Unsweetened Tea vs Water

thefotogrl

Hi!
so really my fave beverage is unsweetened ice tea with a slice of lemon...but I got in a terrible habit of drinking dr. pepper a few months ago...
you see dr. pepper is my "crack", one can and It's all over for me..

Obviously my lifestyle change has required that I drop the dp and so I have been drinking tea and water...probably about 1/2 my daily water goal is water and 1/2 is tea.

Will the caffeine effect my weightloss you think?
Decaff is not an option :-) but I am willing to drink
LESS if it is going to slow down my progress!

Thoughts & advice please!

melaniecheeks

What do you mean by "unsweetened ice tea", as that could be a number of things.

alysonw

Carry on as you are, pretty much all liquids apart from espresso, neat spirits and possibly wine give you a net hydration gain. I can't see that the caffeine will help your weight loss but it won't hinder it. As long as you're counting any calories in drinks, you're fine.

mhotch

Carry on as you are, pretty much all liquids apart from espresso, neat spirits and possibly wine give you a net hydration gain. I can't see that the caffeine will help your weight loss but it won't hinder it. As long as you're counting any calories in drinks, you're fine.

^^ This^^

citizencrp

My only suggestion is to try to work some herbal/decaf tea and water in towards the afternoons/evenings so that you're not still caffeinating yourself when you should be winding down.
You may not notice it, but the caffeine is affecting your sleep and good healthy sleep aids weight loss.

thefotogrl

Thanks!
I drink herbal tea with camomile around bedtime sometimes and it does help wind me down...also I typically have water only passed 5 pm. So glad I can keep drinking my unsweet tea, it makes me miss sodas so much less.

shadoewz

Plain tea, or tea with lemon isn't going to slow down weight loss. In my experience I still need to drink at least my 8 glasses of plain water in addition to the tea. Green tea is awesome for you as well.

boonognog

I think I sense some concern (although it hasn't been expressed in your opening post) about the potential diuretic properties in caffeine... I found this online, from MedicineNet.com:

Is caffeine a diuretic?

Caffeine has been considered a diuretic by experts and consumers for years. Some people believe that drinking caffeinated beverages will cause them to lose fluids so they can't be counted as part of their daily intake. Others say that caffeinated beverages do not increase fluid losses. The best way to flush out the truth is to examine the research.

Each day our body has a need for water. We lose water through respiration, skin, renal, and gastrointestinal tract losses. Our intake of water comes from liquids and foods. We need to maintain an adequate water balance for our bodies to function properly. Factors such as age, activity level, health, diet, and environment can affect our water balance.

Some research has shown that caffeine intake can also affect our fluid balance. In one study, 12 caffeine consumers were told to abstain from caffeine for five days and were then given 642 mg of caffeine in the form of coffee. Their urine output increased when given the caffeine. Another study done on eight men tested the effect of 45 mg, 90 mg, 180 mg, or 360 mg of caffeine on urine volume. An increase in urine volume was seen only at the 360 mg dose of caffeine. One limitation to these studies is that they did not evaluate the impact of caffeine when consumed on a regular basis. A onetime dose may affect the body differently than daily consumption.

Back in 1928, caffeine was shown to have no significant impact on urinary output. Subsequent studies have shown that caffeine-containing beverages did not impact urinary output any differently than other beverages. Based on this, the Institute of Medicine recommends that "unless additional evidence becomes available indicating cumulative total water deficits in individuals with habitual intakes of significant amounts of caffeine, caffeinated beverages appear to contribute to the daily total water intake similar to that contributed by noncaffeinated beverages."

This doesn't mean that caffeine does not increase your need to urinate. Your reaction can depend on the amount that you consume, the type of product, and your tolerance level. If you have urinary incontinence, you may experience a greater "urgency" to urinate after consuming a caffeinated beverage. You will need to monitor your reaction and tolerance to caffeine to determine how you are affected. Water is still the recommended choice for optimal hydration, so be sure to include it as part of your daily fluid consumption.

http://www.medicinenet.com/caffeine/page3.htm

DMW914

Have you ever heard of Zevia? It is an all natural soda sweetend w/stevia & erythritol which has no calories or sugar & they have a Dr. Ppr version. I was going to buy it last night but they where out of that particular flavor (not to mention it was on sale). If you can tolerate the after taste of a sugar free beverage then you may like Zevia's, it too has an aftertatse but non of the junk. If there's a Whole Food's, Fresh Market, Roots or other Health Food Grocer in your area you should try it! This is my alternative to soda.:drinker:

boonognog

Also from MedicineNet.com:


Does caffeine help with weight loss?

The weight-loss industry is estimated to be a $50 billion a year industry. Many people are looking for a way to get their piece of the money-making pie without a lot of credibility behind what they are promoting. The supplement industry is constantly promoting a new product to enhance weight loss by increasing satiety or burning fat. The claims are convincing, but the research backing many products is often lacking. To make matters worse, supplements often contain combinations of ingredients in the hopes of enhancing each one's effect without safety or efficacy tests. Caffeine is one of the ingredients now being included in many of the weight-loss supplements. It's added for its energy enhancement, appetite suppressant, and "fat-burning" properties.

The scientific evidence about caffeine as a weight-control agent is mixed. In a study done to monitor the impact of a green tea-caffeine combination on weight loss and maintenance, participants were divided into those who consume low levels of caffeine (<300 mg/day) and high-caffeine consumers (>300 mg/day). Weight loss was significantly higher in the high-caffeine consumption group, but weight maintenance was higher in the low-caffeine consumption group. The conclusion was that the caffeine was related to greater weight loss, higher thermogenesis, and fat oxidation, while the tea was responsible for the greater weight maintenance. Other studies have stated that caffeine actually contributes to weight gain by increasing stress hormones. It appears that caffeine's role in weight loss is as inconclusive as the efficacy of the majority of weight-loss supplements on the market.

JillP2

Omg you are my twin. I am (was) hooked on DP and now I am totally tea. I don't drink much water either. I have switched to decaf, unsweetened sun tea tho. I even had a holder in my jeep that held 3 Dr Peppers from the roll bar that kept them cool. lol. Now I will treat myself to one maybe once a month. It's all ice tea for me now, that is why I was wondering if it was ok to drink so much vs water, then I saw your post. I had to reply cause you reminded me of me. lol.

jdm_taco

drink and enjoy