Water/Tea confusion

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  • Fit_Canuck
    Fit_Canuck Posts: 788 Member
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    I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. If you want to tell people that they can drink only soda and it counts as their "water intake" go ahead. I'm done arguing about it.

    The only thought I want to leave with you is this one. No one has said through the entire post that you should drink soda only, people have said that if you have the occasional tea,coffee,soda,juice it can be counted as water. But no means should your entire diet consist of soda.
  • StacySkinny
    StacySkinny Posts: 984 Member
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    I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. If you want to tell people that they can drink only soda and it counts as their "water intake" go ahead. I'm done arguing about it.

    The thread was about TEA

    Yes, but it morphed into people saying that ANY beverage with a water base counts toward your "water intake". Those where the people I'm referring to.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. If you want to tell people that they can drink only soda and it counts as their "water intake" go ahead. I'm done arguing about it.

    The thread was about TEA

    Yes, but it morphed into people saying that ANY beverage with a water base counts toward your "water intake". Those where the people I'm referring to.

    And they are correct to say so. Whether you count it or not, your body gets hydration from them. As well as water -based fruits/veg.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    Yes, but it morphed into people saying that ANY beverage with a water base counts toward your "water intake". Those where the people I'm referring to.
    and theyre right - my Father in laws doctor told him he needed to drink at least 10 glasses of water a day - but he HATES water. wont drink it. told his dr that and the doc asked what he did drink.. he really likes soda. regular, diet...normally diet/caffeine free. his dr said that was fine. so now he drinks a 12 pack a day. and nothing else but instant breakfast w/milk and chocolate syrup (as far as fluid intake goes)
    i dont agree think its the healthiest way and i prefer water myself...but his dr said it was fine and he is a respected dr at the university.
  • lostsanity137
    lostsanity137 Posts: 298 Member
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    I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. If you want to tell people that they can drink only soda and it counts as their "water intake" go ahead. I'm done arguing about it.

    The thread was about TEA

    Yes, but it morphed into people saying that ANY beverage with a water base counts toward your "water intake". Those where the people I'm referring to.

    It's fine to count fluid as fluid, even soda. HOWEVER, a person who drinks all their fluids in soda and trying to lose weight isn't using common sense. The links people have posted say you CAN get your fluids from teas, milk, soda, but you AIM for more water.
    Most people know soda is not healthy. Anyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves.
    If a person is misinformed enough to count all their sodas as water and drink nothing else, well, they obviously have selective reading skills and a lack of common sense.
  • MFPfriend
    MFPfriend Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. If you want to tell people that they can drink only soda and it counts as their "water intake" go ahead. I'm done arguing about it.

    I'm not saying it's just as healthy as water.
    But any fluid is hydrating. 8 glasses of soda will be just as hydrating as 8 glasses of water.

    Is it ideal? Is it pure? Is it healthy? No, no, and no.
    But is it hydrating? Yes, and that was the question this forum brought up.
  • pink_and_shiny
    pink_and_shiny Posts: 1,036 Member
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    Holy cow you guys! Your food journal says GLASSES OF WATER, not GLASSES OF FLUID. You should only be logging H2O in that counter, everything else needs to be detailed in your diary along with its respective calories, sodium, etc. Simple as that.

    To the people who say that tea/soda/juice is just as hydrating as water -- I want to know, after you've gone for a run or done some time on the elliptical, do you thirst and reach for Dr. Pepper or plain old water?
  • KeriA
    KeriA Posts: 3,275 Member
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    You can tell that there is not exact agreement on this. I count a large glass of green or white tea and the rest is water. Both white and green tea has less caffeine and you can actually reuse the leaves again. I may include one glass of black but really do agree about the caffeine. I try to drink more that 8 glasses of water anyway. White and green tea have some metabolic advantages too. So decide for yourself. I have heard that even coffee counts if you are a long time coffee drinker but I don't count it myself. Confusing right?
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    So, to sum at these pages. The original poster asked:
    can I count it as part of the recommended daily 8 cups of water?

    Answer: For the strict purposes of hydration, YES.

    Any other debate about the health issues with soda etc aren't what was being asked.
  • Fit_Canuck
    Fit_Canuck Posts: 788 Member
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    Holy cow you guys! Your food journal says GLASSES OF WATER, not GLASSES OF FLUID. You should only be logging H2O in that counter, everything else needs to be detailed in your diary along with its respective calories, sodium, etc. Simple as that.

    To the people who say that tea/soda/juice is just as hydrating as water -- I want to know, after you've gone for a run or done some time on the elliptical, do you thirst and reach for Dr. Pepper or plain old water?

