Water intake, Does Tea count and Coffee???

1…567911

Replies

  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    "Only water is water" - Everyone who doesn't have an elementary-school-level understanding of chemistry.

    If you had any understanding of chemistry and/or nutrition you would know that tea and coffee are 99 percent + water and that any fluids you consume (including the water content of food you eat) work towards hydrating your body
    Which is exactly what the quote you are quoting implies. :laugh:
    I had to read it twice too...
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Coffee dehydrates your body! Only tea and water should be recorded.

    Do you know how much caffeine is needed to dehydrate you?

    Not in several cups of tea or coffee.

    Plus, many teas have more caffeine than coffee.
  • StaceyJ2008
    StaceyJ2008 Posts: 411 Member
    tea and coffee count if tea is unsweetened and coffee is black. Also if you add crystal light to your water it also counts
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    tea and coffee count if tea is unsweetened and coffee is black. Also if you add crystal light to your water it also counts

    does adding a packet of stevia to the tea destroy the water?
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    tea and coffee count if tea is unsweetened and coffee is black. Also if you add crystal light to your water it also counts

    does adding a packet of stevia to the tea destroy the water?

    Stevia is probably OK since it's all natural. Sugar or honey, on the other hand, turn the tea and coffee into raging balls of death and you should avoid that. So then they don't count as water anymore.
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    tea and coffee count if tea is unsweetened and coffee is black. Also if you add crystal light to your water it also counts

    does adding a packet of stevia to the tea destroy the water?

    Stevia is probably OK since it's all natural. Sugar or honey, on the other hand, turn the tea and coffee into raging balls of death and you should avoid that. So then they don't count as water anymore.

    Wise words, she speaks...
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    tea and coffee count if tea is unsweetened and coffee is black. Also if you add crystal light to your water it also counts

    does adding a packet of stevia to the tea destroy the water?

    Stevia is probably OK since it's all natural. Sugar or honey, on the other hand, turn the tea and coffee into raging balls of death and you should avoid that. So then they don't count as water anymore.

    Wise words, she speaks...

    yes...raging balls of death should be avoided whenever possible. they cause something bad.....like....death
  • zozie73
    zozie73 Posts: 26
    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.


    As Briko has said the research quoted above is not orginal and comes from angelfire (a quick search on google gave me that), the same way as I often check students work for plagarism!!
    But whilst not on expert on tea I am a science teacher and can reassure everyone that dissolving as you quote in your orginal statement is in fact a physical process and you can get the original materials back.
    As for tea - can't stand the stuff
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    tea and coffee count if tea is unsweetened and coffee is black. Also if you add crystal light to your water it also counts
    Cream, sugar, etc don't magically make the coffee or tea "unusable". You just have to make sure you remember to also count the calories. Same thing for gatorade, fruit juices, milk, etc.
  • honeyallen
    honeyallen Posts: 13
    water intake for a normal human being should be at least 6 liters per day. Even in the cold season catching up, once should not lessen there water intake as they are necessary for eviction of toxins and wastes from the body. So keep up with that fluid consumption.
  • maryjaquiss
    maryjaquiss Posts: 307 Member
    This thread is awesome. Also, do not drink 6 litres of water a day because you will spend all day weeing.
  • buckleten
    buckleten Posts: 205 Member
    I am really enjoying this thread...with a big cup of tea!!
  • teller36
    teller36 Posts: 17
    I count my coffee as water intake as I also have to count the creamer I put in it.
  • earlyxer
    earlyxer Posts: 240 Member
    Don't be silly - you're supposed to drink water for HYDRATION. Black tea and coffee contain significant amounts of caffeine, which is a diuretic and results in DEHYDRATION. Want to push this to extremes? Vodka is 60% water - want to count that too?

    So, does coffee count as water? Only decaf. Same is true for tea, even green tea. Only herbal tea is caffeine free (as opposed to decaffeinated).

    Sheesh.
  • MorbidMander
    MorbidMander Posts: 349 Member
    Last time I checked tea and coffee have calories, so they have to be counted. But I very, very rarely drink either, so I don't have that issue. I'm becoming rather content with just having my water. =)
  • LittleBallofFurr
    LittleBallofFurr Posts: 242 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."
    Yes. I've given up trying to convince people of this obvious fact. The logically challenged will still spout their nonsense.

    this *eyeroll*
  • MrMeowGi
    MrMeowGi Posts: 171
    Um , I drink 2-3 litres of water a day + 2 cups of coffee . Best of both worlds? Y U Mad bro?
  • d_Mode
    d_Mode Posts: 880 Member
    COUNT IT as water if you want...DON'T COUNT IT as water if you don't want...jeeeez... it's that simple.
    This is like the chicken or the egg...which came first. Who cares...

    There is no right or wrong answer! Just do what you want on your diary!
  • davery1985
    davery1985 Posts: 142 Member
    I dont drink coffee, but i have fruit tea and normal tea every other day and i count all of them as water. Dont listen to people saying its garbage drinking tea or coffee. :smile:
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    water intake for a normal human being should be at least 6 liters per day. Even in the cold season catching up, once should not lessen there water intake as they are necessary for eviction of toxins and wastes from the body. So keep up with that fluid consumption.

    it is even better to not put toxins in your body in the first place then you don't have to evict them later
  • Lyra89
    Lyra89 Posts: 674 Member
    How have I only just seen this thread? Hilarious! :laugh:

    My two cents: nothing beats plain old water, but if you were stranded in a desert dying of thirst and somebody offered you a nice cup of tea...it would save your life.

    :bigsmile:
  • skypie02
    skypie02 Posts: 15
    Tea and coffee are both considered diuretics. But only considered harmful diuretics if you consume more than 4 to 6 cups a day. I always heard of a good idea to figure out how much water you should be drinking is to divide your weight by 2. For instance I weigh 151 pounds so I need to consume at least 77 ounces of water or so not including the other liquids as in powerade zero that i drink. If you are working out and drinking mostly tea which is caffinated and a diuretic and not consuming the required water intake you will get dehydrated during your workout which can cause fatigue or dizzyness etc. I find for myself I can drink more water if I have the temperature at room temp because I have very sensitive teeth and they do not like the cold water! Also, I find if I carry 2 one liter bottles of water in my backpack while I am at school, I drink them, if I dont have them bought or dont pack them I dont drink alot of water. Making it available is what helps me the most and I even get compliments on how great my skin looks because it is nice and hydrated and I do sweat ALOT when i work out I always have!

    This website was also very helpful in clarifying some your basic question of what counts as water intake or fluid intake! Good luck!

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283


    And some tips for creative ways to keep up your fluid intake during the winter months ;)

    http://www.watercoolersdirect.com/blog/drinking-water-in-winter/

    Hope this helps! Good luck!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    water intake for a normal human being should be at least 6 liters per day.

    that is about 24 8 oz cups.

    that is three times what MFP says we need.

    who is right? ...you..or MFP...or neither?
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    water intake for a normal human being should be at least 6 liters per day.

    That sounds like a perfect recipe for triggering hyponatremia particularly if you are trying to restrict salt or sugar heavily as is so common nowadays.

    It's really simple: if your urine is very dark increase fluid intake, if it is very light then decrease it.

    Good lord.
  • RoybieOfTheRovers
    RoybieOfTheRovers Posts: 39 Member
    Its not just 8 glasses of water, its 8 glasses of any liquid.

    So yes coffee and tea do count. Although I do not encourage you to replace coffee and tea for your water, unless you mean green tea :-)

    Even vodka? :drinker:

    Yes I think Vodka would count. However chemically a glass of Vodka would contain aproximately 40% alcohol. Therefore you would have to drink 11.2 glasses of Vodka to get the same equivilent of water. You would then have the added complication of the alcohol to deal with such as puking, requiring late night greasy food and the calories in the alcohol itself. By which time you would be too pissed to calculate your correct calorie consumption ect, ect ect.........
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    water intake for a normal human being should be at least 6 liters per day. Even in the cold season catching up, once should not lessen there water intake as they are necessary for eviction of toxins and wastes from the body. So keep up with that fluid consumption.

    it is even better to not put toxins in your body in the first place then you don't have to evict them later

    Especially since taking them to court when they refuse to leave is so time-consuming.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Tea and coffee are both considered diuretics.

    No. Read the rest of the thread with actual links to actual medical advice from places like, oh, the MAYO CLINIC that do not support this statement.
    The reccommended water intake a day is 8, 8 ounce glasses a day that is not supposed to include other liquids that you consume.

    Please show me your source for this statement.
  • coffee_rocks
    coffee_rocks Posts: 275 Member
    Just finished my 2nd coffee of the day. I'm 24oz into my goals already!
  • GoMizzou99
    GoMizzou99 Posts: 512 Member
    Which counts as water...

    Soda - any kind
    or
    Cool, clear, healthy, satisfying, water while eating a pack of gummi bears

    I rest my case.
  • Elma1975
    Elma1975 Posts: 58
    Tea is practicly water as long as you don´t add milk to it.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories