What all do you count as WATER?

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Replies

  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    I don't count, but if I did, anything liquid. My stomach and small intestine can figure it out.

    lol soda =/= water

    Why lol out of interest? Are you saying that it does not hydrate you?

    there are conflicting opinions on whether it hydrates you as well as water due to caffeine, sodium, carbonation, etc - but regardless, his claim was that ANYTHING liquid can be considered water. that's straight ridiculous.

    so alcohol hydrates you now?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I don't count, but if I did, anything liquid. My stomach and small intestine can figure it out.

    lol soda =/= water

    Why lol out of interest? Are you saying that it does not hydrate you?

    there are conflicting opinions on whether it hydrates you as well as water due to caffeine, sodium, carbonation, etc - but regardless, his claim was that ANYTHING liquid can be considered water. that's straight ridiculous.

    so alcohol hydrates you now?

    Yes, alcohol does unless it is hard liquor. Although, I am not sure how you jumped from lolz soda to alcohol. And there are really no conflicting views from a scientific perspective. I already showed some studies, but will repeat and add more. I would do more research if I were you if you are claiming that the statement made is ridiculous. If you would like to point me to studies or even articles from a reputable source that says otherwise I would be glad to have a look.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283 - any beverage counts

    "beverages such as milk and juice are composed mostly of water. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages — such as coffee, tea or soda — can contribute"

    "What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake."


    http://www.jacn.org/content/22/2/165.short - flavored plain water counts

    "Inclusion of plain drinking water compared to exclusion of plain drinking water in the diet did not affect the markers of hydration used in this study."


    http://www.jacn.org/content/19/5/591.short - any beverage counts

    "This preliminary study found no significant differences in the effect of various combinations of beverages on hydration status of healthy adult males. Advising people to disregard caffeinated beverages as part of the daily fluid intake is not substantiated by the results of this study."


    http://bjsportmed.com/content/40/5/406.abstract - sports drinks can hydrate more than plain water in some situations

    "Ad libitum consumption of a CHO-E drink may be more effective than water in minimising fluid deficits and mean core temperature responses during tennis and other similar training in adolescent athletes."


    http://www.jacn.org/content/26/suppl_5/592S.short - food counts

    "Various reports indicate that humans receive 20–25% of their daily water intake from food. Fruits, vegetables and other high-moisture foods, therefore, make an important contribution to total fluid intake."


    http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/12834577 - the diuretic effect of caffeine is minimal

    "...nor does it cause significant dehydration or electrolyte imbalance during exercise."


    http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/12187618 - the diuretic effect of caffeine is minimal

    "The literature indicates that caffeine consumption stimulates a mild diuresis similar to water, but there is no evidence of a fluid-electrolyte imbalance that is detrimental to exercise performance or health"

    "Investigations comparing caffeine (100-680 mg) to water or placebo seldom found a statistical difference in urine volume."


    http://jap.physiology.org/content/83/4/1152.abstract? - interesting one about alcohol post exercise and recovery

    “There appears to be no difference in recovery from dehydration whether the rehydration beverage is alcohol free or contains up to 2% alcohol, but drinks containing 4% alcohol tend to delay the recovery process.”
  • Florawanda
    Florawanda Posts: 283 Member
    Portsmouth water out of the tap is great... it is spring water, filtered through the chalk of the South Downs!
    And I just count that...tea and coffee are separate!

    But it is not just for hydration.. I LOST nearly 3 stone before and during my final pregnancy, following a diet programme when we were living in Connecticut for 2 years, called 'Learn to be Thin'. One of the recommendations they got you to do was to have BEFORE every meal what they called a 'water helper' - to drink something, preferably water. Part of the reasoning was that it helped to fill your stomach and give you the feeling of fullness, so that you did not carry on eating when you had had enough food - as it takes at least 20 minutes for the signal from the stomach that it is full to reach your brain. So combined with eating more slowly, the water intake stopped you before you ate too much!

