Does black caffeinated coffee count as daily water

I was told by my Doctor that any drink such as coffee, tea and/or sodas count as water.

Your doctor told you soda counts as water? Really?

Yea, I'm confused by this as well. I don't see how a medical professional would say that a beverage that is pure sugar and chemicals could count as water?

Because a doctor is looking at it from a "dehydrated state" Yes sodas , filled with chemicals and sugar, can rehydrate in a proper amount. along with the chemicals and sugars it also has water in it. Thus it would rehydrate a person, if that is all one had to drink. Water is better, but soda {in the absence of other choices} would rehydrate also.

Which is exaclty why the stores of full of such drinks. Isotonic sodas, and balance rehydrate drinks etc etc...full of sugar and other chemicals. Still water based and still count as fluids.

Yes because when you are sick, your doctor tells you to drink brown fluids, not clear ones. It's totally the same thing. :huh:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/490095-crystal-light-is-not-water


hahahahah...and here we go again.

Typically, anything with caffeine in it is likely to dehydrate you, and to drink equal amounts of water.

If I drink a caffeinated beverage then no I personally do not count it.

I was told by my Doctor that any drink such as coffee, tea and/or sodas count as water.

Your doctor told you soda counts as water? Really?

Yea, I'm confused by this as well. I don't see how a medical professional would say that a beverage that is pure sugar and chemicals could count as water?

Because a doctor is looking at it from a "dehydrated state" Yes sodas , filled with chemicals and sugar, can rehydrate in a proper amount. along with the chemicals and sugars it also has water in it. Thus it would rehydrate a person, if that is all one had to drink. Water is better, but soda {in the absence of other choices} would rehydrate also.

Which is exaclty why the stores of full of such drinks. Isotonic sodas, and balance rehydrate drinks etc etc...full of sugar and other chemicals. Still water based and still count as fluids.

Yes because when you are sick, your doctor tells you to drink brown fluids, not clear ones. It's totally the same thing. :huh:

Funny actually I spent the weekend in hospital with severe dehydration folling a stomach accident. The doctor said 'plenty of fluids - juice, tea, tap water, milk, whatever I can stomach'.

Fluids is the key word. Any colour you like.

Honestly... why even tell people to drink water then? If you are going to tell people that everything they eat and drink counts as water, then why even bother to suggest it. Because obviously, if it were enough, then people everywhere would be hydrated, when statistically most people are dehydrated. You can count whatever you want as water... then don't bother to count water at all... but you won't be doing your body any favors.

What statistic is that?

I was told by my Doctor that any drink such as coffee, tea and/or sodas count as water.

Your doctor told you soda counts as water? Really?

Yea, I'm confused by this as well. I don't see how a medical professional would say that a beverage that is pure sugar and chemicals could count as water?

is it not made with water? Is the largest component not water? What is it then? Wood???

These drinks can count as a water intake.

This makes me laugh. Soda... is not water. It's liquid chemicals. If you're counting LIQUID then sure.. but water is water is waterrrrr... not soda.

I might well be thinking a different thing on Soda. Soda is is carbonated water - ie water with CO2. It's flavourless and yuk. But thats called 'soda water'.

Honestly... why even tell people to drink water then? If you are going to tell people that everything they eat and drink counts as water, then why even bother to suggest it. Because obviously, if it were enough, then people everywhere would be hydrated, when statistically most people are dehydrated. You can count whatever you want as water... then don't bother to count water at all... but you won't be doing your body any favors.

What statistic is that?

One out of the Daily Mail I suspect.

Honestly... why even tell people to drink water then? If you are going to tell people that everything they eat and drink counts as water, then why even bother to suggest it. Because obviously, if it were enough, then people everywhere would be hydrated, when statistically most people are dehydrated. You can count whatever you want as water... then don't bother to count water at all... but you won't be doing your body any favors.

I don't tell people to drink water. In general, people are hydrated. Not sure where you get "statistically most people are dehydrated" I have read/heard that also but no data to support that.
I don't know why people want to pee every hour. A waste of TP and water, not to mention the chemicals that are going in to the waterways to treat the sewage water everytime you flush.

