8 Cups of Water a Day?

gabbyrosec
gabbyrosec Posts: 7
edited October 7 in Food and Nutrition
I know it's recommended to drink lots of water a day and there's loads of benefits to it, particularly when you're dieting. But can you cheat and what actually counts as "water"? I know it's a bit of a stupid question but I drink a lot of herbal and fruit teas, and I just wondering if things like that come under that category? I also drink a lot of instant black coffee, it's probably not the best thing for me but it really keeps me going, does this have an effect on the amount of water I'm drinking?

Any help would be appreciated. :D

Replies

  • DenverKos
    DenverKos Posts: 182
    Teas and Coffee are diuretics and will purge the water from your body - you should drink water on its own. Maybe try a flavored water?
  • Maggie_Pie1
    Maggie_Pie1 Posts: 322 Member
    You will get a lot of different answers and probably some heated arguments, LOL.

    IMO, if it has water in it, it counts. Water is a diuretic as well. There is nothing wrong with diuretics, as long as you are well hydrated.
  • heresmyinsidevoice
    heresmyinsidevoice Posts: 311 Member
    From what I have read, non-caffeinated herbal teas would constitute toward your water consumption. Vitamin water or adding Crystal Light to your water still goes toward your water consumption, but of course try and get just plain water into your daily routine as much as possible. Anything caffeinated such as colas, coffee or alcoholic beverages don't count as these dehydrate your body.
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    I think it's really a good idea to get in 8 cups of water each day. I wouldn't count coffee as water, but imo tea is fine. Just try and drink some straight water too.
  • gabbyrosec
    gabbyrosec Posts: 7
    Thanks for the help guys, I wasn't counting my herbal teas as water so I think I may do that from now on haha! I do try and have a glass of normal water with my meals and when I first wake up and before I go to sleep. So I should be ok. :smile:
  • barenda_101
    barenda_101 Posts: 18
    From wikipedia:

    One consideration to take into account when investigating the relationship between caffeine and diuresis is the amount of caffeine ingested. However, the British Dietetic Association has suggested that tea can be used to supplement normal water consumption, and that "the style of tea and coffee and the amounts we drink in the UK are unlikely to have a negative effect [on hydration]". [73]


    tl;dr: Tea is not a diuretic. Common myth.
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
    Also realize that most fruits and veggies we eat are almost all water. It is important to stay hydrated but too much water is also not healthy for you because you flush alot of valuable nutrients out of you if you pee every 30 minutes or less. The bottled water industry loves when you drink alot of there water thats for sure. Thirst is our bodies natural indicator that we need fluids. I probably do get 8 glasses of fluid ie water, gatorade, coffee quite easily. Coffee is in fact water intake no matter what everybody says. We in most aspects get all the water we need from food if in fact you eat healthy natural foods. I've drank over 100 oz of fluids today not including all the water i've gotten from foods. I don't count fluid i just drink when i'm thirsty most times and with food.
  • DenverKos
    DenverKos Posts: 182

    tl;dr: Tea is not a diuretic. Common myth.

    It depends on the tea:

    Herbal Diuretics for Water Retention

    Herbal remedies have been used as diuretics for centuries and are effective in eliminating excess fluid in the body while replacing important nutrients that are sometimes lost using a synthetic diuretic. While taking herbal diuretics it is important to limit sodium in the diet and drink 48 to 64 ounces of water daily to help flush out the system. The most effective herbal diuretics include:

    Green tea – Try drinking two to three cups of green tea each day or take green tea supplements. For people who cannot have caffeine, try a de-caffeinated green tea or take supplements which are naturally caffeine-free

    Dandelion Leaf – Whether taken as a tea or in supplement form, dandelion leaf is one of the most effective herbal diuretics available. Dandelion leaf contains several essential minerals and vitamins, including potassium, which is lost while taking a diuretic. Dandelion leaf is also free from side-effects.

    Stinging Nettle – Stinging nettle leaf also contains several essential minerals including potassium, iron and magnesium. It is available in tea, capsule and tincture form. The only reported side-effect of stinging nettle leaf is stomach upset.

    Yarrow – Yarrow is an effective diuretic which is also rich in flavonoids, minerals and vitamins. It is available in tablet, capsule, extract and tincture form as well as in tea form. Dried herbs are also available to make tea. Steep dried yarrow flowers for 10 minutes in boiling water and strain to make a tea. People who are allergic to ragweed, aspirin or are already taking a medication for anxiety, insomnia or high blood pressure should not use yarrow.

    Other herbs that may be effective as a diuretic include:

    * Black Cohosh
    * Ginseng
    * Goldenseal
    * Parsley
    * Yellow Dock

    Always talk to a doctor before trying any herbal remedy especially if already taking prescription medications.

    Sources:

    Mayo Clinic “Diuretics” Retrieved August 15, 2010.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    When dieting, water is a great way to help curb your desire to eat because it fills your stomach for a few minutes.

    After more than a year on this site, I have yet to have anyone provide medical evidence that, assuming a person is adequately hydrated, drinking water has any impact on losing weight.

    And, perhaps the reason for that is that, as these pages cite, there is no value in drinking water (except for helping you curb your appetite).

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

    http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2002/aug/080802.html

    http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/283/5/R993.full

    If folks feel some need to chug, chug, chug, it doens't matter what water-based liquid you consume.

    There's a mention by another poster that some drinks are diuretics. Well, many things are diuretics, water being one of them. One of the issues about caffeinated beverages is that they contain...caffeine and "it's a diuretic".

    Big deal.

    Yes, it's a diuretic and it has a measurable impact on urine production. Ooops, no it doesn't! Let me caveat that. For folks who normally consume caffeine, the diuretic effect has no impact on our day to day lives. The phrase "measurable but insignificant" comes to mind. In this case, I don't recall if it's even measurable.

    I haven't looked into the diuretic effect of caffeine on folks who don't ingest caffeine but I'd love to see medical evidence about it.

    If any one has that, or other medically-based information, I'd love to read about it.

    The bottom line? The International association of marathon medical directors (yes, there's such a group) changed their medical advice to marathoners based on "overwhelming evidence" that there is no need to "pre-hydrate" before a marathon. Instead, their advice to folks is to drink when you're thirsty.

    This process (losing weight) is simple - for the vast majority of people just eat less, exercise more and you will lose weight. Note that I said it was "simple" and not "easy". If you get hunger pangs, water can be a very, very effective tool in helping you not eat. Other than that, though, there is zero medical evidence that drinking water will help you lose weight.

    Yes, I lost 95 pounds in 7 months and I rarely drink plain water. I do however, drink plain water when I'm thirsty so, if I'm running a run of less than 10 miles, I'll drink water to replenish what I've lost through perspiration.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    I've read the posting on the Mayo Clinic site and I was disappointed, but not surprised, to read that they are keeping the myth alive.

    Note, too, that Mayo much of what's in that page is reporting what the infamous "some folks" do.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Here we go again ATT! Let's keep mythbusting!


    The average person needs 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
  • gabbyrosec
    gabbyrosec Posts: 7
    So all in all it seems that it comes down to varying opinions and points of view. I think you've all made some really valid points here, I mean, of course any fluid is a diuretic as its going to make you wee more? Haha, I can't think of a drink that makes me wee less. And whilst water isn't going to make you lose weight it's a great aid to feeling a bit fuller and you can't ignore general benefits of being well hydrated. Of course, as a few of you have said, water is not the only way of being hydrated. I don't really know what point I'm trying to make. I guess I think I'll carry on drinking water when I'm thirsty but I'm not going for force it down, cos that's just not enjoyable haha.
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