Water Intake

Options
uwmilmom
uwmilmom Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi -- I'm new to the site, and so far I'm loving it! Just a water intake question...would coffee count as part of your water intake? I drink it all day long...just curious!

Replies

  • alychil820
    alychil820 Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    This is something no one on here seems to agree on. Some people say yes, some say no. Some count tea, others don't.

    I only count water as water. I don't count coffee because it has calories, so I log it into my food diary instead.
  • jessmart83
    jessmart83 Posts: 283 Member
    Options
    I drink coffee all day as well, but I dont log it as water. To get more water through the day, I drink a cup of coffee then drink 2 glasses of water before I will have another cup.
  • baileybiddles
    baileybiddles Posts: 457 Member
    Options
    You will get a hundred different answers with this one.

    My personal opinion is that yes, it counts as HYDRATION; I don't count it as your water intake because although it is water, it is water filtered through coffee grounds with cream and often times, sugar or artificial sweetener.

    I looooveee my coffee and I am actually trying to cut it out and replace it with water for multiple reasons. So, I count it as hydration. It does keep me hydrated. But I don't count it as water.
  • bigboar
    bigboar Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    This is something no one on here seems to agree on. Some people say yes, some say no. Some count tea, others don't.

    I only count water as water. I don't count coffee because it has calories, so I log it into my food diary instead.

    This is how I log also....
  • tadpole242
    tadpole242 Posts: 507 Member
    Options
    Yes coffee counts as water, it's 99.98% water so it is mostly water. Why wouldn't you? :wink: :grumble:
  • rahlpn
    rahlpn Posts: 551 Member
    Options
    I only count water or water with Mio in it as water. I log coffee as food because it has calories and it contains caffiene which is a diuretic so it is pulling water out of your cells, not replacing lost water.
  • spngbob
    spngbob Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    Coffee in the morning only. Then I drink plain water or Mio flavoured water. I also take vitamins spaced throughout the day so I have 1 glass of water with each pill. I find I drink more water if I fill my metal water bottle up and leave it in plain view.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Options
    If your pee is light yellow, it counts. If your pee is darker, drink more water.

    If your pee is purple, get help.
  • tadpole242
    tadpole242 Posts: 507 Member
    Options
    I only count water or water with Mio in it as water. I log coffee as food because it has calories and it contains caffiene which is a diuretic so it is pulling water out of your cells, not replacing lost water.
    Utter nonsense
    Institute of Medicine recommends that "unless additional evidence becomes available indicating cumulative total water deficits in individuals with habitual intakes of significant amounts of caffeine, caffeinated beverages appear to contribute to the daily total water intake similar to that contributed by noncaffeinated beverages."
  • nicola1141
    nicola1141 Posts: 613 Member
    Options
    I don't count coffee or tea or soda as water. I do count non-caffeinated herbal teas as water. But nothing with caffeine counts as water for me because as PP says, it is a diuretic.
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
    Options
    I personally don't count my caffeinated drinks but I do count my herbal teas - because I just top up the mug with hot water multiple times a day over the course of the day and occasionally add a new bag if it starts to loose flavour.

    I've stopped drinking cold water (except in the gym) so this is my main form of hydration.
  • SteamRoller72
    SteamRoller72 Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    You will get a hundred different answers with this one.

    My personal opinion is that yes, it counts as HYDRATION; I don't count it as your water intake because although it is water, it is water filtered through coffee grounds with cream and often times, sugar or artificial sweetener.

    I looooveee my coffee and I am actually trying to cut it out and replace it with water for multiple reasons. So, I count it as hydration. It does keep me hydrated. But I don't count it as water.

    No.
    Coffee is a diuretic. You can't count it as hydration when it actually has the opposite effect and promotes urine production.
  • kao708
    kao708 Posts: 813 Member
    Options
    I don't count coffee or tea as these tend to dehydrate me more, which seems counterproductive. Do whatever works for you. Coffee and tea is better than sodas and other sugary drinks so, if that works for you...go for it. Just be easy with the sugar and creamer. Those can get me in trouble. :bigsmile:
  • EnuffaMyButt
    EnuffaMyButt Posts: 111 Member
    Options
    Hi -- I'm new to the site, and so far I'm loving it! Just a water intake question...would coffee count as part of your water intake? I drink it all day long...just curious!

    I am a coffee addict. There is major debate on this. I say NO. Water is water. I alternate 2 cups of water to every coffee I drink. My day consists of drinking a gallon of water a day. My coffee is additional.
  • Kanlassak
    Kanlassak Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    1. Water is also a diuretic. A diuretic is just something that makes you produce more urine, not something that pulls water out of your cells.

    2. Caffeine is shown to have a greatly reduced diuretic effect in people who are accustomed to it. Even in those who aren't, it's only a mild diuretic effect. If you are having a beverage which contains caffeine, rather than caffeine pills, it's still hydrating.
    Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19774754
  • morgan_pope
    morgan_pope Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    This is something no one on here seems to agree on. Some people say yes, some say no. Some count tea, others don't.

    I only count water as water. I don't count coffee because it has calories, so I log it into my food diary instead.

    This is how I log also....

    Same here. I only count water - pure water. Everything else (aka: coffee, tea, diet soda) are recorded in my diary. "Everything else" has something in it - sweetener, creamer, sodium, etc. - which can add up to affect my weight loss.

    I got away from using the flavor packets in my water a few years ago, so I am on the fence with 'flavored' water counting as water, but if making the water taste like something else helps you drink more water and doesn't add calories? I'd say go for it! You can always ditch the flavoring later - it sped up my weight loss a little bit. Not much, but anything helps, right?? :smile:
  • olDave
    olDave Posts: 557 Member
    Options
    If you do a little research you'll find that the 8 glasses/day of pure water recommendation is a myth.

    Personally, I drink a pot of coffee/day and have for 40 years. I'm pretty healthy. As far as weight loss goes, I don't drink much pure water. If my urine is pale yellow to clear I'm well hydrated. I've been on MFP calorie recommendations for 11 weeks and have maintained my goal of one pound/week just fine.

    Good luck.:smile:
  • olDave
    olDave Posts: 557 Member
    Options
    You will get a hundred different answers with this one.

    My personal opinion is that yes, it counts as HYDRATION; I don't count it as your water intake because although it is water, it is water filtered through coffee grounds with cream and often times, sugar or artificial sweetener.

    I looooveee my coffee and I am actually trying to cut it out and replace it with water for multiple reasons. So, I count it as hydration. It does keep me hydrated. But I don't count it as water.

    No.
    Coffee is a diuretic. You can't count it as hydration when it actually has the opposite effect and promotes urine production.


    The diuretic affect in a cup of coffee is miniscule when compared to the amount of water in a cup of coffee. There is no way drinking coffee will dehydrate a person. But, don't take my word for it. It's an easy thing to research.:smile:
  • cleback
    cleback Posts: 261 Member
    Options
    I think the real answer is "as you like it."

    Somebody already mentioned this, but although coffee is a diuretic, it is not powerful enough to totally offset the amount of liquid/water you take in while drinking coffee. So I tend to view as hydrating, though not as good as pure water.

    As a nurse, if I have a confused person at risk for dehydration, and the only thing that confused person will agree to drink is coffee, then I say drink up! Better than nothing.

Categories