can tea count as water?

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2/26/13 5:37 P

I just count water as water. All the other liquids are a bonus.

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2/21/13 1:24 P

Wrong - educate yourself with this article below and there's many more out there now with the same info...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661

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2/19/13 5:06 P

How much fluid do we need?

Anyone who has ever been on a diet will tell you that you are supposed to drink at least 8 cups of water a day. Everyone knows this, but finding the evidence to support it is another story. In 2004, the Food and Nutrition Board established recommendations on the intake of water. The recommendations were set based on the necessary amount needed to maintain health and reduce chronic disease risk:

The vast majority of healthy people adequately meet their daily hydration needs by letting thirst be their guide.



The report did not specify exact requirements for water but set general recommendations for women at approximately 2.7 L (91 oz) of total water (from all beverages and foods) each day and men at an average of approximately 3.7 L (125 oz daily) of total water.



The panel did not set an upper level for water.



About 80% of people's total water intake comes from drinking water and beverages (including caffeinated beverages), and the other 20% is derived from food.



Prolonged physical activity and heat exposure will increase water losses and therefore may raise daily fluid needs, although it is important to note that excessive amounts of fluid can be life threatening. Acute water toxicity has been reported due to rapid consumption of large quantities of fluids that greatly exceeded the kidney's maximal excretion rate of approximately 0.7 to 1.0 L/hour.


The report allows all fluids to be counted into your total intake, so people began eliminating water from their diets in favor of other liquids. However, the recommendations were not intended to reduce water consumption. Water should be your primary source of fluid. Our bodies are made up of over 60% water, not coffee, tea, juice, or soda. Caffeine is a treat that will have health consequences when consumed in excessive amounts and is not safe for everyone. Set limits on the treats that you allow yourself, and be sure to give your body what it needs in adequate amounts. Too much of anything is just too much for our bodies to handle.

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2/19/13 2:14 P

I would say yes to decaffeinated tea.

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2/19/13 1:45 P

I don't think so.

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2/19/13 9:35 A

I found this:"
We are often asked if tea and coffee contribute to the required daily water intake. If the coffee or tea is caffeine-free, then you can count it as part of your water intake. However, if the tea or coffee is caffeinated, you actually need to drink MORE water to compensate for the dehydrating effect of the caffeine. This means that you need to drink the required 75-100 ounces of water (or half of your body weight in ounces, whichever is greater) PLUS extra water to make up for the caffeine. If you drink 8 oz of a caffeinated beverage, you need to drink an additional 8 ounces of water to compensate."
At this rate
I already drink 1200cc of black tea a day, I will be you know where, if I add 1200cc of water.
Quess I better cut back or switch to decaf.

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2/2/13 3:24 P

no

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2/2/13 12:36 P

My urologist used to say drink water - not juice, not coffee, not tea, nothing in your water just water. I got in the habit of drinking "just" water. He wanted to keep everything clean and toxin free.
That's probably where I got that thinking from

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2/2/13 12:28 P

I do but I sometimes wonder--it would probably help me to drink all the water as just water!

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2/1/13 6:20 P

I count tea if it is decaf and unsweetened.

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1/31/13 3:51 P

I don't count my tea as water. To me water has nothing in it.

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1/31/13 12:59 P

As long as it is decaf.

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1/18/13 11:05 A

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1/18/13 12:24 A

I do

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1/17/13 3:52 P

Good because I've been doing it anyways!!!!!!

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1/17/13 3:44 P

As a tea drinker I was glad to read this! Wahoo!

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1/16/13 8:09 P

I'm drinking about 6 cups of tea a day (I brew a small pot of 2 1/2 cups and then put a tsp of honey in it and keep in in my water bottle). I have been doing this since mid December.

I read recently that the caffeine is only in the first brew of the loose tea leaves, and that you can continue to brew 3 more pots - and there is no caffeine in those ones.

So, that's what I've been doing, and it's been good. I have to shape up my diet a bit better, but the tea is good for you. Not sure if the honey is an OK idea - I don't want to use sugar or splenda though.

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1/16/13 11:21 A

Well I would like to think so.

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1/15/13 2:10 P

For water, I count: fruit/herbal teas (with no milk/sugar), fruit squash (no added sugar) and water itself.

Anything else is a no.

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1/9/13 1:02 P

Glad to hear that tea can be counted as water! I don't like water! Tea I can drink all day long.

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1/8/13 10:38 A

yeah I go along with the "as long as no caffeine" deal...count as water...

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1/7/13 6:28 P

I count my decaff unsweetened tea as water.

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1/7/13 10:54 A

As long as the tea is decaffeinated or herbal, I'd count it as water.

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1/7/13 12:23 A

I recall being told at Weight Watchers that up to half of your daily "water" intake could be from other beverages as long as they do not contain caffeine so it really depends upon what type of tea you are drinking. Many herb and some green teas for instance are decaffeinated.
Pure water is best for at least 3-4 glasses but yes, the rest can be coffee, tea, juice, or milk.

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1/6/13 7:09 P

I drink decaffeinated tea and have been counting it as water. When I was a member of another weight loss group (dynasty?) I was told that it was valid to count it that way.

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1/6/13 5:01 P

I use green tea and count it as water. Yes? No?

