Do ALL teas count as water ?

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Replies

  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    For me, I only count actual plain water as my water intake. I don't consider tea, coffee or even flavored enhanced water in my diary as water intake.

    Is your pee clear?
    I hope not totally clear! It should be pale yellow. If it was always clear, I'd be worried about electrolyte imbalance.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    I don't even bother tracking water. That whole 8 cups is based on how much hydration you need from all sources, including food. And the source of the study for where the whole 8 cups came from seems to be some mystery, it's just what everyone "knows".
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Any liquid "counts" as water. Tea, coffee, soda, juice, milk, soup, etc. Most food you eat contains water as well. An apple is 85% water. Tracking fluid intake is really pointless. If your urine is pale yellow then you're hydrated. It's that simple.

    No, it does not...............

    Other liquids are just other fluids but they are no longer water.

    We should be drinking at least 64 ounces of pure water per day in addition to what other fluids we are intaking.


    All of these comments are so misguided. Ugh.

    Oh, that's right. If you add sugar to water it suddenly becomes a new substance that's found only on the periodic table of elements. Or maybe your body has a special, store this liquid that isn't water, reservoir that other people do not have.

    It's water plus whatever you added to that water to make it taste different.

    You can also count juice, milk, soda and even pee as water because... 99% water with other things added to it.

    (I don't recommend drinking pee however. That's just gross and should only be considered in life or death situations, or if you're Bear Grylls.)
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
    Why you'd log your fluid intake anyway I'm not sure, but to say they're completely different is just incorrect.
    Some people really, really do have difficulty taking in enough liquids. I live in Texas, so those people are not me! But I'm just sayin'. Some people really just don't have much of a thirst drive.

    I suppose that's fair enough. I think the urine colour is a really good indicator, though.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    The great water debate.

    There are a lot of things we are taught in school that are very much wrong. Tea and coffee (etc) not having water the body can utilize is one of those wrong things. So, some people, even professionals, have outdated mythological information. Even milk has water in it. If only water counted for hydration there would be a lot more dead people. Some people prefer to drink a lot of water. I have that preference, but I still know that the other things I drink contribute to hydrating me. And on a day I choose a lot of green tea, I don't force feed myself more water than I need.

    If only water counted as water then babies fed only breast milk wouldn't survive either.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    The great water debate.

    There are a lot of things we are taught in school that are very much wrong. Tea and coffee (etc) not having water the body can utilize is one of those wrong things. So, some people, even professionals, have outdated mythological information. Even milk has water in it. If only water counted for hydration there would be a lot more dead people. Some people prefer to drink a lot of water. I have that preference, but I still know that the other things I drink contribute to hydrating me. And on a day I choose a lot of green tea, I don't force feed myself more water than I need.

    If only water counted as water then babies fed only breast milk wouldn't survive either.

    Right! Good point!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I don't even bother tracking water. That whole 8 cups is based on how much hydration you need from all sources, including food. And the source of the study for where the whole 8 cups came from seems to be some mystery, it's just what everyone "knows".
    I track just because it's there. But also I found if I get 6-8 cups at least I don't wake up in the middle of the night with a split lip and dying of thirst. But I count stuff that is liquid, regardless of whether it's "pure" water.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Why you'd log your fluid intake anyway I'm not sure, but to say they're completely different is just incorrect.
    Some people really, really do have difficulty taking in enough liquids. I live in Texas, so those people are not me! But I'm just sayin'. Some people really just don't have much of a thirst drive.

    I suppose that's fair enough. I think the urine colour is a really good indicator, though.

    Unless you take B vitamins.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    If only water counted as water then babies fed only breast milk wouldn't survive either.
    Ding ding ding! Ladies and gents, we have ourselves a winner.
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcROHegw5iSsan8EzHwpVnsVb02JWWB2SNtf8vjF1PIUcIfyE26Omufu0fIL
  • molonlabe762
    molonlabe762 Posts: 411 Member
    Hydration is very improtant for your health as well as losing weight. Here is a good article explaining why.

    http://timeforfitness.com/?p=352

    Also you realy should add the calories for any beverage you drink.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Any liquid "counts" as water. Tea, coffee, soda, juice, milk, soup, etc. Most food you eat contains water as well. An apple is 85% water. Tracking fluid intake is really pointless. If your urine is pale yellow then you're hydrated. It's that simple.

    No, it does not...............

    Other liquids are just other fluids but they are no longer water.

    We should be drinking at least 64 ounces of pure water per day in addition to what other fluids we are intaking.


    All of these comments are so misguided. Ugh.

    water = H2O - i.e. a molecule made of two hydrogen and one oxygen atoms. Just because a few other atoms get in it, it doesn't stop it from being water. In fact if you want to get technical, the water you find in totally natural sources, e.g. springs, rivers, oceans, is not remotely pure. They contain all kinds of minerals and other impurities. 100% pure, as in totally distilled water, which only contains water molecules and nothing else, does not exist in nature. If you're talking paleo, no palaeolithic person ever drank pure water, because the ability to distill it that finely didn't exist until recently.

