Water intake, Does Tea count and Coffee???

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Replies

  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
    Lol, wrong again. Yes, I'm in college chemistry. It is actually a chemical reaction because it relies on the chemical properties of water and of the substances in the tea leaf. These substances-tannins, caffeine, and many others-dissolve in the hot water. The heat accelerates the reaction, but it is not a physical change. (Try steeping a tea bag in cold water-eventually you will get tea, although it will taste a bit different, probably because heat affects the dissolution of the various substances at different rates.) It's a chemical reaction therefore it does change the molecular properties of the water. Don't you just love how people try to sound smart, when they have no clue what they are talking about?
    Just adding a tea bag to water, will of course not change the molecular structure of water, boiling the water while making tea will. The six catechin-derived polyphenols in tea leaves (C, EC, ECG, GC, EGC, and EGCG) are oxidized by the enzyme PPO (The firing of the leaves heats the enzymes to their peak activity rate). The catechins first form intermediate compounds called orthoquinones that are very unstable and reactive.The orthoquinones then combine in pairs in a series of condensation reactions. They can function as either hydrogen acceptors or hydrogen donors. The combinations can happen through C-O or C-C bonds. The compounds formed are called theaflavins (TF), which are larger molecules and are unique in chemistry. The catechins react in pairs to form six theaflavins. Some theaflavins are brighter and brisker than others showing that the quality of the tea depends not just on the polyphenol count, but the compostion of the catechins and the availability of PPO. The TFs are unstable and further oxidize through the action of PO. They then form thearubigins (TR). TRs are much larger and more complex. Their chemical structure is yet unknown . The compounds though, have a high complexation affinity with metals like Al and Mn, and alkaloids like caffeine. Thearubigins are largely responsible for the flavor, aroma, and color of the liqueur; some make it brighter and brisker, others dull.

    Notice such words as "oxidation," "hydrogen acceptors," and "hydrogen donors." All indicate a chemical reaction between the tea and water. To simplify this, if it was a "physical" reaction, you could draw the tea out of the water by reverse osmosis like you could get the salt, sugar, or even lemon juice out of water.

    You should show these posts to your prof and post his reaction for us to see.
  • firefly171717
    firefly171717 Posts: 226 Member
    You're shortchanging your body if you count tea and other garbage as water. WATER counts as water. Nothing else.

    YES! For anything with caffeine (SO TEA, POP, COFFEE, and whatever else) a drink a cup of water to cancel it out, caffeine dehydrates you-so say I drank two cups of water and one coffee-that counts as one cup of water
  • firefly171717
    firefly171717 Posts: 226 Member
    I like crystal light flavoring, but hate that according to folks here I can't count it as water.

    Now, I just eat the flavoring out of the packet, and count the glass of water I drink right after.

    Problem solved.:laugh:

    LOL!

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    If you want to get really technical, Chemistry wise, water can only equal water. Tea has over 2,000 chemical compounds in it. So, by adding tea to your water, you are changing the chemical make-up of the water thus making it no longer water but tea.

    So, tea is NOT water.

    Note: (added) MFP doesn't ask for "liquids", it asks for "Water".

    But the water in which you brew the tea does not cease to be water when you add tea, on a molecular level. So, while the tea is not water, the water it's in is still water.
    Lol, wrong again. Yes, I'm in college chemistry. It is actually a chemical reaction because it relies on the chemical properties of water and of the substances in the tea leaf. These substances-tannins, caffeine, and many others-dissolve in the hot water. The heat accelerates the reaction, but it is not a physical change. (Try steeping a tea bag in cold water-eventually you will get tea, although it will taste a bit different, probably because heat affects the dissolution of the various substances at different rates.) It's a chemical reaction therefore it does change the molecular properties of the water. Don't you just love how people try to sound smart, when they have no clue what they are talking about?

    I weep for our future.
    No kidding... :huh:
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    I count caffeine free and decaf. Just consider water prime goal.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    Lol, wrong again. Yes, I'm in college chemistry. It is actually a chemical reaction because it relies on the chemical properties of water and of the substances in the tea leaf. These substances-tannins, caffeine, and many others-dissolve in the hot water. The heat accelerates the reaction, but it is not a physical change. (Try steeping a tea bag in cold water-eventually you will get tea, although it will taste a bit different, probably because heat affects the dissolution of the various substances at different rates.) It's a chemical reaction therefore it does change the molecular properties of the water. Don't you just love how people try to sound smart, when they have no clue what they are talking about?
    Just adding a tea bag to water, will of course not change the molecular structure of water, boiling the water while making tea will. The six catechin-derived polyphenols in tea leaves (C, EC, ECG, GC, EGC, and EGCG) are oxidized by the enzyme PPO (The firing of the leaves heats the enzymes to their peak activity rate). The catechins first form intermediate compounds called orthoquinones that are very unstable and reactive.The orthoquinones then combine in pairs in a series of condensation reactions. They can function as either hydrogen acceptors or hydrogen donors. The combinations can happen through C-O or C-C bonds. The compounds formed are called theaflavins (TF), which are larger molecules and are unique in chemistry. The catechins react in pairs to form six theaflavins. Some theaflavins are brighter and brisker than others showing that the quality of the tea depends not just on the polyphenol count, but the compostion of the catechins and the availability of PPO. The TFs are unstable and further oxidize through the action of PO. They then form thearubigins (TR). TRs are much larger and more complex. Their chemical structure is yet unknown . The compounds though, have a high complexation affinity with metals like Al and Mn, and alkaloids like caffeine. Thearubigins are largely responsible for the flavor, aroma, and color of the liqueur; some make it brighter and brisker, others dull.

