What may seem like a silly question

ladyace15
ladyace15 Posts: 88 Member
in Food and Nutrition
When making tea at home, could you count it as consumption of water or does it have to be just straight up water?

Replies

  • Leimaro
    Leimaro Posts: 148 Member
    You could count it as water as long as you don't add sugar, honey, milk, etc., but I like to separate it to make sure I get in 8 glasses of pure water.
  • ladyace15
    ladyace15 Posts: 88 Member
    Thank you, I felt so silly to even ask, but I guess the only silly thing would have been NOT to ask :happy: I am having a hard time with my water consumption, but a fellow MFP'er gave me a recipe for "Sassy Water" so hopefully this can help me jump start my water journey!
  • Venturin
    Venturin Posts: 244 Member
    I don't count it as water either. Some people who don't like drinking plain water claim a slice of cucumber makes a difference. Haven't tried that one yet
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,404 Member
    You could count it as water as long as you don't add sugar, honey, milk, etc., but I like to separate it to make sure I get in 8 glasses of pure water.

    This is odd. Why would you negate the liquid because it had other things in it? All liquid is "countable". Black tea and some others have caffeine, which is a mild diuretic, but you can still count them as liquid. Just log the additional calories from sugar and milk.
  • tobielauren
    tobielauren Posts: 184 Member
    Some people halve the total amount of drinks like tea or drink mix to be amt of water they consumed
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Water is water. Tea contains caffeine, which can act as a diuretic, which causes the body to lose water. In restaurants coffee is usually served with water to counteract the effect of the caffeine.

    The point of your drinking several glasses of water every day is to supply your system with a quantity of pure water that will help with various physical processes the body undergoes.
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    When I was doing WW, they said that if it didn't' have caffeine you could count it as water.
  • Megdmcda
    Megdmcda Posts: 273 Member
    Water is water. Tea contains caffeine, which can act as a diuretic, which causes the body to lose water. In restaurants coffee is usually served with water to counteract the effect of the caffeine.

    The point of your drinking several glasses of water every day is to supply your system with a quantity of pure water that will help with various physical processes the body undergoes.

    lol what about decaffeinated tea. lol that's what i drink......though i do keep mine seperate lol
  • alyson820
    alyson820 Posts: 448 Member
    Tea is tea, water is water. Everyone has different opinions on this, but I think some people are making up stupid excuses for why they're not drinking water. Tea's not too bad, but I've seen people here claim that diet soda counts as water.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,404 Member
    From Mayo Clinic
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

    What about the advice to drink eight glasses a day?

    Everyone has heard the advice, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day." That's about 1.9 liters, which isn't that different from the Institute of Medicine recommendations. Although the "8 by 8" rule isn't supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it's easy to remember. Just keep in mind that the rule should be reframed as: "Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," because all fluids count toward the daily total.


    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.

    Staying safely hydrated

    Generally if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or light yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.
  • viper_7
    viper_7 Posts: 14
    Tea/Coffee/Squash/cheese/cucumber/tomatoes all contain water.

    A cup of tea is the same as a cup of water it's the same fluid intake.

    Could actually argue that Tea is healthier than water. Water is well...water. Tea also protects against heart disease and some cancers and contains those friendly antioxidants.

    It is an urban myth that tea is dehydrating. The amount of caffeine is tiny, even with the strongest cup of coffee/tea you could make, you'd still have a net intake of water.
  • Skinny_Beans
    Skinny_Beans Posts: 405 Member
    As long as it isn't coffee or sweetened tea I count it as water-basically plain tea with low or no caffeine. Flavored water isn't water to me, might as well be drinking gatorade.
  • viper_7
    viper_7 Posts: 14
    As long as it isn't coffee or sweetened tea I count it as water-basically plain tea with low or no caffeine. Flavored water isn't water to me, might as well be drinking gatorade.

