Do you count tea and drip coffee as water intake?

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bast2112
bast2112 Posts: 63
in Food and Nutrition
I am terrible about keeping hydrated. Always have been. There's the blah taste and the fact that it upsets my stomach for some reason. I drink carbonated flavored water (no sweetners of any kind) since it's easier for me to drink, but would like to have some other options. I know caffine has a dehydrating effect, but you're getting more water from the beverage than the caffeine is depriving you of, right? I only have about 2 cups of coffee a day, and occassionally will have a cup of tea, either green, black, or herbal depending on my mood.

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  • Still_Sossy
    Still_Sossy Posts: 868 Member
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    I personally do not as they are diuretic's, probably not real significant ones, but I just count pure water.
  • miqisha
    miqisha Posts: 1,534 Member
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    I don't drink coffee, I only drink tea and I count mine, because I don't put sugar or anything in there, and its green tea.
  • JulieBoBoo
    JulieBoBoo Posts: 642
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    I only count herbal tea. If it's caffeinated I don't count it.
  • Imthatg1rl
    Imthatg1rl Posts: 109
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    Nope.
  • Heevenlee
    Heevenlee Posts: 35
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    I drink herbal tea and count it
  • sharamia
    sharamia Posts: 34 Member
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    Me too! I can't get enough water in me. Teas only count if they are caffeine free. You're right, that teas and coffees with caffeine actually dehydrate you. I love green tea too.
  • jrlitt76
    jrlitt76 Posts: 52
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    I drink two cups of coffee each morning and tea at night, I drink zero water all day cause I hate the (non) taste of water and the zero is 0 cals and tastes awesome...you should be fine with hydration and I dont beleive in sacrificing everything (like your coffee) is necessary...just make sure you drink enough fluids through out the day to make up for whatever loss you might get from the caffiene, try zero water, crystal light packs, grapes, frozen fruit....weight watchers has low cal popsicles.... I dot feel with the amount of coffee and tea I drink a day, that I ever feel dehydrated from it.
  • aprilh203
    aprilh203 Posts: 11 Member
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    Technically you should not count caffinated or sweetened (real or artifical) beverages as water intake.
  • Raguirim
    Raguirim Posts: 17 Member
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    Actually, based on what I know you are actually suppose to drink an extra cup of water for any type of drink, besides water that you have. Do not take my word for it but I think carbonated drinks or coffee etc. do not count as a cup of water. Hope this helps!:drinker:
  • INSANITY43
    INSANITY43 Posts: 142
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    I don't on here...though because of it I don't always appear to have drank enough. I know that WW never allowed you to count coffee/tea/etc until a year or so ago they changed that rule and you can no count it. Water is better but fluid is fluid,.....we even get alot of "hydration" from our fruits and veggies.
  • PLUMSGRL
    PLUMSGRL Posts: 1,134 Member
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    You need to drink TWO cups (8 oz) of water for every cup of caffeinated beverage to rehydrate:ohwell:
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    I do. But I drink at least 144 oz [18 cups] of pure water a day, so it almost doesn't matter whether I do or don't. I don't even think I need to track that much water anymore...I just do it because I like to click the ^ button on top of the water consumption option..
  • bebababy
    bebababy Posts: 50 Member
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    no i don't count that as water. water is water lol. both tea and coffee have calories and other nutrition facts that should be accounted for in your daily intake. i have the most challenge with water and i absolutely love coffee and tea. I have given up coffee entirely, but i do still drink tea so i feel your pain. lol. try adding a little lemon or orange to your water if you have a hard time drinking it. Get a designated bottle with water that you carry with you everywhere you go. i have to have it with me in the house or i will forget to drink anything while at home. i carry with me when i run errands and i find that by the time i get home i have had 32 ounces. another trick is to get water bottles with straws you drink way more that way too. pretty soon you'll be surprised how you have replaced coffee for water.

    good luck
  • breakingthecycle
    breakingthecycle Posts: 225 Member
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    I do not and if I drink anything other than H2O I log it. Keeps me honest.
  • emott84
    emott84 Posts: 108
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    I don't count regular caffeinated coffee/tea, but decaffeinated coffee and herbal teas I definitely count! I also struggle to drink enough water (I like it, so I don't know why - just never feel the need to go pour myself a glass I guess, lol) so I like adding my evening cup of peppermint or chamomile tea :)

    I love coffee so much though, I wonder if I 'replace' water with it. Like, if I had a choice between a glass of water and a cup of coffee - I'd still choose the coffee, even though I know the water is better for me :P
  • LosingTheWeight2014
    LosingTheWeight2014 Posts: 173
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    I count my tea and flavored water. My nutrionist said I can count it so long as it is decaffinated.
  • bebababy
    bebababy Posts: 50 Member
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    good luck all:smile:
  • stephmn
    stephmn Posts: 18
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    I looked at the Mayo Clinic website and this is what they had to say about hydration sources:
    "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."

    I count my one cup of coffee in the morning, because I drink other non-caffeinated beverages during the day.
  • bast2112
    bast2112 Posts: 63
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    I definitely log my coffee and tea under my food log! :) Thanks for all the input!
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    I am terrible about keeping hydrated. Always have been. There's the blah taste and the fact that it upsets my stomach for some reason. I drink carbonated flavored water (no sweetners of any kind) since it's easier for me to drink, but would like to have some other options. I know caffine has a dehydrating effect, but you're getting more water from the beverage than the caffeine is depriving you of, right? I only have about 2 cups of coffee a day, and occassionally will have a cup of tea, either green, black, or herbal depending on my mood.
    How much does caffeine actually dehydrate?

    I refer to these links:
    http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/283/5/R993.full
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/questionsandanswers/a/caffeinealcohol.htm
    http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/4346042/ns/today-today_health/

    Yes, caffeine is a diuretic. And water kills people.

    Yes, water kills people. And it also is needed to sustain life.

    The issue of being a diuretic is how much it acts like a diuretic and under what conditions.

    One thought that hit me about drinking non-clear liquids a while back - I use 8 oz of water to mix a protein drink. Some folks would say that I shouldn't count that 8 oz toward my daily consumption of water. My little brain asks "Why?"

    OK, so if I drink the water before I put the protein powder in and then sprinkle the protein powder on, say, a slice of turkey that allows me to count that 8 oz right?

    Well, why? It counts because it got mixed with the water after I drank it in my stomach) instead of before I drank it? That just does not make sense to me.

    I count my coffee intake as part of my water consumption, based on what I've read (some of which I've cited above). I drink at least 20 oz of coffee per day and often have coffee with dinner or in the evening (got to fight off these cold Southern California winters!)

    I also sip water when I'm thirsty, during the course of the day, when I do my dumbbell workouts, and after I do my elliptical work out.

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