    Notice such words as "oxidation," "hydrogen acceptors," and "hydrogen donors." All indicate a chemical reaction between the tea and water. To simplify this, if it was a "physical" reaction, you could draw the tea out of the water by reverse osmosis like you could get the salt, sugar, or even lemon juice out of water.

    You should show these posts to your prof and post his reaction for us to see.
    Yes please.
    A little knowledge is a dangerous thing...
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    Well, the only problem I would see with logging it as water is if it had caffeine... The caffeine has a diuretic effect & will essentially all the water you drank out in your pee lol... So it kind of negates itself. If its decaf, I don't think it would be an issue.

    Just eat the tea bag and log your glass of hot water.. problem solved..
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,970 Member
    Think about this logically: Adding tea (or any flavoring) to water does not change the water into anything else.

    Many people choose not to count those things, but their bodies still recognize the water.

    And LMAO at classifying tea as "garbage."
    THIS. If you drank a pot of coffee then in half an hour had to go pee, where the hell do you think that excess water came from?


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  • LINIA
    LINIA Posts: 1,159 Member
    :smile: :smile: :smile: This is ALWAYS a hot topic in our house, my DH says all of the drinks with water and no sugar (coffee, tea) count as water.
    I am not buying it!!!

    He is the science, chemistry major but my skin and body react very differently to plain water than to tea/coffee.

    since we have had so many different answers here, i really believe ppl are trying to convince themselves that they can "avoid" drinking plain water.....only WATER is water....FUN, FUN, topic though! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • Madholm
    Madholm Posts: 167
    Is caffiene a diuretic? Yes.

    Has it been proven you can live on tea, coffee, soda with no water intake at all? Yes.

    Is arguing over how someone chooses to track their water itake stupid? Yes.
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    not if it has caffeine,caffeine dehydrates you
  • pianolover2012
    pianolover2012 Posts: 168 Member
    i think tea & coffee work as dehydrants.

    My doctor told me that anything with Caffeine in it dehydrates you so in this case, that would be correct. Tea and coffee (caffenated) will dehydrate you.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    I love these threads - the stupid is vast and the ignore button my friend.
    It lets me filter out some of the noise.

    One college chemistry student gone. One.

    Tea, coffee, tomatoes, lemonade, cola, gelatin, soup ... It all hydrates and your kidneys do a pretty good job in filtering. There is no special distilled water compartment in the body.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    :smile: :smile: :smile: This is ALWAYS a hot topic in our house, my DH says all of the drinks with water and no sugar (coffee, tea) count as water.
    I am not buying it!!!

    He is the science, chemistry major but my skin and body react very differently to plain water than to tea/coffee.

    since we have had so many different answers here, i really believe ppl are trying to convince themselves that they can "avoid" drinking plain water.....only WATER is water....FUN, FUN, topic though! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    I have a 20-ounce cup of water on my desk at all times and typically drink three of those a day. I still consider tea, coffee, soda, etc., "water" for the purpose of hydration.

    And I pretty much never drink soda and have never had more than a sip of coffee in my life.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    i think tea & coffee work as dehydrants.

    My doctor told me that anything with Caffeine in it dehydrates you so in this case, that would be correct. Tea and coffee (caffenated) will dehydrate you.

    Your doctor is wrong.
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    The real question is why over think something like this?

    Drink enough so your not dehydrated...DONE
  • Katiemarie4488
    Katiemarie4488 Posts: 242 Member
    I don't usually count my coffee as water, but I don't see any reason why you can't count tea, provided you don't add anything to it.

    I can see a reason.... ITS NOT WATER
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Is caffiene a diuretic? Yes.

    Has it been proven you can live on tea, coffee, soda with no water intake at all? Yes.

    Is arguing over how someone chooses to track their water itake stupid? Yes.

    I don't care how others choose to log it. Where I have a problem is when those people who think "only water is water" insist that everyone log exactly the way they do. Someone asked a genuine question and deserves a genuine, true answer based on science.

    If you don't want to log anything but water as water, don't. But don't tell me I'm wrong if I do.
  • Katiemarie4488
    Katiemarie4488 Posts: 242 Member
    Is caffiene a diuretic? Yes.

    Has it been proven you can live on tea, coffee, soda with no water intake at all? Yes.

