What counts as water

135

Replies

  • BrookeRachelleH
    BrookeRachelleH Posts: 11
    I see that a lot of people disagree on this subject. I even tried to research it a little and there is still no clear answer.
    I, myself, only add to my water intake if I drink plain water. I also drink a lot of coffee but I log that as coffee...because that's what it is.
    I've always heard that caffiene dehydrates you so I always try to drink a glass of water with my coffee.
    Whether or not it does, depends on the person I guess. I feel that if I drink too much coffee I feel more dehydrated.
    I know that fruits and veggies provide a lot of water but I still log those as fruits and veggies.
    My fascination with water came on a day when I had a major hangover. I felt horrible. My body was so weak and tired, my head hurt and overall I just felt bad. And I was, of course, super thirsty.
    I've had hangovers before, and I was always really thirsty, but I always stuck to soft drinks and milk and juice. Well on this particular day, I went to the gas station and bought one of those huge bottles of Aquafina...and I chugged it.
    Afterwards, I felt soooo much better it was unbelievable.
    Ever since then, I have tried to replace my beverages with plain water.
    My theory is, all those other 'diet' drinks may not have calories in them, but they do have artificial sweeteners in them. And those are definitely NOT good for you.
    I think that unsweetened tea is good for you, but I would log it as tea...because that is what it is...
    I am going to stop rambling now...
  • gerimom17
    gerimom17 Posts: 24 Member
    Tea, Crystal Light, or any flavored water. Coffee, I guess. Not sodas though.
  • Ke11yJo
    Ke11yJo Posts: 141
    I count anything I drink that does not have caffine in it since caffine is a diuretic. (sp? LOL)
  • amysol
    amysol Posts: 83 Member
    Yeah I think water or carbonated water is all that counts for water. I mean you don't want to drink a gallon of nutra sweeted drinks every day. Those are my thoughts.

    Personally I use www.sodastream.com soda maker to carbonate my water, I don't add syrups. I like carbonated water AKA sparkling water better. It helps me drink 1 to 1.5 gallons a day easily.

    AMY :-)
  • gingbean
    gingbean Posts: 18 Member
    The only thing that counts as water is unsweetened herbal tea and water. Not coffee. Not soda. Not crystal light (fake sugars, stay far, far away!!). Just the UNsweetened herbal tea and water. Nothing else counts as water.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    The only thing that counts as water is unsweetened herbal tea and water. Not coffee. Not soda. Not crystal light (fake sugars, stay far, far away!!). Just the UNsweetened herbal tea and water. Nothing else counts as water.
    Why?
    Is the water magically changed to something else because it's mixed with something?
    Tap water and bottled water contain all kinds of chemicals too. Should we count them as water?
    I guess we're left with 100% pure distilled water.
    That's why my water counter always reads zero. :D
  • 1sisrat
    1sisrat Posts: 267 Member
    hot plain tea and water count a water for me. I drink green tea once a day, and love it.
  • Advaya
    Advaya Posts: 226 Member
    I count water, herbal teas and unsweetened tea as water. I don't drink coffee or sugar free drinks often, but when I do I count them as what they are rather than as water. Obviously anything with sugar I would never count as water. If I were tracking fluids then I'd just put them all together and count water alone. So....
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    I guess maybe I'm confused as to what people are saying here.
    When I say "count as water", I mean the counter a t the bottom of the recommended 8 glasses per day.
    Any drink can count towards that.
    If it has calories, you should book it as a calorie intake as well.
  • titi4j
    titi4j Posts: 97 Member
    I just finished reading a book about water. According to the book, for the health benefits of water (including weight loss), the only thing that counts as water is pure, clear water with nothing added. No tea, Crystal Light and etc. Those would not count as a glass of water. Some of those things actually have a dehydrating effect. My husband actually worries me because the only liquids he gets are coffee and Diet Mt. Dew. I'm trying to convert him, lol.
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    I personally count squash, decaf tea and coffee and herbal teas etc to my water count, but I also include the calories of those items too into my daily allowance. I admit I am a fan of having my water flavoured with something.
    If it contains caffeine then I don't include it.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    I just finished reading a book about water. According to the book, for the health benefits of water (including weight loss), the only thing that counts as water is pure, clear water with nothing added. No tea, Crystal Light and etc. Those would not count as a glass of water. Some of those things actually have a dehydrating effect. My husband actually worries me because the only liquids he gets are coffee and Diet Mt. Dew. I'm trying to convert him, lol.

