Lemonade, tea, etc. = water??

I am sure you will probably get some better answers on here from people who actually know what they are talking about but in my personal experience I do not count anything with caffeine (tea) as water servings as I feel the caffeine in it takes away all the healthy benefits water gives me. However, crystal light and things of that nature which is essentially just flavoring could perhaps count?

I've wondered this before. Personally I think it probably does count, as it is water (just with some extra stuff as well!) but I don't count it, as I think that the more water the better so I always try to get 8 glasses of water on it's own each day. Also, I don't want to get in the habit of using coffee / fizzy drinks etc to get my water count up, as those kinds of drinks are just empty calories and even calorie free drinks like diet coke have bad additives in it, whereas water is calorie free and really good for you!

The first post is correct by saying that even though a drink is mostly made up of water, if it has caffeine in it that dehydrates you more. I would make sure I get the 8 glasses alone and just count the other as a benefit but watch the empty calories

Like the other posters said if it has caffeine then you shouldn't count it as water. I drink 2 cups of green tea every morning but I don't count them.

Ask the Experts
April 2010 Archive2007200820092010


Q: Are caffeinated beverages dehydrating? Do they count towards my eight-a-day glasses of water?

A: Many people think they can’t count coffee, tea, and colas as part of fluid intake, because caffeine promotes urination briefly. But you don’t end up with a net loss of water from drinking moderate amounts of caffeinated beverages. In other words, they don’t dehydrate you.

For instance, in a study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center a decade ago, healthy adults showed the same “hydration status” (as determined from urine analysis and other tests) when they drank caffeinated colas and/or coffee as when they drank only water and/or fruit drinks. And in its 2005 report on water needs, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which advises the government about health issues, including dietary intakes, concluded that “caffeinated beverages appear to contribute to the daily total water intake similar to that contributed by noncaffeinated beverages.”

In any case, it’s a myth that you need to drink eight glasses of water a day. There’s no scientific backing for this rule. The IOM report confirmed this, too. People normally get enough fluids by drinking when they’re thirsty—though older people should drink water before they get thirsty, especially in the heat, since thirst is a less reliable indicator as we age. And other beverages besides water (including caffeinated ones), as well as foods (such as fruits and vegetables), help meet fluid needs

I only count water and try to drink between 64 and 80 oz a day. Tea or anything else water based is just a "bonus"

I am sure you will probably get some better answers on here from people who actually know what they are talking about but in my personal experience I do not count anything with caffeine (tea) as water servings as I feel the caffeine in it takes away all the healthy benefits water gives me. However, crystal light and things of that nature which is essentially just flavoring could perhaps count?

When I was in nursing school I had to do a research paper on the artificial sweeteners that are used in products like Crystal light, etc. What I found out was pretty amazing, I wont touch the stuff myself. I would reach for the caffeine before reaching for the artificial sweetened crap.

I don't count soft drinks or tea or coffee in my water count for the day. I do count the occasional glass of diet cordial but I also add in the calories.

I was once addicted to diet coke and drank about 1-2 liters a day. I drank it when I was thirsty instead of having water. Ended up very addicted.

So now I try to drink at least 2 liters of water a day. I limit my caffeine intake to 3 cups of tea a day usually and maybe a coffee some days. I now only have coke zero as a treat or as a mixer if I am having a scotch or bourbon. I limit to one can a day a couple of times a week at most.

Currently studying for my licensing exam to become a registered nurse and the textbook I'm using put it best:

"Anything that is liquid at room temperature is considered part of the daily fluid intake." (Mosby's Comprehensive Review for the Canadian RN Exam)

I personally count tea, coffee and water in my log here on MFP but I know I get more fluid than that in reality. It all comes down to personal choice, if you feel like you'll float away drinking 8 cups of water plus all the other fluids you drink in a day, then don't force it down, count all your fluids.