tea as water?

sevanswood
sevanswood Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Does Iced tea (unsweetened) and sugar-free drink mix (ala Crystal Light) count towards your daily water goal/total?

Replies

  • nekoface
    nekoface Posts: 149 Member
    I have unsweetened regular tea and count it towards my daily water goal.
  • liya368
    liya368 Posts: 122 Member
    I don't count it; especially if it has caffeine. I don't know if it really makes a difference.
  • davecountrybear
    davecountrybear Posts: 1
    I count tea as water but if I have 2 glasses of tea, I only count it as 1 water on my tracking because of the caffeine. If it is decaffeinated, then I'll count it regular.
  • sterphy
    sterphy Posts: 68 Member
    This is an interesting question...hoping to hear more responses, I've never considered it before.
  • lindaw66
    lindaw66 Posts: 258 Member
    I make sure that I get in my eight, 8 oz glasses of water first and any thing I drink after that is just bonus and I drink green tea in the morning. I have a jug I bought at walmart that is a 2.2L and once I'm done with that I know I've had my minimum of water intake any thing after that is bonus!:drinker:
  • jjrichard83
    jjrichard83 Posts: 483 Member
    I have a big 2 L jug of water with 1/2 squeezed lemon and 10ml of liquid chlorophyll. Tea, I count it as my water (but then again, I don't really track it b/c I know Im getting enough)
  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 Posts: 3,189 Member
    I don't count it; especially if it has caffeine. I don't know if it really makes a difference.
    The caffeine doesn't make one little tiny bit of a difference
  • jjrichard83
    jjrichard83 Posts: 483 Member
    I don't count it; especially if it has caffeine. I don't know if it really makes a difference.
    The caffeine doesn't make one little tiny bit of a difference

    Only 98% of the medical and news sites I saw about this confirm it... Heck, they even go a step further and suggest that ANY caffeinated drink will not dehydrate you.

    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.

    the only downfall - it could possibly limit your absorption of Iron.
  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 Posts: 3,189 Member
    I don't count it; especially if it has caffeine. I don't know if it really makes a difference.
    The caffeine doesn't make one little tiny bit of a difference

    Only 98% of the medical and news sites I saw about this confirm it... Heck, they even go a step further and suggest that ANY caffeinated drink will not dehydrate you.

    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.

    the only downfall - it could possibly limit your absorption of Iron.

    Yes. very high dosages not the amounts that a normal person consumes.

    http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/drinking-enough-water-topic-overview

    An extract from that article:
    Do you have to drink only water to stay hydrated?
    All liquids help you stay hydrated. Water is usually the best choice, because it’s free (if you’re drinking tap water) and has no sugar or calories. But most healthy people can get enough fluid through the beverages they consume every day. These can include water, fruit juices, coffee, sodas, iced tea, and other drinks.
    Experts say that it's not true that beverages that have caffeine-such as coffee, tea, and cola drinks-always dehydrate you. Healthy people who consume moderate amounts of caffeine don't lose more fluid than people who don't have any caffeine.1 A moderate amount of caffeine is about 200 to 300 milligrams a day. That's about two to four 8-ounce cups of coffee.
  • Phat_Bottom_Girl
    Phat_Bottom_Girl Posts: 110
    I have 8 cups a day and count it as water,
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    ITT: We count our water
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Count it:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/821181-myths-and-facts-about-hydration-requirements
  • tekwriter
    tekwriter Posts: 923 Member
    when I was going to Weight Watchers they counted all clear fluid as water. Even our coffee counted. That was a real switch from several years ago.
  • kbkeats
    kbkeats Posts: 103 Member
    I have about 2 mugs of hot green tea a day, and I count this towards my water intake.
  • horseplaypen
    horseplaypen Posts: 442 Member
    Almost all my fluid intake comes from tea, except for about 3 cups of straight water that I drink at the gym. Sure, there are negative effects of caffeine, but tea has lots of good stuff too, especially green tea. And if I had to drink 8 cups of water ON TOP of all the tea I drink... I think I'd explode. :)
  • messyinthekitchen
    messyinthekitchen Posts: 662 Member
    I read that you shouldn't. But my doctor say you can. So I say yes.
  • spfldpam
    spfldpam Posts: 738 Member
    Decaf coffee and Decaf iced or hot tea I count as my water. Also I count Sobe 0 cals too as water. Sugar Free/Fat Free hot chocolate mixed with water I also count as water. I try to get at least 80 oz of water of some sort in daily.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    I count it, especially in the winter. Drinking a lot of cold water makes me colder.
  • smokinjackd
    smokinjackd Posts: 341
    Unless you go from drinking zero caffeine to 20 cups in one day its fluid, your body doesn't know the difference. I incorporate my tea into my daily water.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    Does Iced tea (unsweetened) and sugar-free drink mix (ala Crystal Light) count towards your daily water goal/total?

    How can something that's water not count as water?
  • djshari
    djshari Posts: 513 Member
    I don't really keep track of water on here because I know I drink plenty but yes, I do count my plain iced tea as water.
    1. When I add a teabag or two to the water when I make it does the water disappear?? No.
    2. The caffeine in iced tea is so low I don't really count that either (according to my cold brew box 15 mg per 8 oz). Now this is low to me since I used to drink pop a lot and was drinking more like 40-60 mg.
    3. I am obsessed with iced tea. I do like and drink water but iced tea is really my favorite drink.
  • 3shirts
    3shirts Posts: 294 Member
    This topic comes round frequently as the 8 glasses thing is an old myth that came from a misquoted medical report. We need about 8 glasses of water a day BUT most of that comes from food anyway.
    Tea is mostly water so it's great. Caffeine's diuretic effect is negligible in coffee and tea and even Coke.

    The tannins does impede iron absorption so just avoid tea for the hour or so either side of a meal.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    How can something that's water not count as water?
    Think about it for a second. Is it magically not water anymore because something was added to it? Water still isn't the base for the drink? That makes as much sense as saying that if I mix 2 tablespoons of peanut butter into a pint of ice cream, it's not ice cream any more because something else was added to it and "magically" cancelled out the ice cream (as much as we'd like it to be that way, the body knows better!)

    If you add something to water that has calories, of course you count the calories. But it's still water, and it's still hydrating you.
  • laurelobrien
    laurelobrien Posts: 156 Member
    Tea without caffeine should count - I don't count black/caffeinated tea (or coffee) as it works as a diuretic and I don't know how much water I'm keeping or losing because of it. That said, it's probably so negligible that you can count it if you want, water requirements for humans are pretty flexible lol

    Editing to add that the amount of caffeine in tea is hilariously low anyways! If you were drinking like, 8 cups of coffee a day, I'd start making compensations.
  • Angeliize
    Angeliize Posts: 29
    Interesting question. My bf and i go back and forth on this. I drink entirely too much "water" but he feels I am adding chemicals into my body because I add propel to my water. It's the only way I can tolerate it. I drink about 125 ounces a day. I got dehydrated once and ended up in the hospital. That will not happen again. I have been counting it water when I remember to do so.
  • alevett
    alevett Posts: 79 Member
    liquid is liquid - I have heard both sides of the argument and my opinion is I count my tea (3 a day - 2 reg and 1 decaf after dinner).
    We get alot of liquid from other ways than just water - all drinks, soup, fruit...
  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member
    If I eat chocolate or a coffee bean and then wash it down with plain water, does the water count? It's really the same argument.
  • ajs03
    ajs03 Posts: 32
    I have often wondered this myself. I personally don't count it - but then I usually don't count water even, I really don't keep track of that...don't know if it matters.
  • 3shirts
    3shirts Posts: 294 Member
    The simplest way is, frankly, to look at your urine (I admit this is notably easier for a man). The closer to clear, the better your hydration level. If it's dark yellow, you need more water.

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