Counting Tea as water?

kkova811
kkova811 Posts: 89 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So ive started drinking green tea in the morning (the lipton with orange, passion fruit and jasmine is really good) and I drink it without any milk or sugar or anything so is it essentially a flavored water? Should I count it towards my total? It doesnt really matter, I usually drink a gallon a day so one more 8oz cup isnt a big deal, im just curious.

Replies

  • linder4866
    linder4866 Posts: 11,427 Member
    I don't know what is recommended but I drink plain old green tea and do not count it as water.
  • carld256
    carld256 Posts: 855 Member
    Coffee, soda, and tea all count as water. Also, you don't need to force yourself to drink a set amount. Drink if you're thirsty.
  • Char_marcus
    Char_marcus Posts: 141 Member
    i log all drinks apart from alcohol as my water for the day as even though tea and coffee make you pass water more they still count towards your daily intake.

    I drink coffee non stop all day and i am never de hydrated :smile:
  • nigel061
    nigel061 Posts: 109
    Coffee, soda, and tea all count as water. Also, you don't need to force yourself to drink a set amount. Drink if you're thirsty.

    ^^^ this !
  • douglasmobbs
    douglasmobbs Posts: 563 Member
    would you count it as water if you ate a tea bag and drank the glass of water on its own?
  • psuedoitch
    psuedoitch Posts: 16
    To me, only water counts as water, but the idea that you must drink 8 glasses a day is ridiculous. Drink if you're thirsty.
  • sheri02r
    sheri02r Posts: 486 Member
    I do! :)
  • BubbleGumKisses
    BubbleGumKisses Posts: 156 Member
    I count tea and I also put MIO in water sometimes.... still counts as water
  • marcoscu
    marcoscu Posts: 99 Member
    I can see what people are getting at, but for me tea is tea, beer is beer a and water is water.
  • kathyms13
    kathyms13 Posts: 497 Member
    Coffee, soda, and tea all count as water. Also, you don't need to force yourself to drink a set amount. Drink if you're thirsty.
    wow thank you for that, i wasnt adding coffee or diet drinks .
  • PattyfromToledo
    PattyfromToledo Posts: 74 Member
    Rule of thumb....if it has caffine in it you do not count it as a water... I believe that is a weight watcher rule.
  • LanaMcL
    LanaMcL Posts: 41 Member
    nice question i never drink water but have maybe 4 cups of tea a day
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    Rule of thumb....if it has caffine in it you do not count it as a water... I believe that is a weight watcher rule.

    No actually not any longer. Probably because they realized how dumb it was.

    If it was made from H2O it is water. Unless you somehow changed the chemical makeup of the liquid.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Personally I only count water as my fluids for the day. Everything else is bonus. I don't wait until I feel thirst either as usually at that point your body is already dehydrated.

    If drinking tea helps you get the fluids in do what works best for you. Everyone has their own ways. I wouldn't count it if I put milk, sugar etc in it.
  • Polly758
    Polly758 Posts: 623 Member
    Tea is so rediculously good for you that you ought to drink it, period.

    In very high amounts, caffeine may be slightly dehydrating-- I forget the word for it-- your body basically takes more water to process the waste (cough) when you drink caffeinated drinks rather than water. But you'd have to consume A LOT of caffeine for this to make a difference.

    And it may stain your teeth a bit.

    But worth it. Tea has antioxidants, vitamins, prevents cancer... seriously. Drink it.
  • Ronngie
    Ronngie Posts: 295 Member
    It counts, but I don't usually count it.
  • PattyfromToledo
    PattyfromToledo Posts: 74 Member
    Rule of thumb....if it has caffine in it you do not count it as a water... I believe that is a weight watcher rule.

    No actually not any longer. Probably because they realized how dumb it was.

    If it was made from H2O it is water. Unless you somehow changed the chemical makeup of the liquid.


    Totally disagree...tea and coffee are dieuretics so they do not hold ghe same benefit as drinking water.
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
    I guess it really depends.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    I don't count the tea since I dont have sugar in it and it has no calories and I dont log water.

    I do however, log the milk.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    I count my tea as long as it's decaffeinated and doesn't have anything else in it. I don't count my caffeinated ones since caffeine is a diuretic.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    I count my tea as long as it's decaffeinated and doesn't have anything else in it. I don't count my caffeinated ones since caffeine is a diuretic.

    If you drink a lot of tea, your body becomes used to the caffiene and it no longer works like that. Coffee, however has too much caffiene in it for this to apply.
  • Drop_it_Like_Its_Hawt
    Drop_it_Like_Its_Hawt Posts: 226 Member
    I count my tea as long as it's decaffeinated and doesn't have anything else in it. I don't count my caffeinated ones since caffeine is a diuretic.

    I do this too, actually. I know the caffeine is probably not THAT dehydrating, but if there's caffeine in the drink, I don't count it. If it's water with something non-caloric (or less than 10) to flavor it, like herbal tea or crystal lite, then I count it as water.
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
    I count my tea as long as it's decaffeinated and doesn't have anything else in it. I don't count my caffeinated ones since caffeine is a diuretic.

    I do this too, actually. I know the caffeine is probably not THAT dehydrating, but if there's caffeine in the drink, I don't count it. If it's water with something non-caloric (or less than 10) to flavor it, like herbal tea or crystal lite, then I count it as water.

    Actually, from what the rubber band trick says:

    Put 8 rubber bands on your left wrist.
    For every 8oz glass of water you drink, move 1 rubber band to your right wrist
    If you drink something with caffeine, take 1 rubber band from your right wrist and put it BACK on your left wrist
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    Count it, don't count it. Doesn't really matter. The only thing that matters is that you are drinking enough (of whatever) to stay hydrated. You'll know because your pee will be a very light yellow colour or clear. Don't get hung up on a number
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    It is all about pee color. What drinks count/don't count, how many ounces of water you drink, etc. are all irrelevant. Details are in this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/857659-the-definitive-how-much-water-do-i-really-need-thread?hl=Definitive+water+thread#posts-13032126
  • Scrimples
    Scrimples Posts: 45
    I've always been advised by my doctor that tea can be counted as water. Good for you for adding green tea. It has some great health benefits without having to worry about extra calories.
  • Margaux102819
    Margaux102819 Posts: 17
    I usually count tea as water. I make sure to track what I put in it lol.

    I do make sure to track Crystal Light and stuff that I put in water. They're usually 5 -10 cals each....it adds up!
  • skyekeeper
    skyekeeper Posts: 286 Member
    The only thing that counts as water is....water.
  • tmpecus78
    tmpecus78 Posts: 1,206 Member
    Coffee, soda, and tea all count as water. Also, you don't need to force yourself to drink a set amount. Drink if you're thirsty.

    I have to completely disagree with your last 2 sentences. Your body is made up of 60% water and every system in your body depends on water. Water flushes toxins out of vital organs and carries nutrients to your cells. Lack of water brings on dehydration. Being "thirsty" is the result of already to dehydrate and even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

    OP - Focus on your urine color. It should be clear to "lemonade" color.

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