Tea = Water?

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Replies

  • TONYAGOOCH
    TONYAGOOCH Posts: 470 Member
    Chances are if it has calories then it has sugar. At least that's what I think. Then I wouldn't count it as water. I know on WW we couldn't count a real soda as water but we could a diet one. And we can't count sweet tea but we could unsweet.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Chances are if it has calories then it has sugar. At least that's what I think. Then I wouldn't count it as water. I know on WW we couldn't count a real soda as water but we could a diet one. And we can't count sweet tea but we could unsweet.
    Not true. WW guidelines are all liquids that do not contain alcohol count toward water intake.
  • TONYAGOOCH
    TONYAGOOCH Posts: 470 Member
    I guess thats right. I just never counted anything like that. lol Of course I don't drink sweet tea or regular sodas either. I must have just been ASSuming they didn't count. . lol
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
    Isn't tea like 99.5% water?

    More like 99.99.

    I will never understand why people think adding some flavor makes it not water anymore.

    I agree.... If I drink plain water then it's water, but if I put some lemon juice and some sweetener in it it's no longer water... but what if I drank the water plain and then ate a lemon wedge and a sugar free candy while drinking the water, would it still be water?

    Personally I drink plain water because I want to reduce my dependence on sweet things and when I drink sweet drinks I want more sweet , but I still think that most beverages can be counted as water.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Ok, total newbie here. When I'm tracking my water consumption should the herbal tea that I drink be added into my water ticker?

    Do you use water to make it? If so, then I'd count the water.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Chances are if it has calories then it has sugar. At least that's what I think. Then I wouldn't count it as water. I know on WW we couldn't count a real soda as water but we could a diet one. And we can't count sweet tea but we could unsweet.
    OK... then why does sugar invalidate the water?
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Isn't tea like 99.5% water?

    More like 99.99.

    I will never understand why people think adding some flavor makes it not water anymore.

    I agree.... If I drink plain water then it's water, but if I put some lemon juice and some sweetener in it it's no longer water... but what if I drank the water plain and then ate a lemon wedge and a sugar free candy while drinking the water, would it still be water?

    Personally I drink plain water because I want to reduce my dependence on sweet things and when I drink sweet drinks I want more sweet , but I still think that most beverages can be counted as water.

    The thing is, it isn't so much that our bodies need plain water. They need LIQUID. Liquid we get from foods, from drinks of all kinds, whatever. The 8 glasses a day is a guidelines, but most of us don't actually need it. The thing posted above about 75% of Americans being partially dehydrated is a myth. Eight glasses a day won't hurt you but it probably isn't actually necessary. So, the water content from fruits and veggies and grains count toward hydration. Milk, fruit juices and yes, even soda, will hydrate you.

    I choose water because it's calorie-free and I don't like the taste of artificial sweeteners. But I would count any liquid toward my water intake (except alcohol, of course).
  • GodWithUs777
    GodWithUs777 Posts: 12 Member
    I do. Chamomile and Green Tea both need water, and as long as you aren't overloading with sugar, I would add it as water consumed.

    On the 'how much is too much' - my Mom and I work with Kangen Alkaline Water machines, and we always recommend drinking half your body weigh in ounces as a great amount to drink to stay hydrated. To assist with additional weight loss, they recommend drinking your actual weight in ounces. Just make sure you take regular bathroom breaks and you should be fine. :)
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I do. Chamomile and Green Tea both need water, and as long as you aren't overloading with sugar, I would add it as water consumed.
    There it is again. Everyone says "as long as it doesn't have sugar", but why?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I do. Chamomile and Green Tea both need water, and as long as you aren't overloading with sugar, I would add it as water consumed.
    There it is again. Everyone says "as long as it doesn't have sugar", but why?

    There is no rational or logical reason, but some will still defend it to the death. Plain ol' water is the magical weight loss tool. It makes me wonder how anyone ever gets fat, considering how affordable and attainable it is.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I do. Chamomile and Green Tea both need water, and as long as you aren't overloading with sugar, I would add it as water consumed.
    There it is again. Everyone says "as long as it doesn't have sugar", but why?
    You're never going to get a satisfactory answer because there is no logic or science behind it. If someone wants to live his or her life with that caveat, there's no harm. But to insist it's the only right thing to do is ridiculous.
  • MacabreMikolaj
    MacabreMikolaj Posts: 5 Member
    That's like saying if you drink a cup of plain water while also eating a Mars bar, it doesn't count as water. Sugar doesn't change the molecules of water, and somehow make it NOT water. Adding sugar and other things boosts the calories and makes it so drinking 8 cups of iced tea a day may keep you hydrated but it also means you're drinking over 1000 calories a day just in fluid and therefore obviously won't lose weight.

