Drinking water vs. drinking tea

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Replies

  • blackcoffeeandcherrypie
    blackcoffeeandcherrypie Posts: 486 Member
    Water is water is water. Whether it's hot, cold, sweetened, has tea in it or coffee, water is water. The diuretic property of tea is largely a myth, you will use up just a few ml of water for each cup drunk, which in no way offsets the much larger amount of water contained in the drink. If tea and coffee used up more water than they contained, there would be people dying of dehydration everywhere! I never drink anything but tea and coffee and my hydration is just fine :-)
  • Alpina483
    Alpina483 Posts: 246 Member
    I'm on the fence about this. Caffeine levels in a couple of mugs of tea cannot be that high as to make the body lose water, but a lot of people and sources are saying the same thing, that tea/coffee is not same as water.

    Me, I was drinking lately a lot more tea than water and noticed a very unleasant effect on my digestive system (that happens when you cut fats severely and drink not enough water). I'm replacing tea with water with lemon starting today and wlll see about the effect. If things improve, I would have to agree that tea is tea and water and water.
  • Jaxta65
    Jaxta65 Posts: 53 Member
    Due to the level of caffeine and its diuretic effect, most teas cannot be used to replace water. For every cup of tea you should drink another cup of water to replace it's dehydrating effect. The only exceptions to this are decaf teas and white teas from the Fujian area. Their caffeine levels are low enough that the diuretic effect does not cause dehydration.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm

    Check this out, glad I found it because I love drinking tea
    You may have noticed from my diary that I never seem to drink anything, that's because I only drink black tea (that is tea with no milk) with no sugar, I also only drink decaf, so I've always been convinced its a good thing. I have a highlights chocolate at lunchtime at work, cos i need a chocolate fix :-). But other than that I actually love water, but it's difficult getting a drink at work...

    Brilliant article thanks for posting. I knew tea was good for you! :)
  • Jaxta65
    Jaxta65 Posts: 53 Member
    You can also look at the colour of your urine. If it is light coloured (straw) then you are hydrated. If its not, then you are dehydrated (simplisic but true)

    Yet more proof I am ok, and I always knew that too, my urine is virtually clear :-)
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    Do people drink tea without a sweetner in it....? I have to use Stevia in mine.
  • Nyranee
    Nyranee Posts: 57
    I count herbal tea and green tea like water and drink plenty of those over the day.

    Coffee and black tea as well as milk, juices and soda I list with the food.
    And I do not use any sweatener or Milk in tea.
  • kcragg
    kcragg Posts: 239 Member
    I drink mugs of green tea and peppermint tea all day - which is really a big mug of hot flavoured water. Yes, I consider it as part of my daily water intake.
  • ccburn5
    ccburn5 Posts: 473 Member
    Good to know! I drink a TON of water during the day and only tea with lime at lunch. Looks like I just upped my H2o intake!!
  • joann1948
    joann1948 Posts: 161 Member
    I use Crystalite to add to water. It helps get the water down.....:drinker:
  • rodneyderrick
    rodneyderrick Posts: 483 Member
    Personally, I say drink water most days during the week, and all other drinks like tea, soda pop, and juices sparingly. Some of the artificial sweeteners impede the body from feeling hydrated or people have a tendency to overhydrate with drinks that contain a scant amount of sodium and artificial flavoring. It's okay to have some tea, but don't use it as a water substitute. It's okay to have some soda pop, but don't use it as a water substitute.
  • kimiel51
    kimiel51 Posts: 299 Member
    Due to the level of caffeine and its diuretic effect, most teas cannot be used to replace water. For every cup of tea you should drink another cup of water to replace it's dehydrating effect. The only exceptions to this are decaf teas and white teas from the Fujian area. Their caffeine levels are low enough that the diuretic effect does not cause dehydration.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm

    Check this out, glad I found it because I love drinking tea

    Thanks for posting the great article! :flowerforyou:
  • TheDreadPirateRoberts
    TheDreadPirateRoberts Posts: 225 Member
    I'm on the fence about this. Caffeine levels in a couple of mugs of tea cannot be that high as to make the body lose water, but a lot of people and sources are saying the same thing, that tea/coffee is not same as water.

    Me, I was drinking lately a lot more tea than water and noticed a very unleasant effect on my digestive system (that happens when you cut fats severely and drink not enough water). I'm replacing tea with water with lemon starting today and wlll see about the effect. If things improve, I would have to agree that tea is tea and water and water.

    What people and sources are saying that tea and coffee are not the same as water? when it comes to considering if you have drunk your nominal 8 glasses of water, they do count towards it. It may be that your body doesnt like tea for some reason, but that doesnt. mean it doesnt count towards your liquid intake. You could for instance be drinking it with milk and be lactose intolerant.
  • Jaxta65
    Jaxta65 Posts: 53 Member
    I use Crystalite to add to water. It helps get the water down.....:drinker:
    What is crystalline? What do you mean helps get the water down?
  • 018980
    018980 Posts: 3 Member
    Tea can't really count towards your water intake because it is a diuretic and doesn't hydrate you the way water does. If you are getting tired of plain water you could try adding lemon or strawberries and cucumbers it will add a little bit of flavor that might make it more tolerable. Also get a big water bottle. I have one that is 1.5 liters and it helps me to see the water level go down. good luck!
  • Alpina483
    Alpina483 Posts: 246 Member
    * * * (where's that 'delete' button when you need it)
  • carmensofia1
    carmensofia1 Posts: 1
    Tea has caffeine, so one cup is not the same as acupuncture of water. My guess is about 1/2 cup or less because caffeinated products dehydrate instead if hydrate
  • blackcoffeeandcherrypie
    blackcoffeeandcherrypie Posts: 486 Member
    " The work in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition dispels the common belief that tea dehydrates."

    "Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers, UK nutritionists found. "

    "Dr Ruxton said: "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it.""

    She said it was an urban myth that tea is dehydrating.

    "Studies on caffeine have found very high doses dehydrate and everyone assumes that caffeine-containing beverages dehydrate. But even if you had a really, really strong cup of tea or coffee, which is quite hard to make, you would still have a net gain of fluid.

    "Also, a cup of tea contains fluoride, which is good for the teeth," she added.

    ""In terms of fluid intake, we recommend 1.5-2 litres per day and that can include tea. Tea is not dehydrating. It is a healthy drink." "

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm
  • TheDreadPirateRoberts
    TheDreadPirateRoberts Posts: 225 Member
    Tea can't really count towards your water intake because it is a diuretic and doesn't hydrate you the way water does. !

    Not true. Tea is a VERY mild diuretic, which does hydrate you because the diuretic effect is almost nil.
  • Jaxta65
    Jaxta65 Posts: 53 Member
    " The work in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition dispels the common belief that tea dehydrates."

    "Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers, UK nutritionists found. "

    "Dr Ruxton said: "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it.""

    She said it was an urban myth that tea is dehydrating.

    "Studies on caffeine have found very high doses dehydrate and everyone assumes that caffeine-containing beverages dehydrate. But even if you had a really, really strong cup of tea or coffee, which is quite hard to make, you would still have a net gain of fluid.

    "Also, a cup of tea contains fluoride, which is good for the teeth," she added.

    ""In terms of fluid intake, we recommend 1.5-2 litres per day and that can include tea. Tea is not dehydrating. It is a healthy drink." "

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm

    And I already posted that link.

    This thread is getting really tedious now, people are posting without reading.... Thats the same as talking without listening...
    How about answers to questions posted or doesnt anyone know the answer?!!!!!

    I could google it, but nicer to talk or so I thought..... Rant over....over and out :-)

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