    So you are drinking distilled water then? I wouldn't do that.
    Tap or bottled water has minerals (which we need) in it, so it is not pure.
    It is no different to diffuse some tea or even add sugar.
    It doesn't magically change from water and your stomach uptake won't be any different.
  • megleo818
    megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
    Water. Period.
  • cnelson1974
    cnelson1974 Posts: 235 Member
    I personally only count water as water, because then I'm too tempted to add sugary-type things or caffiene to my diet. :)
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    Water. Period.

    I give up.
  • DaisyHamilton
    DaisyHamilton Posts: 575 Member
    Nutritionists say tea, water, coffee (no sweeteners added to any) count as water.
    I personally only count water as water
  • FutureSkinnyMama03
    FutureSkinnyMama03 Posts: 250 Member
    It's rare that I actually track my water intake because I drink so much throughout the day. I'll usually log one of my drinks per meal & leave it at that. I do count unsweetened tea in the water area & it's rare for a glass not to be somewhere nearby when I'm home. It's where I get the largest portion of my daily water but I still drink atleast 4-5 glasses of plain water each day, too.
  • DaisyHamilton
    DaisyHamilton Posts: 575 Member
    Water is water. My Doctor said vitamin waters are a good source of vitamins and water. :)

    Your doctor needs to go back to med school, then. Vitamin waters are very bad for you, actually.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    Nutritionists say tea, water, coffee (no sweeteners added to any) count as water.
    I personally only count water as water

    BUT Crystal Light in water doesn't change the property of water. It's still water. Despite having crystal light in it.

    The first ingredient of soda is water.

    Without water there is no coffee.

    I'm not sure I understand why these things cease being water simply because they have additives in them that may or may not be healthy.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    Water is water. My Doctor said vitamin waters are a good source of vitamins and water. :)

    does your doctor secretly work for coca-cola?
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    Nutritionists say tea, water, coffee (no sweeteners added to any) count as water.
    I personally only count water as water

    BUT Crystal Light in water doesn't change the property of water. It's still water. Despite having crystal light in it.

    The first ingredient of soda is water.

    Without water there is no coffee.

    I'm not sure I understand why these things cease being water simply because they have additives in them that may or may not be healthy.
    They don't, but I give up.
    This site seems to be about as scientifically rigorous as an episode of Oprah.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    Nutritionists say tea, water, coffee (no sweeteners added to any) count as water.
    I personally only count water as water

    BUT Crystal Light in water doesn't change the property of water. It's still water. Despite having crystal light in it.

    The first ingredient of soda is water.

    Without water there is no coffee.

    I'm not sure I understand why these things cease being water simply because they have additives in them that may or may not be healthy.
    They don't, but I give up.
    This site seems to be about as scientifically rigorous as an episode of Oprah.

    you're not wrong.

    soda is water + acid + sugar + potassium + salt.

    water is supposed to hydrate you. you cant count diuretics as a source of water because they have THE OPPOSITE effect of drinking water.

    if you just drank diuretics your kidneys would drop out and you would dry up like a giant human grape.

    so if its not a diuretic then you may at least get the benefits from the water in it.

    this is a dumb question. JUST FRICKEN DRINK WATER.
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    When I drink a cup of tea I add 1 cup to my water count. Because it's water.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Water is water. My Doctor said vitamin waters are a good source of vitamins and water. :)

    Your doctor needs to go back to med school, then. Vitamin waters are very bad for you, actually.

    Where did you get your medical degree?
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member

    They don't, but I give up.
    This site seems to be about as scientifically rigorous as an episode of Oprah.

    :)
    About as inconsistent too.
  • jozettesummers
    jozettesummers Posts: 7
    I was at the dr today and he said that anything without caffeine counts as water. not sure if that helps but that is what my dr said.
  • pawoodhull
    pawoodhull Posts: 1,759 Member
    Acording to the dietician I see, coffee and tea count as water, but are to be consumed in limited quantites, such as one or 2 cups per day. Water with chrystal light is fine. Personally I drink plain water during the day and a flavored, zero calorie, zero sodium sparkling water in the evening. So I count my coffee, but again, don't drink a ton of it.
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,271 Member
    water is water...if its black tea then that's black tea.... If its coffee I call that coffee. If its milk I call that Milk. Captain Morgan I call that my little secret. DONT JUDGE
  • felice03
    felice03 Posts: 2,644 Member
    the ocean...the ocean counts as water.
  • dschafer34
    dschafer34 Posts: 4
    I dont know why its such an issue. If it is made of mostly water, and does not contain a diuretic (caffein, alcohol, etc) then it is water. The way a lot of people look it it, if you take 12 oz of water, add a crystal lite packet to it, it is no longer water, and the 12oz doesnt count to your total. But with their same logic, if you drink 12 oz water, then eat a crystal lite packet, then magically that water counts as water. *facepalm*

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