Honestly... why even tell people to drink water then? If you are going to tell people that everything they eat and drink counts as water, then why even bother to suggest it. Because obviously, if it were enough, then people everywhere would be hydrated, when statistically most people are dehydrated. You can count whatever you want as water... then don't bother to count water at all... but you won't be doing your body any favors.

I don't tell people to drink water. In general, people are hydrated. Not sure where you get "statistically most people are dehydrated" I have read/heard that also but no data to support that.
I don't know why people want to pee every hour. A waste of TP and water, not to mention the chemicals that are going in to the waterways to treat the sewage water everytime you flush.

Before I started my lifestyle change, I drank 5 or 6 Dr Peppers a day, sometimes whole 2 liters by myself, and my doctors always said that I was dehydrated.

Honestly... why even tell people to drink water then? If you are going to tell people that everything they eat and drink counts as water, then why even bother to suggest it. Because obviously, if it were enough, then people everywhere would be hydrated, when statistically most people are dehydrated. You can count whatever you want as water... then don't bother to count water at all... but you won't be doing your body any favors.

I may be wrong, but I think "...statistically mot people are dehydrated." is not really a statistic at all. This is what I read when I did my research on the subject.

As I stated earlier, scientists are even questioning where this magic 8 cups a day came from. And they have argued that half of this 8 cups of water can come from the food we eat. You body is quiet remarkable at taking what we eat and breaking it down into what we need.

I'm of the theory that you should drink water if you are thirsty. Have you ever had a craving for salty food, or even for water? That's your body telling you what it currently needs.

No. Water is water. If it is black and has caffeine in it, then it is coffee.

This is wrong. Science is science. Read the article I posted.

I really wish people on this site would stop posting things that are scientifically wrong.

How do you know your scientific article is correct?

Consider this: You drink pure water while eating caramels. Once it's in your stomach- your body doesn't know you didn't drink flat soda (soda=coloring, flavoring, sugar, water)!!!
So why WOULDN'T a soda be considered 'water' - at least in terms of daily water intake? Same goes for coffee, tea, etc.
If you're counting calories, there is a difference, so should be entered as such- but if you're just measuring 'water' intake, yes it counts. No science needed. Just some common sense.

The argument is around the stuff in the coffee or soda (caffine) that will cause you to lose water. Even so, you will retain a percentage of the water in that beverage, meaning that beverage will hydrate you. But I don't think it's far to say 8 oz of soda counts as 8 oz of water. That's my not so humble opinion!

There are two different issues here:
1) How to log it. Since it will have some calories in it, log it as what it is. Only log water as water. Otherwise you are missing calories.

2) Does it hydrate your body? - yes it does, from that perspective it counts as water. Caffeine does not dehydrate you, it merely does not hydrate you as much as plain water would. But it does not actually result in a net loss of water from your body when you include the water in the drink that you ingest. Only alcohol actually dehydrates your body. Since there is no actual science behind the 8 cups of water per day, the question is whether you need to drink more. The best advice I was given by a doctor, and read, is that if you are thirsty, or you are not fully hydrated (urine is yellow, not clear) then drink. If you are not thirsty and you are hydrated, don't drink.

If you aren't sure, try an experiment. Spend a few hours drinking nothing but a lot tea or coffee. You will go to the bathroom a lot and your urine will be clear. You will be hydrated.

NO!!!!!

From the Mayo clinic website:

Question
Caffeine: Is it dehydrating or not?
I've been seeing ads that say cola and coffee drinks hydrate you as well as water does. Is this true?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
It is true. Researchers used to believe that caffeinated drinks had a diuretic effect. This means that you would urinate more after drinking them, which could increase your risk of becoming dehydrated. Recent research shows that this is not true and that caffeine has a diuretic effect only if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (the equivalent of 5 to 7 cups of coffee) a day.

Still, caffeinated drinks can make you jittery, sleepless or anxious. Water is probably your best bet to stay hydrated. It's calorie-free, caffeine-free, inexpensive and readily available.


Beyond the tap: Other sources of water
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.