Do I have to drink plain water for it to count?

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2daughtermom
2daughtermom Posts: 80
in Introduce Yourself
I drink a lot of Crystal Lite. Would that still be counted as my water intake for the day, or does it have to be just plain water?

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  • tkrall
    tkrall Posts: 109
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    That is a great question! I would love to know that too! Most of the crystal light has zero carlories and zero for pretty much everything else. I wonder about that too? Any answers?
  • mandywright
    mandywright Posts: 6
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    Hmmm... such a good question! I've wondered that too because I drink a lot of Crystal Light. The ones I like are only 5 calories and makes water more fun! :)
  • onmywaytoskinny155
    onmywaytoskinny155 Posts: 228 Member
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    I count my Crystal light as water. If it has 5 calories I just count the extra calories into my total
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
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    I consider the tea that I drink throughout that day part of my water count. I only add a small scoop of German rock sugar to the tea for a bit of sweetness, and I'd also count 0 calorie crystal light or other water flavorings if I added them to my water. I don't see how it would take away from the benefit of drinking water. Counting things like diet soda or full calorie drink additives, that I wouldn't suggest. But that's just how I go about tallying my water intake for the day.
  • StephyTheGreat
    StephyTheGreat Posts: 13 Member
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    I read not too long ago, that many drinks you drink count as water. They said coffee was a water for example. A cup of black coffee is a cup of water with coffee grounds in it when you think about it.

    But crystal light would count as a water! It is just flavored water. Seltzer counts as water too.

    I take stuff like that into consideration, but also try to drink my 8 glasses of plain water too. It is getting easier because I keep a decent sized water bottle next to me at all times. Out of bad habit to consume, I see that water and I just start drinking it.
  • gneedeep
    gneedeep Posts: 2 Member
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    I personally think that water is water. I don't do the Crystal Light, but instead add a little Splenda and lemon juice to my water. It tastes like lemonade and lemon is good to clean out toxins.
  • DeeDeeLHF
    DeeDeeLHF Posts: 2,301 Member
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    For myself personally, I don't do well with the artificially sweetened stuff. It just makes me crave more sweet stuff so that soon the fruity drink is not enough, then I want a cookie. Also, I don't feel well drinking it and it makes me retain water.

    I used to never drink plain water and it has taken time but I have trained my taste buds to enjoy it more. Try herbal teas in place of crystal light. Your body will thank you.

    D
  • 2daughtermom
    2daughtermom Posts: 80
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    I personally think that water is water. I don't do the Crystal Light, but instead add a little Splenda and lemon juice to my water. It tastes like lemonade and lemon is good to clean out toxins.

    Thanks for all the answers. My sister orders plain water when eating out and also asks for lemons. She squeezes the lemons in her water then adds splenda. Says it tastes just like lemonade.
  • selbyhutch
    selbyhutch Posts: 531 Member
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    I just answered the other thread as well... IMO and according to my doctor... no, water only counts if it's pure.
  • sassyg
    sassyg Posts: 393
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    it all gets mixed up in your stomach, and the fluid is absorbed into the body via the intestine - I really don't think our bodies differentiate for example, between a glass of water and a spoonful of sugar consumed seperately, and a glass of sweetened water, iykwim. By the time it hits where it matters, it's all just soup!
    Take it easy on the caffeine for other health reasons for sure, but fluid is fluid.
  • amk44
    amk44 Posts: 159
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    I make a pitcher of peach crystal lite, but I use double the water, and I also add the juice of a lemon to it. I LUV this stuff!

    The reason I use double water is because I'm a little concerned about the articles I've seen about the side affects of chemical sweeteners, and I do consume quite a bit, so I dilute it to try to lessen the amount of chemical sweetener that I drink. I know I should be drinking plain water, but I find it extremely difficult to drink water. Since I'm close to my target goal, I'm thinking that maybe I should start exploring other options to use as I go into "maintenance" mode.

    So I guess I'm just saying: yes, I do count my crystal lite as water, but I'm aware that it might not be the healthiest choice for me.
  • savannah63
    savannah63 Posts: 15
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    I drink a lot of diet green tea and I count it as water because it has 0 calories, 0 fat. and low sodium ( I have high blood pressure). I sometimes mix my green tea 1/2 and 1/2 with LIGHT peach flavor ice tea mix...it also has 0 calories, 0 sodium, 0 sugar. If I had to drink PLAIN water I would not get enough for the day! :smile: I have also been told that it good idea to just add lemon juice to plain water, I have tried that, and it's "OK"
  • StephyTheGreat
    StephyTheGreat Posts: 13 Member
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    Im not big on crystal light either. I think it taste lousy. I found this somewhere too. "Crystal light could count towards water, but the sugar substitutes create a diuretic effect which causes you to lose some of the water". So if you have a cup of crystal light or something with artificial sweetener your body is not really getting a full cup of water.

    I just drink water. It may not taste like anything, but it doesnt taste bad, so its not a big deal.

    Im also not big on the artificial sugar. I dont need things to be sweet THAT bad. Id rather use real sugar, but less of it. If I eat something sweet today, Ill just limit my calories/sugar on something else to make up for it. The chemicals in it freak me out too. I dont think its needed to consume this stuff just to save a few calories I also read recently in prevention that artificial sugar has chemicals in it that stay around in your body for long periods of time giving you gas and making you bloated.

    Tea is a good idea. I usually brew a whole big pot of peach tea (Twinnings). I throw a few bags in there and lightly sweeten it with honey or regular sugar and put it in a pitcher in the fridge.
  • abredbenner
    abredbenner Posts: 125 Member
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    The Mayo clinic has an article about how much water or fluid you should drink a day.

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

    Here is a portion that address this post specifically (but read the article it is interesting):

    Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Although the approach really isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this easy-to-remember rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.

    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.
  • LeidyK
    LeidyK Posts: 3
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    of course water in its pure form is best, but when I was in Weight Watchers we were allowed to count all diet, caffeine-free drinks as water... up to 4 cups per day. Skim milk, decaf coffee, decaf teas, crystal light, diet caffeine-free sodas can all be counted as "water". The rest had to be the real deal...H20.

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