does-not-increase-dehydration-during-hangovers.php

http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions/do-caffeinated-beverages-cause-dehydration.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5552790&page=1#.TrQWc0O5_oo

You seem to be so well-versed in this subject but never touch on the magic number of why we need 8 cups per day? What about the fact that we need roughly half our body weight in oz of water but up to 40% of that can come from food like fresh fruits and vegetables? Maybe you can find some articles on that.

I'm familiar with a few of those links and some of them do talk about the supposed need for eight cups a day and the fact that water does not have to enter the stomach "uncontaminated" with any other substance.

The bottom line is that the often quoted figure of eight cups a day has never been suggested as a standard requirement by any research, and giving a one number fits all amount is ridiculous - so ridiculous in fact, that when I first joined this site I nearly gave up on the site when I saw it incorporated such an ill informed concept.

The requirement, as everyone with half a brain surely realises, varies wildly depending on physical work done, climate, body weight etc etc etc. When walking round historical sites in the Middle East in the summer, I needed approximately three times the total fluid intake than I normally need doing a similar amount of walking in a British winter.

EDITED TO ADD: Really... Do people honestly think that your stomach and digestive tract have any way of differentiating whether the water molecules that are in their digestive fluids originally swilled down their throat as "pure" water and then mixed with dryish food that had just been eaten (eg a chicken salad), or entered the body as chicken soup.

mrsdizzyd84

It's amazing how many people buy into the "only pure water counts" myth.

Seriously, if you make a cup of tea from 8 oz. of water why wouldn't you count it? Where do you think the water has gone? Does it turn into dust as soon as the tea bag enters the picture? Is there a magician in the tea bag that waves a magic wand and makes the water disappear? :huh:

Seriously, just think about it. It completely defies logic to suggest that a cup of tea is not a cup of water.

Whether you count it or not your body thanks you for the hydration. :drinker: