Does only water count as water?

RunningTowardsFit · December 2012

Hi friends,
This may seem like a silly question, but do you only count water as water in your cup counting on the food diary? I have had 5 cups of pure water today and then 3 cups of powerade zero. Should I count this as water or just as another liquid?

Thanks for your input.

bms34b · December 2012

Everybody does this differently, but I think about it in terms of hydration. Caffeine is a diuretic, i.e. making you pee a lot and dehydrating, but some teas that are caffeine-free don't do this. I'd log the gatorade as water, but that's just me.

Mokey41 · December 2012

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/814368-water-intake-does-tea-count-and-coffee?hl=water

Pages and pages of people's thoughts on what is water and what isn't water. A whole days reading on the subject.

dayone987 · December 2012

Studies have shown that the diuretic effect is minimal. Your body can take the H2O in food and drink and use it for hydration.

NaomiJFoster · December 2012

Liquid is liquid is liquid. Even juicy fruits count as fluid intake. Soup counts. Milk counts. Coffee, tea, soda count (but don't make those your only source of fluids). Fruit, Fruit juices and Sports drinks count (and will actually help you retain more fluids because of the electrolytes).

amnsetie · December 2012

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/12/08/the-myth-behind-drinking-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/

all liquid counts to your "8 glasses"

gabbysabs · December 2012

Only water. Otherwise your body has to metabolize the other stuff you mix it with. Also, if you drink soda, you should add an oz of water for every oz of soda you drink. You can do it other ways, but you are only cheating yourself.

ScatteredThoughts · December 2012

Also, if you drink soda, you should add an oz of water for every oz of soda you drink.

Why would that be the case?

biddy249 · December 2012

I would not count sports drinks, carbonated beverages, tea, etc... toward your fluids, only pure water. I personally would stay away from all the above due to the sugar and empty calories they contain. When you drink pure water you have no hidden calories or additives to worry about.

AnvilHead · December 2012

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/814368-water-intake-does-tea-count-and-coffee?hl=water

Pages and pages of people's thoughts on what is water and what isn't water. A whole days reading on the subject.

...and this thread's already headed that direction. Much of the same misinformation and dogma.

OP - your body draws hydration from just about any liquid you drink, the moisture content of the food you eat, etc. It doesn't have a separate compartment labeled "pure water only", nor does adding other ingredients to water "magically" make the water disappear or change into something else. It's still water and it still hydrates you.

baptiste565 · December 2012

water is water(H20). anything that is not H2O is not water. water is a type of liquid. u dont need water to live u need liquid. ur body can break down most liquids and hydrate ur body. water is the best liquid for hydration.

jofjltncb6 · December 2012

I still don't understand the importance of logging water (except to make the virtual cup spill on the monitor).

ETA: That said, if I *was* logging water, I would log water as water. My body, however, may not make this same distinction.

twinketta · December 2012

Hi, it looks like you are new on here and I hope you get some constructive advice?

My opinion (and you can take it or leave it) it is just my opinion.

Water is in most of the foods you eat, but drinking fluids is much better.

Sometimes you can feel hungry, for me, mid morning going on lunch time and drinking some fluids helps (try to go sugar free, water is great)

Brunner26_2 · December 2012

water is water(H20). anything that is not H2O is not water. water is a type of liquid. u dont need water to live u need liquid. ur body can break down most liquids and hydrate ur body. water is the liquid for hydration.

Uh.... you need water to live. No other liquid hydrates you. Juices, coffee, and any other drink hydrate you because they're almost entirely water.

bridgelene · December 2012

Just make sure you drink enough that your pee is pale yellow, and you're fine.

(I generally only log water as water, but occasionally I add a propel zero packet to my water and will log it as water, but put the packet in as a snack. Like, maybe 2x/week.)

kazza2cats · December 2012

I add only pure water to the water cup and any other drinks to drinks.................Simples :drinker:

dsjohndrow · December 2012

The whole water thing is sort of crazy. First of all, lots of fruits and veggies have water - it's real water so it counts for something. Just because you mix something with water to make some sort of juice doesn't make the water turn into something else. Tea is a good example. Tonight I am drinking a pot of green tea with my Chinese meal; it's about 4 cups. I think it counts. This mor5njing I had 3 cups of coffee. Some say it's a diuretic and therefore is doesn't count. To each his own.