What do you count as water?

jgsparks89

I am sure some one has said this already....but you should ONLY count water...plain old water. Other things with solutes in them (especially coffee and tea, which HAVE CAFFEINE--which is a huge diuretic) cause you to actually LOSE water because of how your system of absorption works with fluid dynamics.

SO to be clear....the only thing that is water....is water. Possibly flavored water...but certainly not tea, coffee and juices. And not sports drinks (even calorie free)....they have electrolytes that change the osmolality.

Sarauk2sf

For those of you interested in what actual health professionals think, try this: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

Of particular interest to this thread: "Everyone has heard the advice, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day." That's about 1.9 liters, which isn't that different from the Institute of Medicine recommendations. Although the "8 by 8" rule isn't supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it's easy to remember. Just keep in mind that the rule should be reframed as: "Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," because all fluids count toward the daily total. "

I've read that as well.

However, that doesn't mean I'm going to count any fluid as water just because it's fluid; it's not water. I'm not going to log a brownie as a can of tuna because it's not a can of tuna, so why would I log tea as water?

Because, unless you are making some weird brownie, there is no tuna in a brownie. There is water in tea.

And a lot of other stuff. Tea isn't water. Have you ever read the back of a box of Hamburger Helper that said "combine noodles, seasoning, ground beef, and tea"? No, because tea isn't water.

There's water in chocolate cake. Do you log chocolate cake as water?

I actually do not log water. I can tell if I am hydrated enough by the fact my pee is the right color. However, I stay hydrated enough due to the amount of milk I drink.

BTW: your post actually made no sense to me.

Which part confused you? That tea isn't water or that just because something has water in it doesn't mean that it's water?

The references to hamburger helper and chocolate cake. Of course you do not log chocolate cake as water as it has calories - but the water you use in it is hydrating. Tea has negligible calories so I do not see the analogy you are trying to make.

Sarauk2sf

I am sure some one has said this already....but you should ONLY count water...plain old water. Other things with solutes in them (especially coffee and tea, which HAVE CAFFEINE--which is a huge diuretic) cause you to actually LOSE water because of how your system of absorption works with fluid dynamics.

SO to be clear....the only thing that is water....is water. Possibly flavored water...but certainly not tea, coffee and juices. And not sports drinks (even calorie free)....they have electrolytes that change the osmolality.

Wrong - you can count most beverages:


http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

http://www.jacn.org/content/22/2/165.short

http://www.jacn.org/content/19/5/591.short

http://bjsportmed.com/content/40/5/406.abstract (sports drinks might actually be more effective than plain water)

http://www.jacn.org/content/26/suppl_5/592S.short (food counts too)

About the effect of caffeine:

http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/12187618/

http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/12834577

MoreBean13

I am sure some one has said this already....but you should ONLY count water...plain old water. Other things with solutes in them (especially coffee and tea, which HAVE CAFFEINE--which is a huge diuretic) cause you to actually LOSE water because of how your system of absorption works with fluid dynamics.

SO to be clear....the only thing that is water....is water. Possibly flavored water...but certainly not tea, coffee and juices. And not sports drinks (even calorie free)....they have electrolytes that change the osmolality.

Wrong. All drinkable water has solutes and electrolytes in it. Even in commercial processes where they use reverse osmosis to remove virtually all impurities from tap water (like Dasani or Aquafina's processes) they add salts back in to the water to make it drinkable. If you drank a lot of actual pure water, it would give you crazy diarrhea.

jgsparks89

For general purposes, that is true. But because I have medical training, I know how your digestive system works, and if you want OPTIMUM hydration, you shouldn't count hyper-osmolar intake as water due to the chemical load it takes your body to deal with the solutes. Atleast 64 ounces of plain water a day...or lightly flavored (hypo-osmolar) beverages. Then you can have whatever else you want. And for the record.....it is possible to become dehydrated from drinking excessive sports drink due to the concentration of electrolytes.


My source is a medical textbook, which I can't provide a link to.

jgsparks89

I am sure some one has said this already....but you should ONLY count water...plain old water. Other things with solutes in them (especially coffee and tea, which HAVE CAFFEINE--which is a huge diuretic) cause you to actually LOSE water because of how your system of absorption works with fluid dynamics.

SO to be clear....the only thing that is water....is water. Possibly flavored water...but certainly not tea, coffee and juices. And not sports drinks (even calorie free)....they have electrolytes that change the osmolality.