    I have several glasses of water on my desk, and sip from them at times when the laptop is being a bit slow!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I don't count, but if I did, anything liquid. My stomach and small intestine can figure it out.

    lol soda =/= water

    Why lol out of interest? Are you saying that it does not hydrate you?

    there are conflicting opinions on whether it hydrates you as well as water due to caffeine, sodium, carbonation, etc - but regardless, his claim was that ANYTHING liquid can be considered water. that's straight ridiculous.

    so alcohol hydrates you now?

    Even Beer is hydrating. High proof alcohol is the only beverage that isn't. Consider the many cultures predating today's society that lived on beer and wine because of a lack of safe drinking water without drying up and turning to dust.

    *note- not ANYTHING liquid. Honey and maple syrup are not hydrating, and not beverages, before we wander down that ridiculous path.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Wait, I'm confused. Is the question what is water or is the question what is hydrating? Because the answers are completely different
  • TheConsciousFoody
    TheConsciousFoody Posts: 607 Member
    I only count water as water
  • Rrrroxy777
    Rrrroxy777 Posts: 329
    Only Water, nothing added, pure, clear, water.
  • jennifersrosenberg
    jennifersrosenberg Posts: 8 Member
    I fill up a pitcher of water every AM and put in 1/4 cup lemon juice and a big TBS stevia and just leave it out, so it's not cold to drink. I make sure to drink the whole thing every day...this works well for me, and I drink "vitamin water zero" coffee and tea on top of that. I've read lemon water warm is good for weight loss.:wink:
    Jennifer
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
    I don't count, but if I did, anything liquid. My stomach and small intestine can figure it out.

    lol soda =/= water

    And what do you think soda is made out of? Wood?
  • angimac
    angimac Posts: 145 Member
    I count water as water... If I squeeze a lemon wedge in it, I count that as water... If I add flavoring packets, I don't count that as water, I count that as koolaid

    I have a place on my diary for Beverages other than water

    I used to track my water intake religiously... I don't track it as stringently now...
  • bettacheckyoself
    bettacheckyoself Posts: 570
    Coffee is a diuretic and thus should not be counted as water.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Coffee is a diuretic and thus should not be counted as water.

    Please read the posts above that cite actual science disproving this myth.
  • MsLilly200
    MsLilly200 Posts: 192 Member
    I count water as water.
    All other drinks are counted as calories.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Coffee is a diuretic and thus should not be counted as water.
    For the millionth time....No.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Coffee is a diuretic and thus should not be counted as water.

    WATER is a diuretic, so I guess that shouldn't be counted as water, either...
  • photognurse
    photognurse Posts: 27 Member
    it's kind of interesting reading this all. I am a nurse. Fluid is fluid really. We give patients IV bags with dextrose, vitamins and medicine and that is considered hydration. I can't say it's not fluid, just because there are things added to it. IV bags with medicine is considered hydration. I think HYDRATION would be the key. We even have to count fluid in tube feeding and when we give people meds mixed in water. It's a fluid.

    If I drink plain water vs water with crystal light in in, will there really be that big of a difference. I doubt it.

    Caffeine, which is in coffee, is the diuretic. It doesn't make coffee an less of a fluid/water/hydration. The point is that caffeine causes you to PEE which makes you less HYDRATED. You want to stay hydrated so that is why some choose to not include that has their water intake.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    it's kind of interesting reading this all. I am a nurse. Fluid is fluid really. We give patients IV bags with dextrose, vitamins and medicine and that is considered hydration. I can't say it's not fluid, just because there are things added to it. IV bags with medicine is considered hydration. I think HYDRATION would be the key. We even have to count fluid in tube feeding and when we give people meds mixed in water. It's a fluid.

    If I drink plain water vs water with crystal light in in, will there really be that big of a difference. I doubt it.

