Does coffee count as a glass of water?

2

Replies

  • seansquared
    seansquared Posts: 328 Member
    My nutritionist says for each cup of coffee I drink, I need to drink an EXTRA cup of water (above my normal 8) to make up for it because it is a diuretic.

    Your nutritionist is wrong.

    mine says the same thing. They must have went to the same college :)

    They must have, because they are wrong.

    There are a number of bad nutrition certifications out there. You should check your nutritionist's credentials to ensure they are a board-certified clinical nutritionist - preferably with an M.D., PhD, or R.D.


    http://www.quackwatch.com/04ConsumerEducation/nutritionist.html
  • shelbyfrootcake
    shelbyfrootcake Posts: 965 Member
    I'd probably count it as half a glass. You are putting fluid into your body but the diuretic quality of the caffeine means you're not getting the full fluidy goodness from it that you would sans the caffeine.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    The water you use to make the water counts towards your fluid intake, so does the milk. The dehydration cause by coffee is insignificant.

    <snip>Although it's a great idea to keep water within reach at all times, you don't need to rely only on what you drink to meet your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake. For example, many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are 90 percent or more water by weight.

    In addition, 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, but these should not be a major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Water is still your best bet because it's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available. <snip>

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283/NSECTIONGROUP=2

    <snip>Researchers used to believe that caffeinated drinks had a diuretic effect. This means that you would urinate more after drinking them, which could increase your risk of becoming dehydrated. Recent research shows that this is not true and that caffeine has a diuretic effect only if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (the equivalent of 5 to 7 cups of coffee) a day. <snip>

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

    Also, there is evidence to suggest that if you drink more that 5 - 7 cups a day you are actually 'immune' to the mild diuretic effect (and other effects) of caffiene.
  • seansquared
    seansquared Posts: 328 Member
    Ok, so if all fluids are classed as part of our water intake then surely that follows to a glass of wine? ;)

    I'm loving this fitness thing!! :)

    The water in the wine is 100% OK.

    The problem is the alcohol.

    I know you're just being fresh, young lady :)

    ...but really, yes actually the water itself is great, the alcohol retards kidney and liver function which slows the processing of fats out of the system. Meaning slower weight loss.

    (the calories don't usually help, either!)
  • MissPatty584
    MissPatty584 Posts: 155 Member
    My nutritionist says for each cup of coffee I drink, I need to drink an EXTRA cup of water (above my normal 8) to make up for it because it is a diuretic.

    no

    so, you take WATER, and you run it through some ground up dried out beans to make it turn brown, and suddenly it isn't water anymore?!?!?! What kind of wizardry is this?

    it's still water. and the caffeine isn't going to make it less wet.


    this.
  • ATclassof2021
    ATclassof2021 Posts: 232 Member
    Beer = water..... I am going to have pizza and water/beer tonight after my run :-)
  • BSchoberg
    BSchoberg Posts: 712 Member
    The only thing I count as water is plain water.:wink:

    ^^^ - and I'm not pressed about my water intake. The "8 glasses per day" is a nice guideline and it will help make you feel fuller so can be helpful during the first couple of weeks of calorie cutting - but I don't sweat it much (haha). I chose water most of the time anyway - and when I feel thirsty, I will ONLY drink water - nothing else will do if I'm thirsty.
  • photorific
    photorific Posts: 577 Member
    8 oz of any fluid counts as fluid, simple as that. 8 oz of water, 8 oz of soda, 8 oz of juice, 8 oz of milk, 8 oz of beer, 8 oz of coffee, it's all fluid.

    8 oz of BEER counts??? :love: :drinker: :laugh:
  • Amyding115
    Amyding115 Posts: 120
    A friends nutritionist told her that if you drink coffee you have to cut it in half to count it. So if you drank 8 oz coffee you could log it as 4oz of water (due to diuretic effect)

    /\/\THIS!! I also follow this rule for tea/juice and other "non" water drinks.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    Coffee has calories (only like 5, but still) so I would count it on your diary as part of a meal or snack. Water is calorie free, so I count water consumption on my diary separately.

    Between all my beverages, I'm getting plenty of water. I try to drink extra water if I've gone substantially over on my sodium, but other than that, if I'm not thirsty, I don't worry about it.
  • PayneAS
    PayneAS Posts: 669 Member
    You are gonna get a zillion answers to this question. What it will break down to is what YOU decide. I personally don't count my coffee but many people will count anything they drink that has water in it. From what I've seen on these forums, the amount of caffeine you need to consume in order for it to be diuretic is an amount that one would not normally drink. What REALLY matters is what color your urine is. Is it clear or nearly so? Then you are hydrated enough. Yellow? Drink more.
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
    This argument rages on these message boards all the time. There is NO definitive answer here because everyone is different. Try drinking the 8 glasses and see how you feel. I resisted for a long time. In my case, I feel better when I drink more water than when I drank mostly coffee or diet Coke. Personally, I list water as water.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    If it's fluid count it. Coffee, tea, juices, fruits, vegetables etc etc all contain water and most people are able to get most of the fluids they need from these sources.