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1/6/13 11:50 A

If the tea is decaffeinated and I don't use sugar, I count as water

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12/21/12 10:15 P

yes i believe so

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12/20/12 2:39 A

I sure hope so - I drink 10-15 cups a day, No sugar.

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12/19/12 8:48 P

yes

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12/19/12 8:34 A

I heard through another weight loss program that as long as it was decaf it can count...but I dont know. I always just count only pure water as water

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12/19/12 1:01 A

I just count half, since it won't have the same hydrating effect as pure water. So I log 2 cups of tea as 1 glass of water. I think that more than accounts for the difference.

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12/13/12 10:20 P

Agree nothing takes the place of water

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12/13/12 7:30 P

Now that I've made my large 24 ounce mug of herbal tea (and counted it), I have to say that this link provided by DOESEATOATS to be rather interesting--along with many of the links it leads to--could have stayed there all night! Yes, I shall continue to add my herbal tea toward my 8--8 oz cups of water per day. I'm so glad I found this thread--have been wondering if it was okay to do so. In my mind, it is.

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12/8/12 9:05 A

On my diet as well it counts as water. I have cup of hot tea with honey at lunch, but most of the time drink unsweetened iced tea.

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12/4/12 6:40 P

Yes, on my diet.

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12/4/12 9:18 A

Sorry, No,nothing takes the place of water

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11/6/12 4:04 P

No, sorry.

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11/6/12 12:52 P

No I don't think so

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10/29/12 7:17 P

For my diet plan it counts as 8oz of water as long as it is decaffinated.

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10/24/12 10:23 P

I just left WW after 6 weeks and decided to come back to sparks. At WW, tea/coffee did count as water up to half anyway. I am sure water would be best all around though.

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10/24/12 2:17 P

..tea only counts as water 'if' it is herbal tea and has had no sweetener or milk added...as soon as you add anything beyond a slice of fresh fruit...like citrus...it changes the structure of the liquid and it no longer has cleansing properties...

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10/23/12 3:25 A

Yes as there is a lot of water in it

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10/23/12 1:26 A

On my tracking I don't count the first cup, but I do any that follow. (hopefully offsetting for the caffine dehydration difference) I never would count a drink that had sugar added as the kidneys need water to process out the sugar.

To read the BEST summary of the whole issue, sugar drinks, getting hydration from food, caffine and just how much water per your calorie intake, please read www.news-medical.net/news/20120530/Dehydra
tion-how-much-should-we-drink-per-day.
aspx

Bottom link with a caffine drink it is more dehydrating that water, but you are make forward progress -- however alcohol has a negative net effect and a glass of wine will make you output MORE water than you took in.

So if you count tea, you should drink more than the typical 8 glasses.....

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10/22/12 4:35 P

I guess I'll never get enough water then...I do count iced tea as water...I put nothing in it but tea. It does act as a diaretic; so have been told, really, not to count it. I just don't see it though...

I do not count coffee, mocha or beer as someone suggested as you can understand those would be chock full of other no nos. Really...

Edited by: RACEWIFE at: 10/22/2012 (16:38)

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10/22/12 11:13 A

Water is water not tea, or coffee or moonshine!

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10/19/12 11:16 P

I guess it is up to you. But personally I would only count water with nothing added as water. In my opinion even though tea does have water in it, tea does not count! Hope this helps

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10/15/12 6:07 P

No

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10/1/12 8:45 P

Thanks for the link, DOESEATOATS! I'm glad to get an answer to that question once and for all.

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10/1/12 2:54 P

I imagine that anyone can count any which way they please: each digit, every other, by 5's, by 10's!

If anyone insists on counting tea as water, they might just as well count coffee as water, chocolate drinks, mocha, coffee, espreso, beer, wine and alcohol mixed drinks as water also . . . as most of them have water content as well . . . right?

Water is water . . . other things are NOT water . . . NO?

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10/1/12 9:27 A

i've always been told no, water is just plain water.. no crystal light packets added, no tea etc

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9/30/12 4:30 P

Yes, of course . . . if one goes throught the time and trouble to filter out the tea and other additives . . . and leave good plain old water ! ! !

I'd not go through any of the hassle, unless there were no potable water available to me at all!

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9/29/12 10:31 A

Please read what the Mayo Clinic has to say on this issue:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661

Edited by: DOESEATOATS at: 9/29/2012 (10:32)

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9/12/12 2:06 P

when i did WW if it was decaf it counted as water

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9/12/12 12:35 P

I do like the change

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9/12/12 12:10 P

good to know!

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9/11/12 8:21 P

caffeine free does

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9/11/12 2:22 A

not for me.

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9/10/12 11:59 P

Last winter when I would drink 3 kettles of decaf green tea a day (for WARMTH!), I counted every 3rd 12oz mug as 1 in my water count



Let's Go, Sparkers



BLESSINGS !

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9/10/12 4:01 A

if there's caffeine in it no,

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9/4/12 7:46 P

no

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8/27/12 11:24 P

I guess someone will do a study now, or even a few someones and this question will continue to be a question with a gazillion different unsubstantiated opinions. I weighed in on the issue on my blog this morning, so I won't be repetitive.

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8/26/12 3:37 P

No

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8/25/12 12:57 P

I say yes if its caffeine free since caffeine can dehydrate you.

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8/24/12 8:44 P

never thought about it

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