    So if you're saying that adding something else to water disqualifies it from being water, almost no-one drinks water ever. Except that they do, all the time, because adding stuff to water doesn't actually stop it from being water.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    For me, I only count actual plain water as my water intake. I don't consider tea, coffee or even flavored enhanced water in my diary as water intake.

    Thank you...............someone else that exhibits some common sense.
    Why do you feel the need to attack/insult while making your point. It is ok to debate something in a mature way.

    I didn't attack or insult anyone. I stated my opinion and I stated exactly what my Dr's and my dietician told me.

    Water is water and if it is coffee, tea, soda or juice then it is not water............exercise a little common sense. So, I guess you feel that they attacked me??

    The problem lies in MFP's label of "water". It should be labeled "Hydration" or "non-caloric liquids".

    Exactly. Except they don't have to be non-caloric to count for hydration. You just have to make sure you also account for the calories.

    True. I would log a coke (even though it would hydrate me) under food, to account for the calories, and then wouldnt be bothered to click my water ticker.

    But yeah. An orange and a 4oz glass of pure h2o have the same power of hydration.
  • drusilla126
    drusilla126 Posts: 478 Member
    I only started counting my tea toward my 10 glasses of water a day. Makes it a lot easier though 'cause with 10 glasses of water and on average 2-3 teas a day all I was doing was drinking, peeing and logging lol
  • Any liquid "counts" as water. Tea, coffee, soda, juice, milk, soup, etc. Most food you eat contains water as well. An apple is 85% water. Tracking fluid intake is really pointless. If your urine is pale yellow then you're hydrated. It's that simple.

    No, it does not...............

    Other liquids are just other fluids but they are no longer water.

    We should be drinking at least 64 ounces of pure water per day in addition to what other fluids we are intaking.


    All of these comments are so misguided. Ugh.

    Please quote references, true scientific studies, medical journals et. I'd like to know exactly where it's proven we need that little or that much water.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Any liquid "counts" as water. Tea, coffee, soda, juice, milk, soup, etc. Most food you eat contains water as well. An apple is 85% water. Tracking fluid intake is really pointless. If your urine is pale yellow then you're hydrated. It's that simple.

    No, it does not...............

    Other liquids are just other fluids but they are no longer water.

    We should be drinking at least 64 ounces of pure water per day in addition to what other fluids we are intaking.


    All of these comments are so misguided. Ugh.

    Please quote references, true scientific studies, medical journals et. I'd like to know exactly where it's proven we need that little or that much water.
    Her doctor said so!!!
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    I'm sitting here with a cup of hot tea (Refresh) from Starbucks enjoying the conversation. The hot tea makes my throat feel better - if only it counted a hydration so how.................. :laugh:

    Carry on........:drinker:
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    For me, I only count actual plain water as my water intake. I don't consider tea, coffee or even flavored enhanced water in my diary as water intake.

    Thank you...............someone else that exhibits some common sense.
    Why do you feel the need to attack/insult while making your point. It is ok to debate something in a mature way.

    I didn't attack or insult anyone. I stated my opinion and I stated exactly what my Dr's and my dietician told me.

    Water is water and if it is coffee, tea, soda or juice then it is not water............exercise a little common sense. So, I guess you feel that they attacked me??
    so far I had only seen you calling people ignorant and lacking common sense. It isnt very becoming, and certainly not a way to get people to respect anything you have to say.

    you might want to think about that.

    This does not mean I support anyone who attacks you in any way.

    have a good day.
  • BossLadyDSimp
    BossLadyDSimp Posts: 257 Member
    I count is as water because all I add is 2 packets of Splenda ... I also drink 64 ouces of water besides the tea ... I would still push yourself to drink more water beyond the tea. It never hurts

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  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I count is as water becuase all I add is 2 packets of Splenda ... I would still push yourself to drink more water beyond the tea. It never hurts

    It could mess up electrolyte balance if you drink too much water over the course of the day, so it COULD hurt, actually. But that all depends on how much she's drinking and her sodium/potassium intake.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    For me, I only count actual plain water as my water intake. I don't consider tea, coffee or even flavored enhanced water in my diary as water intake.

    Thank you...............someone else that exhibits some common sense.
    Why do you feel the need to attack/insult while making your point. It is ok to debate something in a mature way.

    I didn't attack or insult anyone. I stated my opinion and I stated exactly what my Dr's and my dietician told me.

    Water is water and if it is coffee, tea, soda or juice then it is not water............exercise a little common sense. So, I guess you feel that they attacked me??
    so far I had only seen you calling people ignorant and lacking common sense. It isnt very becoming, and certainly not a way to get people to respect anything you have to say.

    you might want to think about that.