    Again this is not a debate about what is healthier for you the original question was is tea considered water for hydration purposes the answer is yes. It doesn't mean that tea should be your sole method for hydrating but it does count as water and will hydrate you
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    To the people who say that tea/soda/juice is just as hydrating as water -- I want to know, after you've gone for a run or done some time on the elliptical, do you thirst and reach for Dr. Pepper or plain old water?

    I sip my isotonic light sports drink while im exercising, to stay hydrated and replace the electrolytes I've lost from sweating.
  • pink_and_shiny
    pink_and_shiny Posts: 1,036 Member
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    Holy cow you guys! Your food journal says GLASSES OF WATER, not GLASSES OF FLUID. You should only be logging H2O in that counter, everything else needs to be detailed in your diary along with its respective calories, sodium, etc. Simple as that.

    To the people who say that tea/soda/juice is just as hydrating as water -- I want to know, after you've gone for a run or done some time on the elliptical, do you thirst and reach for Dr. Pepper or plain old water?

    Again this is not a debate about what is healthier for you the original question was is tea considered water for hydration purposes the answer is yes. It doesn't mean that tea should be your sole method for hydrating but it does count as water and will hydrate you

    A) I was legitimately asking a question about what these people wanted to drink after they worked out. I'm curious.

    B) I guess I see the water counter on here as MFP's way of helping people train themselves to learn new healthier lifestyles. By justifying that other liquids count in that, it seems like you're cheating yourself out of learning a new healthier way of being. Skirting around the issue.

    Just my two cents, and I really don't feel like arguing. Just add me to the camp of people who say, in regards to your water counter on MFP, a glass of water water = water.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    you can count tea as your water as long as it is decaffeinated. As caffeine dehydrates.

    false.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    you can count tea as your water as long as it is decaffeinated. As caffeine dehydrates.

    false.

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

    Dont bother...ive linked like 9 different sites and articles saying it doesnt dehydrate, yet people still post that crap...they just dont want to see the truth..
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    I'll be honest - I don't care what studies say or what an article says. For me, I prefer to only count pure water towards my water intake. Yes, I consume other things like sugar free energy drinks or coffee - but, I prefer to not count them.

    Do what works for YOU - as you can see people get all riled up over this question. It really isn't THAT big of a deal, so do whatever is going to work best for you.
  • pink_and_shiny
    pink_and_shiny Posts: 1,036 Member
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    I'll be honest - I don't care what studies say or what an article says. For me, I prefer to only count pure water towards my water intake. Yes, I consume other things like sugar free energy drinks or coffee - but, I prefer to not count them.

    Do what works for YOU - as you can see people get all riled up over this question. It really isn't THAT big of a deal, so do whatever is going to work best for you.

    *like*
  • lostsanity137
    lostsanity137 Posts: 298 Member
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    You CAN count tea if you want.

    Do your journal how it pleases you.

    I only count water myself, but I don't drink tea and I am drinking more water to prevent myself from drinking bad drinks like soda since I only just recently kicked the addiction. I find it helps me to just count water as water for my personal set-up. Do what works for you.


    But really people?

    The OP did indeed ask if she could include tea in her water intake.

    If someone had simply stated "Yes" or "No" well, there would be plenty of people asking "Why?"

    So people get into a debate over the whys because they disagree. Technically, everyone is trying to answer the original question by debating the whys.

    So I don't feel we have gone off topic. We have just gotten into debating the whys of different answers to OP's question. It's going to happen when people have different opinions.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    I'll be honest - I don't care what studies say or what an article says. For me, I prefer to only count pure water towards my water intake. Yes, I consume other things like sugar free energy drinks or coffee - but, I prefer to not count them.

    Do what works for YOU - as you can see people get all riled up over this question. It really isn't THAT big of a deal, so do whatever is going to work best for you.

    Just that. A preference for you is fine, for YOU. I personally drink plenty of water (usually a gallon a day), and I don't log my coffee or tea at all... but that's my preference. It's fine for me. :)


    *but I do take the mayo clinic's word for stuff... I just still don't count it. :-p
  • TLC1975
    TLC1975 Posts: 146 Member
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    Keep it simple. Keep it clean.
  • crystalDRA
    crystalDRA Posts: 28 Member
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    I was curious so searched a bit myself. It seems there is some conflicting information on the subject and your best bet would be to do some of your own research and reach your own conclusions based on knowledgeable experts. I'm leaning toward the belief that as long as it isn't a large amount of caffeine, it can count toward your water intake. See below...

    via 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 has a diuretic effect only if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (the equivalent of 5 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.

    via http://www.livestrong.com/article/270979-will-the-caffeine-in-tea-dehydrate-you/

    According to Balz Frei, Ph.D., director of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, moderate amounts of caffeine --- up to 500 mg per day --- do not cause dehydration. The liquid content of tea compensates for the diuretic effect of the caffeine.

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