Wrong. All drinkable water has solutes and electrolytes in it. Even in commercial processes where they use reverse osmosis to remove virtually all impurities from tap water (like Dasani or Aquafina's processes) they add salts back in to the water to make it drinkable. If you drank a lot of actual pure water, it would give you crazy diarrhea.

No they aren't free of solutes, but they are hypo-osmolar or isotonic which is what important.

Maria_T007

Plain old water is all....I log everything but if it has something in it I don't log it as water.

GlutesthatSalute

Just water....

FYI, I wouldn't count coffee or tea (unless it is herbal tea) as water because they are actually dehydrating and will require you to need additional water.

^^^^ this exactly..
I open a gallon of water every morning and make a plan to have most of it gone by lunch... by the end of work I'm done and then whatever I drink at gym or diet sodas after work I don't count..

opus649

Fail fail fail herp derp da derp!!!

GoMizzou99

Whats the difference between drinking soda, which most of you don't count in your daily log, and drinking 8 oz. pure clean water while eating a handful of gummi bears?

Just saying.

opus649

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=8+glasses+of+water+myth

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=does+caffeine+really+dehydrate+you?

The best science is BRO-SCIENCE!!!!!!

MoreBean13

I am sure some one has said this already....but you should ONLY count water...plain old water. Other things with solutes in them (especially coffee and tea, which HAVE CAFFEINE--which is a huge diuretic) cause you to actually LOSE water because of how your system of absorption works with fluid dynamics.

SO to be clear....the only thing that is water....is water. Possibly flavored water...but certainly not tea, coffee and juices. And not sports drinks (even calorie free)....they have electrolytes that change the osmolality.

Wrong. All drinkable water has solutes and electrolytes in it. Even in commercial processes where they use reverse osmosis to remove virtually all impurities from tap water (like Dasani or Aquafina's processes) they add salts back in to the water to make it drinkable. If you drank a lot of actual pure water, it would give you crazy diarrhea.

No they aren't free of solutes, but they are hypo-osmolar or isotonic which is what important.

??? No.
Isotonic fluid is a term commonly described to mean have a similar balance of salts/glucose to replenish the body's losses during, for example, vigorous exercise. Some sports drinks are isotonic. Water isn't, it's HYPOtonic to the body. Furthermore, Hypotonic, isotonic, hypertonic, are all relative terms to describe the relationship of one fluid to another. No fluid is by itself describable by any of these terms.

Robin_Bin

Depends on why you're "counting".
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin/view/water-265761 - various ways to hydrate, drink water and links to reviewed medical sites and research

IslandDreamer64

I didn't read every single response that's been posted, but I wanted to mention that the "myth" that we need 8 glasses of water a day was started by the water bottling companies to sell more of their product. Generally you'll be fine if you follow your thirst signals and drink when you feel thirsty. Almost all food that we eat provides water, especially fruits and vegetables.

I have never tracked/logged my fluid intake because I just know that I get enough. It's not some magic thing that helps weight loss, unless you're that rare person who drinks a glass of water and no longer feels like eating because the water filled you up. That's never worked for me!

yourenotmine

I don't even log water.

gingerjen7

For those of you interested in what actual health professionals think, try this: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

Of particular interest to this thread: "Everyone has heard the advice, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day." That's about 1.9 liters, which isn't that different from the Institute of Medicine recommendations. Although the "8 by 8" rule isn't supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it's easy to remember. Just keep in mind that the rule should be reframed as: "Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," because all fluids count toward the daily total. "

I've read that as well.

However, that doesn't mean I'm going to count any fluid as water just because it's fluid; it's not water. I'm not going to log a brownie as a can of tuna because it's not a can of tuna, so why would I log tea as water?

Because, unless you are making some weird brownie, there is no tuna in a brownie. There is water in tea.

And a lot of other stuff. Tea isn't water. Have you ever read the back of a box of Hamburger Helper that said "combine noodles, seasoning, ground beef, and tea"? No, because tea isn't water.

There's water in chocolate cake. Do you log chocolate cake as water?

I actually do not log water. I can tell if I am hydrated enough by the fact my pee is the right color. However, I stay hydrated enough due to the amount of milk I drink.

BTW: your post actually made no sense to me.

Which part confused you? That tea isn't water or that just because something has water in it doesn't mean that it's water?