    And yes, coffee counts as water. I fail to understand entirely how a diuretic makes it not water. Drink 8 glasses of water a day and pop 2 caffeine pills, WHOOPS, it no longer counts as water! Makes perfect sense.
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
    That doesn't make sense to do but do what you want. I only count plain water (or if someone wants to add a fruit slice) as water. Not tea.
  • RJaxon00
    RJaxon00 Posts: 13 Member
    If the tea I'm drinking has 0 calories, then I usually count it as water.
  • saverys_gal
    saverys_gal Posts: 808 Member
    I count all of my decaf teas as water. I don't count anything caffeinated just due to the fact that I'm fueling my body with liquid caffeine. I say do whatever works best for you!
  • crikee15
    crikee15 Posts: 155 Member
    I only count herbal and green teas as water....some black teas have more caffeine than coffee! And I don't add anything to them :drinker:
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    But if you just had the black tea caffine seperate from the 99.99% water that it was accompanied with, THEN it would count? ie.. a black tea pill + 3 cups of water?
  • BrewerGeorge
    BrewerGeorge Posts: 397 Member
    That's like saying if you drink a cup of plain water while also eating a Mars bar, it doesn't count as water. Sugar doesn't change the molecules of water, and somehow make it NOT water. Adding sugar and other things boosts the calories and makes it so drinking 8 cups of iced tea a day may keep you hydrated but it also means you're drinking over 1000 calories a day just in fluid and therefore obviously won't lose weight.

    And yes, coffee counts as water. I fail to understand entirely how a diuretic makes it not water. Drink 8 glasses of water a day and pop 2 caffeine pills, WHOOPS, it no longer counts as water! Makes perfect sense.
    You're using too much logic in this almost-religious question.

    (You're 100% right, BTW!)
  • crikee15
    crikee15 Posts: 155 Member
    But if you just had the black tea caffine seperate from the 99.99% water that it was accompanied with, THEN it would count? ie.. a black tea pill + 3 cups of water?

    if you truly wish to count it that way....but why would you want to take a black tea caffeine pill?
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    But if you just had the black tea caffine seperate from the 99.99% water that it was accompanied with, THEN it would count? ie.. a black tea pill + 3 cups of water?

    if you truly wish to count it that way....but why would you want to take a black tea caffeine pill?

    I don't. It was to make a point. 3 cups of water + pill should be no different than drinking 3 cups of black tea.
  • DesertSunsetRain
    DesertSunsetRain Posts: 194
    I was always told that you need 8 glasses of liquids a day, not 8 glasses of JUST water + other forms of liquids.

    I mean say you drink 3 glasses of tea, that's 24oz. Then you drink a glass of milk which is 8oz. Then because you need 8 glasses of "water" a day you drink 8 more glasses of water, that's another 64oz of liquids. So for the day you total 96oz of liquids. That is quite a bit of liquid.

    There seems to be a hot debate over this issue. I feel like if it doesn't contain calories and it's something like tea, which is just flavored WATER, then you should add it to your water consumption. If it's something like milk you should add it to your actual diary too so you can get an accurate calorie count. But I might even add that to your "water" consumption so you know how many ounces of total liquid you are getting in a day.
  • 12Junes
    12Junes Posts: 10
    I count it if it's decaf or herbal (no caffeine). I don't like plain water, so I drink herbal tea all day long. I keep an express kettle at my desk at work. I think you could count some soups as water too. :happy:
  • DoncasterPhotography
    DoncasterPhotography Posts: 147 Member
    Isn't tea like 99.5% water?

    More like 99.99.

    I will never understand why people think adding some flavor makes it not water anymore.

    I agree.... If I drink plain water then it's water, but if I put some lemon juice and some sweetener in it it's no longer water... but what if I drank the water plain and then ate a lemon wedge and a sugar free candy while drinking the water, would it still be water?

    I wonder if the opposite applies too?

    i.e If i have a Big Mac, fries and straberry shake and supplement it with a massive bowl of salad.. does that make the "bad" mcdonalds good?
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
    I believe when "they" tell you to drink water, it (drinking water) has a purpose. So, I would drink water for that "purpose." If you drink tea, then you are not drink water for that purpose. If you drink soda, is it not for that purpose? Some water drinkers will tell you to drink water some time before and sometime after meals so you are giving your body "water."

    I would get my definition of drinking water from the person who is telling you to drink more water before asking.

    As for the other posts, french fries is a veggie right? So water mixed with something else is still good right?
  • DoncasterPhotography
    DoncasterPhotography Posts: 147 Member
    ok another puzzler....

    If I make a protein shake, one scoop of powder and 200ml of water, then the water becomes "not water".

    If I have a protein bar and drink a glass of water, as suggested on the bar's wrapper, does that make the water "water" or "not water"?
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Caffinated teas are not water! because Caffine is a diaretic. Also non calorie beverage are Not water.
    Water is that Water!!!


    Interesting Water Facts

    We all know that water is important, but I’ve never seen it described like this before!!!!

    75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. ( Likely applies to half the world population). In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for Hunger. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%. One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of dieters studied in a U- Washington study. Lack of water, the 1# trigger of daytime fatigue. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

    Are you drinking the amount of water you should everyday???

    Why do people think that only pure, neat water is water?

    Here we go again!

    You need the equivalent of 8 cups of water a day on average, from any source. These sources can be pure water/tea/coffee/juice/soda/milk/fruit/veg etc. It does NOT have to be pure neat water!

    http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/13/myth-eight-glasses-water-day

    http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/wellness-water-8x8-myth.html

    http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/12/08/the-myth-behind-drinking-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/


    As for coffee being a diuretic, so many people just spout that word as a reason, without actually understanding what "diuretic" means.

    di·u·ret·ic (d-rtk)
    adj.
    Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
    n.
    A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.

    Neat water is also a diuretic. The diuretic effect of caffeine is far, far outweighed by the actual water in the tea/coffee. Also, regular consumers of caffeinated beverages will build up a tolerance to said effect, eventually reaching the point where caffeinated drinks provide practically the same amount of hydration as a cup of neat water will.


    http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what

    http://worldofcaffeine.com/2011/06/14/caffeine-does-not-dehydrate/

    http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/020722/02072207.htm

    http://nomoredirtylooks.com/2011/04/surprise-caffeinated-tea-does-not-dehydrate-you/

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html

    http://www.sharecare.com/question/does-caffeine-dehydrate-not

    http://www.artofdrink.com/2009/12/caffeine-in-coffee-does-not-increase-dehydration-during-hangovers.php

    http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions/do-caffeinated-beverages-cause-dehydration.htm

    http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5552790&page=1#.TrQWc0O5_oo
  • FutureMrsAustin
    FutureMrsAustin Posts: 12
    Its personal preference but i say yes. Think of it as drinking a cup of hot water and eating the tea bag. Well, sort of. lol. Ok, not really but tea is water. Your just diffusing herbs into it. I would just try not to add any sweetener to it. In which case, you have to track it and that would just be empty calories. I love hot tea! I am currently on a guava, passion fruit and chamomile, mint kick right now. Mmmmm.... In fact you made me want some. Im going to go make a cup right now! ;D
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    Here's my personal experience:

    A couple weeks ago, I was in the doctor's office for some digestive problems. She told me to lay off the coffee and pop and drink more water, and add a little fiber to my diet.

    I was so lost without my usual beverages.

    I started drinking more water. I have been drinking at least two quarts a day, sometimes three. The water seems to have helped me in ways the pop and coffee could not.

    Regardless, you should look at your pee. If it is dark yellow, drink more plain water. If it is light, and almost clear, you are fine and whatever you are doing is working great.
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member

    Why do people think that only pure, neat water is water?

    Here we go again!

    You need the equivalent of 8 cups of water a day on average, from any source. These sources can be pure water/tea/coffee/juice/soda/milk/fruit/veg etc. It does NOT have to be pure neat water!

    http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/13/myth-eight-glasses-water-day

    http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/wellness-water-8x8-myth.html

    http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/12/08/the-myth-behind-drinking-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/


    As for coffee being a diuretic, so many people just spout that word as a reason, without actually understanding what "diuretic" means.

    di·u·ret·ic (d-rtk)
    adj.
    Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
    n.
    A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.

    Neat water is also a diuretic. The diuretic effect of caffeine is far, far outweighed by the actual water in the tea/coffee. Also, regular consumers of caffeinated beverages will build up a tolerance to said effect, eventually reaching the point where caffeinated drinks provide practically the same amount of hydration as a cup of neat water will.


    http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what

    http://worldofcaffeine.com/2011/06/14/caffeine-does-not-dehydrate/

    http://advance.uconn.edu/2002/020722/02072207.htm

    http://nomoredirtylooks.com/2011/04/surprise-caffeinated-tea-does-not-dehydrate-you/

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html

    http://www.sharecare.com/question/does-caffeine-dehydrate-not

    http://www.artofdrink.com/2009/12/caffeine-in-coffee-does-not-increase-dehydration-during-hangovers.php

    http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions/do-caffeinated-beverages-cause-dehydration.htm

    http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5552790&page=1#.TrQWc0O5_oo

    Sorry, I didn't go through the links but I can explain why, say pepsi cola is NOT water, even though it has water. This is the same as coffee. The definition of diuretic is correct, lets see how it works.

    Pepsi, has caffeine which is a diuretic, so it will make your body lose water. Pepsi also has salt, which makes you thirsty for water and salt doesn't taste good so they put sugar in it.

    Drink water. If you want to drink coffee or soda or tea during a meal, fine, it's your choice, but it is not water. Beer has water, is that water? Go drink 8 glasses of beer and tell your doctor that beer has water and see what the response is.
  • LeanMeanFitnessMachine
    LeanMeanFitnessMachine Posts: 659
    Tea hydrates the exact same way water does, as long as there is NO sugar added. Its basically like water with a whole bunch of antioxidants added.
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