    This does not mean I support anyone who attacks you in any way.

    have a good day.

    No longer commenting in any of these general forums.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    For me, I only count actual plain water as my water intake. I don't consider tea, coffee or even flavored enhanced water in my diary as water intake.

    Thank you...............someone else that exhibits some common sense.
    Why do you feel the need to attack/insult while making your point. It is ok to debate something in a mature way.

    I didn't attack or insult anyone. I stated my opinion and I stated exactly what my Dr's and my dietician told me.

    Water is water and if it is coffee, tea, soda or juice then it is not water............exercise a little common sense. So, I guess you feel that they attacked me??
    so far I had only seen you calling people ignorant and lacking common sense. It isnt very becoming, and certainly not a way to get people to respect anything you have to say.

    you might want to think about that.

    This does not mean I support anyone who attacks you in any way.

    have a good day.

    No longer commenting in any of these general forums.

    If only that were true
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
    Chai latte's are known to be very high in sugar and calories. Especially the one's made at Starbucks. I'm not sure if you can make them at home ( I drink black tea without sugar)

    you can get chai teabags - I drink vanilla chai ones black ( cant have milk) and the ones i have are caffine free. But normally chai latte is very heavy going on the calories and sugar.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    I water the plants in my office with whatever's left in my mug at the end of the day, generally stale black coffee, sometimes tea, sometimes diet soda.

    They all appear to be turgid.
  • cechapman10
    cechapman10 Posts: 39 Member
    Chai latte's are known to be very high in sugar and calories. Especially the one's made at Starbucks. I'm not sure if you can make them at home ( I drink black tea without sugar)


    My "skinny" chai latte is Stash Chai or Bigelow Chai with milk & sugar added. I had a Starbucks one (once) OMG was that sweet. Making my own allows me to use skim milk & (way) less sugar.

    Yes - tea counts as water. Try to cut back on the sugar if you can.......maintenance will be a b*tch with lots of sugar.

    I use the Stash Chai as well with non-fat milk and sugar free vanilla syrup. The tea itself may not have calroies, but I log the milk and syrup.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    For me, I only count actual plain water as my water intake. I don't consider tea, coffee or even flavored enhanced water in my diary as water intake.

    Thank you...............someone else that exhibits some common sense.
    Why do you feel the need to attack/insult while making your point. It is ok to debate something in a mature way.

    I didn't attack or insult anyone. I stated my opinion and I stated exactly what my Dr's and my dietician told me.

    Water is water and if it is coffee, tea, soda or juice then it is not water............exercise a little common sense. So, I guess you feel that they attacked me??
    so far I had only seen you calling people ignorant and lacking common sense. It isnt very becoming, and certainly not a way to get people to respect anything you have to say.

    you might want to think about that.

    This does not mean I support anyone who attacks you in any way.

    have a good day.

    No longer commenting in any of these general forums.

    Yay!!
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
    I had a nutritionist once tell me that since caffiene is a diuretic don't count caffienated teas and coffees as water, but herbal tea and decaf coffee haven't the same dehydrating effect and they would count in the water tally...but to log it and certainly count the calories, if any.

    It doesn't really matter for me becasue I put no sugar, milk or sweetner in my teas and coffees and I drink over 64 ounces of plain water per day, so it is a wash, pun intended.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I had a nutritionist once tell me that since caffiene is a diuretic don't count caffienated teas and coffees as water,

    That advice has been revised.
  • RozayJones
    RozayJones Posts: 409 Member
    After reading this thread I have come to the conclusion that the beer I drink counts as water which means I no longer need to drink water - thanks everyone :drinker:
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I had a nutritionist once tell me that since caffiene is a diuretic don't count caffienated teas and coffees as water,

    That advice has been revised.

    As we all know people who lost a few pounds on an internet are all knowing and better suited to tell someone than someone that goes to constant seminars to keep up with their license and such.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    For me, I only count actual plain water as my water intake. I don't consider tea, coffee or even flavored enhanced water in my diary as water intake.

    Thank you...............someone else that exhibits some common sense.
    Why do you feel the need to attack/insult while making your point. It is ok to debate something in a mature way.

    I didn't attack or insult anyone. I stated my opinion and I stated exactly what my Dr's and my dietician told me.

    Water is water and if it is coffee, tea, soda or juice then it is not water............exercise a little common sense. So, I guess you feel that they attacked me??
    so far I had only seen you calling people ignorant and lacking common sense. It isnt very becoming, and certainly not a way to get people to respect anything you have to say.

    you might want to think about that.

    This does not mean I support anyone who attacks you in any way.

    have a good day.

    No longer commenting in any of these general forums.

    tumblr_lmka1dEGLv1qii6tmo1_400.gif