    Caffeine, which is in coffee, is the diuretic. It doesn't make coffee an less of a fluid/water/hydration. The point is that caffeine causes you to PEE which makes you less HYDRATED. You want to stay hydrated so that is why some choose to not include that has their water intake.

    Studies have been posted that show that the diuretic properties of caffeine are negligible. What does make you pee a lot is water.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    I have found no good evidence at all to suggest that adding anything to water stops it having the same benefits as water.
    You may still get some extra calories, stimulation or incredibly minor diuretic effects - but you'll have still had the benefit of a glass/mug of water.

    I don't bother tracking water consumed because I'm confident I get enough or more than enough of it.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    I count all the tea I drink as water on here and add the milk in as one lot in my 'snacks'

    I think I read an article in New Scientist years ago about how your body adapts to the caffiene levels in tea, but can't adapt to higher levels...ie pro-plus etc.
  • photognurse
    photognurse Posts: 27 Member
    Exactly.
    Doesn't mean it's a diuretic. I just hate the label of diuretic diuretic .... diuretic.
    Try taking about 40mg of Lasix twice a day, (a loop diuretic)
    Coffee ain't got nothing on that little white pill.
  • bunnabear
    bunnabear Posts: 36 Member
    Are you looking to strictly measure hydration or is your goal to increase water intake in the absence of additives, preservatives, and other "junk" found in other sources of liquid intake? Of course vegetables are up to 90% water and legumes are usually 75-80% when cooked, but that's not something you're going to measure. I choose to only count water, not because I'm misinformed about sources of hydration, but because it is a way for me to make sure I'm choosing a better source of hydration in terms of reducing artificial and/or high calorie additives. So the answer is, it all depends on what you are trying to accomplish: staying hydrated, clean diet, reduce artificial additives and preservatives, etc.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    I count water as water.
    All other drinks are counted as calories.

    :yawn:

    anything with water in it is water - k?
  • CurveAppeal86
    CurveAppeal86 Posts: 272 Member
    I only count water as my water intake.
    I drink 100+ ounces in a day so I don't have a problem with it.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    i guess what it comes down to, is do you count all your liquids as "water" AND log them as well? because obviously that's the important part given the caloric intake of most of these other beverages we're talking about.

    and yes, as long as you're peeing a pale yellow to clear, you're hydrated enough. that's a good point.
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    Wait, I'm confused. Is the question what is water or is the question what is hydrating? Because the answers are completely different
    Yes! As my previous post said, what you count depends on why you are counting.
    If you want to know how much water you drink, then count water. If you're trying to make sure you stay hydrated, you count other liquid as well. If you're trying to get in the habit of substituting low or no calorie drinks for more calorie dense drinks, then you would just count the low or no cal drinks.
    Don't know why the OP is counting.
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
    Water is water.
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    deleting duplicate
  • djshari
    djshari Posts: 513 Member
    I do count my iced tea as water since I drink it plain (I think sweet tea is an abomination). I mean I fill up a pitcher with water and add the teabags for 3 mins... does the water disappear? :p To be fair the only other thing I drink is coke zero and I do not count that but then again I rarely log water intake at all on this site anyway since I do not feel I am lacking.
  • kaseysospacey
    kaseysospacey Posts: 499 Member
    I don't count, but if I did, anything liquid. My stomach and small intestine can figure it out.

    lol soda =/= water

    Why lol out of interest? Are you saying that it does not hydrate you?

    there are conflicting opinions on whether it hydrates you as well as water due to caffeine, sodium, carbonation, etc - but regardless, his claim was that ANYTHING liquid can be considered water. that's straight ridiculous.

    so alcohol hydrates you now?

    Even Beer is hydrating. High proof alcohol is the only beverage that isn't. Consider the many cultures predating today's society that lived on beer and wine because of a lack of safe drinking water without drying up and turning to dust.

    *note- not ANYTHING liquid. Honey and maple syrup are not hydrating, and not beverages, before we wander down that ridiculous path.


    This is a perfect response, as ale pretty much saved England during the dark ages.

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