    Is arguing over how someone chooses to track their water itake stupid? Yes.

    ...and this lol
  • I don't count either, simply because of the differences between straight water and coffee/tea. Tea has carbs, coffee has carbs, and iff you add milk or sweetener, then there are calories and fats and protein. As long as you have tea that is, nurtitionally, the same as water, then log it as water.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    i think tea & coffee work as dehydrants.

    My doctor told me that anything with Caffeine in it dehydrates you so in this case, that would be correct. Tea and coffee (caffenated) will dehydrate you.

    You doctor needs an upgrade. "dehydrants" are salts that adsorb water from the air. At most, caffeine is a slight diuretic at large concentrations because the body needs more water to filter it out but only realistically at 5+ cus per day. Repeat: slight diuretic.

    Fr a period of a month I only drank tea since I was traveling in an area that did not ever provide simple water. I was fine, how is that?
  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
    No no no no no!

    Water is water from a tap or a bottle that says "WATER"

    nothing else!
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    If this thread had taught me anything, it's that people don't know how to read...or click links.

    Post a link to the most current research from the Mayo clinic or pubmed...it just gets ignored and people continue with their uninformed guessing.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21450118

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

    This link has been posted about 5 times in this thread...
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    If you want to get really technical, Chemistry wise, water can only equal water. Tea has over 2,000 chemical compounds in it. So, by adding tea to your water, you are changing the chemical make-up of the water thus making it no longer water but tea.

    So, tea is NOT water.

    Note: (added) MFP doesn't ask for "liquids", it asks for "Water".

    But the water in which you brew the tea does not cease to be water when you add tea, on a molecular level. So, while the tea is not water, the water it's in is still water.
    Lol, wrong again. Yes, I'm in college chemistry. It is actually a chemical reaction because it relies on the chemical properties of water and of the substances in the tea leaf. These substances-tannins, caffeine, and many others-dissolve in the hot water. The heat accelerates the reaction, but it is not a physical change. (Try steeping a tea bag in cold water-eventually you will get tea, although it will taste a bit different, probably because heat affects the dissolution of the various substances at different rates.) It's a chemical reaction therefore it does change the molecular properties of the water. Don't you just love how people try to sound smart, when they have no clue what they are talking about?

    I took Honors Calculus in college. Do you know what I'm really bad at? Math.

    Just because you "took" something, it doesn't mean you've necessarily learned something.

    Which is horrifyingly apparent.

    (Really. You used the word dissolve in your post. How are you missing the crucial connection to chemistry here.)
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    The real question is why over think something like this?

    Drink enough so your not dehydrated...DONE

    x2
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    If this thread had taught me anything, it's that people don't know how to read...or click links.

    Post a link to the most current research from the Mayo clinic or pubmed...it just gets ignored and people continue with their uninformed guessing.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21450118

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

    This link has been posted about 5 times in this thread...

    I posted both a link AND the copied text from the site and it's been ignored.
  • Oneday150
    Oneday150 Posts: 240 Member
    :blushing: :blushing: :blushing: Who knew this would become such a hot topic.... It even made the recent forums. I am going to be famous :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    :smile: :smile: :smile: This is ALWAYS a hot topic in our house, my DH says all of the drinks with water and no sugar (coffee, tea) count as water.
    I am not buying it!!!

    He is the science, chemistry major but my skin and body react very differently to plain water than to tea/coffee.

    since we have had so many different answers here, i really believe ppl are trying to convince themselves that they can "avoid" drinking plain water.....only WATER is water....FUN, FUN, topic though! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    ...So you're ignoring what your scientist husband is saying and coming to your own conclusions? :sick:
  • IntoTheSky
    IntoTheSky Posts: 390 Member
    I don't usually count my coffee as water, but I don't see any reason why you can't count tea, provided you don't add anything to it.

    I can see a reason.... ITS NOT WATER

    If, it is not, in fact, water.......... What liquid agent do YOU use when you brew YOUR tea? I fill a 2 quart container half full with water, then, I put another quart of water on the stove. Then, I add one teabag and bring the WATER to a near boil, and let it steep for about 15 minutes. I then pour the water and tea mixture into more water and stir. If I didn't use water, I would just be sucking on a teabag, and that sounds like no fun at all. I will continue to use water. But, to recap..... Tea......... is a teabag with lots of water............. If you choose to not count it, cool, whatever, but, just because you CHOOSE to not log it as water, does not change the fact that it is water based, and as everything that you put in your mouth-hole and swallow goes to your stomach, my body probably thinks that I had chicken flavored water, since I chewed chicken and took a sip of water before swallowing. How is THAT any different than adding a teabag?
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    I took Honors Calculus in college. Do you know what I'm really bad at? Math.

    Just because you "took" something, it doesn't mean you've necessarily learned something.

    Which is horrifyingly apparent.

    (Really. You used the word dissolve in your post. How are you missing the crucial connection to chemistry here.)

    :heart: :drinker:
This discussion has been closed.