    If you exercise heavily (especially in hot humid conditions) you need to take in more fluids.

    Trust your thirst and the colour of your urine.
  • siriusalien
    siriusalien Posts: 207
    but really, yes actually the water itself is great, the alcohol retards kidney and liver function which slows the processing of fats out of the system. Meaning slower weight loss.

    (the calories don't usually help, either!)

    Damn that!!! Drat Drat Drat All this time I thought I had gone vegetarian with all the grapes, hops, barley and potatoe.....and the odd olive or lemmon ;-)
  • jaygreen55
    jaygreen55 Posts: 315 Member
    Yes it does. At least according to the Mayo clinic and other sources.

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

    In order for it to be dehydrating you need to either consume a lot of caffeine or to not be acclimated to it
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
    Oh it's that question again. I drink a significant amount of coffee daily (10 cups or more) so I have been interested in the answer to this particular query. After much research and reading it seems that newer studies have shown that the diuretic effect of caffeine in coffee is negligible. Not to say it doesn't exist at all but it would seem it's not enough to stress out about. From what I have been able to ascertain, having a negligible effect the water content would then be considered just that, water content. If you don't count it towards your desired water consumption it won't hurt you any. And if you do, it also won't hurt you any.

    However, the other health effects of coffee could be of concern to a person who consumes large quantities as I do.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    Coffee doesn't dehydrate you. It is made with water, it counts, its just not as good as drinking straight water.
  • whererwerunning
    whererwerunning Posts: 2
    yup: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    BINGO!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Why was this thread necromanced? And why was it necromanced with a link that was already posted quite a few times? Rhetorical question!
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    no...I do not consider coffee water and I do not count it, anything with caffeine I do not count as water.
  • MeeshyBW
    MeeshyBW Posts: 382 Member
    My view is if you we're to count the liquids you drink, people would always go on about having 8 cups of LIQUID per day - not water.

    Personally I don;t see how you can class anything but water, water.

    But then again some people think you can get 2 of your 5 a day from a processed tin of soup. :-/
  • AMS44067
    AMS44067 Posts: 49
    Right or wrong. My experience regarding diuretic: I drink 2 cups of coffee in the morning, and I can just tell that I can run to the bathroom for 2 hours every 30 minutes It is a diuretic.
    BUT: when I have my water, which usually a 24oz. container and drink it fairly qickly I run as much as I do when I drink coffee. So, in my opinion they are both diuretics.
    I drink a total of 4 cups coffee a day and can't get more than 48oz of water in. I am never really thirsty.

    I do not force myself to drink as much as they all say, i drink when I want or when I am thirsty.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    My view is if you we're to count the liquids you drink, people would always go on about having 8 cups of LIQUID per day - not water.

    Personally I don;t see how you can class anything but water, water.

    But then again some people think you can get 2 of your 5 a day from a processed tin of soup. :-/

    You can - read the rest of the thread - but as people cannot seem to understand this:

    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/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://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."
  • AMS44067
    AMS44067 Posts: 49
    http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/fnic/interactiveDRI/dri_results.php

    this link takes you to the USDA, and on the bottom of the interactive calculator it says clearly "total water intake includes all water contained in food, beverages and drinking water."

    I should rathjer say fluid intake instead, but when I look at my numbers, which says 2.7 litre (11 cups) per day, it sounds right.
  • MelanieGraceRD
    MelanieGraceRD Posts: 2
    I am a Registered Dietitian. Coffee is considered a diuretic. You should be drinking 1 cup of water for EVERY CUP OF COFFEE.
  • MelanieGraceRD
    MelanieGraceRD Posts: 2
    This is false. You should be drinking at least 8 cups of water a day. Your body does not know if it is thirsty if you have trained it to run on little water.
  • wantcandy
    wantcandy Posts: 4 Member
    my doctor says anything liquid counts as water
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    My nutritionist says for each cup of coffee I drink, I need to drink an EXTRA cup of water (above my normal 8) to make up for it because it is a diuretic.

    Get a new nutritionist. :noway:

    You have to drink 7 cups of coffee to get any actual diuretic effect. So yes, coffee counts toward your fluid needs. I wish the '8 glasses of water' would be changed to '8 glasses of fluids'. Because milk, juice, coffee, soda all count. The only think that wouldn't count is straight hard liquor.
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
    8 ounces of coffee counts as all the things!
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