The references to hamburger helper and chocolate cake. Of course you do not log chocolate cake as water as it has calories - but the water you use in it is hydrating. Tea has negligible calories so I do not see the analogy you are trying to make.

Well you talk about tea like it's the same thing as water which is why you would count it as water. You wouldn't substitute tea for water in a recipe, so it's not the same thing. Your argument is that you can count tea as water because there is water IN tea. There's water IN cake too, but you don't log that as water.

I was trying to help you see how ridiculous the notion that because something has water in it means you should log it as water is to me. Log however you want to, or don't log it at all. Makes no difference to me. I'm just pointing out that the justification for logging something NOT water as water just because it has water in it is silly in my opinion.

LilacSnow

I'm curious what types of drinks everyone counts toward the daily water intake. Flor myself, I count water (with or without crystal light, etc.), milk, coffee, tea and my powerade zeroes. I haven't been counting any of the occasional diet sodas or slim-fast type products I may drink.

Does anyone count anything additional or purposely exclude any of the above?

Thanks,
Mike

milk is considered a dairy, and is not meant to count towards your daily fluids (this from a nurse). i do count tea and coffee, and other water-based beverages that have no calories (ie diet nestea).

deborah0123

Just Water...I dont count anything unless it is water

gmallan

[/quote]

I was trying to help you see how ridiculous the notion that because something has water in it means you should log it as water is to me. Log however you want to, or don't log it at all. Makes no difference to me. I'm just pointing out that the justification for logging something NOT water as water just because it has water in it is silly in my opinion.
[/quote]

Well yes, obviously just because something has water in it doesn't mean it is water and should be logged as such. However if you consider the purpose of drinking 8 cups of water a day (a myth that we need this btw) which is primarily to hydrate (and all the positive effects that stem from this), herbal tea is composed primarily of water and drinking 8 cups of herbal tea would have practically the same effect as drinking 8 cups of water on your hydration level. This is why I log tea as water - it is mostly water and has zero calories.

Comparing that to chocolate cake, it's compostion is completely different. While it has some water in it, it is not primarily water and contains a large number of calories. If you were to eat enough chocolate cake to get 8 cups of water per day your calorie count would be astronomical.

That is the difference between logging herbal tea as water and logging food as water.

Sarauk2sf

For those of you interested in what actual health professionals think, try this: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

Of particular interest to this thread: "Everyone has heard the advice, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day." That's about 1.9 liters, which isn't that different from the Institute of Medicine recommendations. Although the "8 by 8" rule isn't supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it's easy to remember. Just keep in mind that the rule should be reframed as: "Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," because all fluids count toward the daily total. "

I've read that as well.

However, that doesn't mean I'm going to count any fluid as water just because it's fluid; it's not water. I'm not going to log a brownie as a can of tuna because it's not a can of tuna, so why would I log tea as water?

Because, unless you are making some weird brownie, there is no tuna in a brownie. There is water in tea.

And a lot of other stuff. Tea isn't water. Have you ever read the back of a box of Hamburger Helper that said "combine noodles, seasoning, ground beef, and tea"? No, because tea isn't water.

There's water in chocolate cake. Do you log chocolate cake as water?

I actually do not log water. I can tell if I am hydrated enough by the fact my pee is the right color. However, I stay hydrated enough due to the amount of milk I drink.

BTW: your post actually made no sense to me.

Which part confused you? That tea isn't water or that just because something has water in it doesn't mean that it's water?

The references to hamburger helper and chocolate cake. Of course you do not log chocolate cake as water as it has calories - but the water you use in it is hydrating. Tea has negligible calories so I do not see the analogy you are trying to make.

Well you talk about tea like it's the same thing as water which is why you would count it as water. You wouldn't substitute tea for water in a recipe, so it's not the same thing. Your argument is that you can count tea as water because there is water IN tea. There's water IN cake too, but you don't log that as water.

I was trying to help you see how ridiculous the notion that because something has water in it means you should log it as water is to me. Log however you want to, or don't log it at all. Makes no difference to me. I'm just pointing out that the justification for logging something NOT water as water just because it has water in it is silly in my opinion.

You are obviously missing the point that I was trying to make re hydration and tea counting towards that and I was obviously missing the point that you were making. I do not need your help in understanding hydration requirements or calorie counting but thank you very much for your concern that I would be clueless about those concepts.