    You could add 20 sugars to it - it's still the same amount of water.
    Could add 20 spoons of coffee to it, you're still taking in the same amount of water.
  • _EmmaStrong_
    _EmmaStrong_ Posts: 647 Member
    I count coffee, tea, diet soda, even soup. If it's made with water, then you consumed the water. It's all liquid and it's all going to help keep you hydrated.
  • viper_7
    viper_7 Posts: 14
    Tea is tea, water is water. Everyone has different opinions on this, but I think some people are making up stupid excuses for why they're not drinking water. Tea's not too bad, but I've seen people here claim that diet soda counts as water.

    Diet soda is water.
    Full fat sugary soda is also water. Unless you think they make sodas out of Petrol?

    It is all water. The body is quite capable of working out what is water and what is sugar and what are E numbers.
    It's liquid intake.

    People do get hung up on drinking 2 litres of pure water a day, those 2 litres can be in many forms.

    Generally, if your urine is anything darker than straw coloured you should be taking in more fluids.
  • Skinny_Beans
    Skinny_Beans Posts: 405 Member
    As long as it isn't coffee or sweetened tea I count it as water-basically plain tea with low or no caffeine. Flavored water isn't water to me, might as well be drinking gatorade.

    You could add 20 sugars to it - it's still the same amount of water.
    Could add 20 spoons of coffee to it, you're still taking in the same amount of water.

    well of course, but then you're taking in sugar and caffeine as well, when the point of servings of water a day is for actual water. I try not to drink my calories.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Water is water. Tea contains caffeine, which can act as a diuretic, which causes the body to lose water. In restaurants coffee is usually served with water to counteract the effect of the caffeine.

    The point of your drinking several glasses of water every day is to supply your system with a quantity of pure water that will help with various physical processes the body undergoes.

    lol what about decaffeinated tea. lol that's what i drink......though i do keep mine seperate lol

    Depending on the process used, decaffeinated beverages can have chemicals in them or a small amount of caffeine.

    I don't see why so many people are arguing with this recommendation. Do you really think that diet soda or soup (which will have sodium in it), is the same plain water?
  • Skinny_Beans
    Skinny_Beans Posts: 405 Member

    I don't see why so many people are arguing with this recommendation. Do you really think that diet soda or soup (which will have sodium in it), is the same plain water?

    Welcome to the internet! :p
  • Megdmcda
    Megdmcda Posts: 273 Member
    Water is water. Tea contains caffeine, which can act as a diuretic, which causes the body to lose water. In restaurants coffee is usually served with water to counteract the effect of the caffeine.

    The point of your drinking several glasses of water every day is to supply your system with a quantity of pure water that will help with various physical processes the body undergoes.

    lol what about decaffeinated tea. lol that's what i drink......though i do keep mine seperate lol

    Depending on the process used, decaffeinated beverages can have chemicals in them or a small amount of caffeine.

    I don't see why so many people are arguing with this recommendation. Do you really think that diet soda or soup (which will have sodium in it), is the same plain water?

    lol i agree w the fact that it is all liquid to keep u hydrated...but i do believe in water is water....everything may haave water but the add stuff turns into something else...now tea on the other hand i'm still iffy because i don't add sugar or anything to it.....lol but i do count them seperate. if i'm counting water intake i count just regular filtered water.
  • viper_7
    viper_7 Posts: 14
    As long as it isn't coffee or sweetened tea I count it as water-basically plain tea with low or no caffeine. Flavored water isn't water to me, might as well be drinking gatorade.

    You could add 20 sugars to it - it's still the same amount of water.
    Could add 20 spoons of coffee to it, you're still taking in the same amount of water.


    well of course, but then you're taking in sugar and caffeine as well, when the point of servings of water a day is for actual water. I try not to drink my calories.

    then you include those calories in your plan; you've still had your water intake.

    and water itself is not calorie free unless you obtain it from a laboratory.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    Diet soda is water? Hmm so then by that thinking normal soda is just water too? I sure as hell got fat drinking that kind of water. :ohwell: I count nothing but plain water as part of my water intake.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,404 Member

    and water itself is not calorie free unless you obtain it from a laboratory.

    :huh:

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