Does Coffee Count as Water | Sharp HealthCare (2024)

FAQs

Does Coffee Count as Water | Sharp HealthCare? ›

The short answer: Yes. Caffeinated beverages do have a mild diuretic effect, which means they will send you to the bathroom slightly faster than other beverages.

The good news is that tea – and coffee – do count towards your daily water intake. Both are made with water, so it stands to reason. But there are often question marks over tea and coffee's diuretic nature, the caffeine contained in both, and whether or not they will even dehydrate you.

For example, many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and spinach, are almost 100% water by weight. In addition, beverages such as milk, juice and herbal teas are composed mostly of water. Even caffeinated drinks — such as coffee and soda — can contribute to your daily water intake.

Coffee is 99% water! Use only the cleanest, freshest water available. It's best not to use distilled water in which the natural minerals have been removed because coffee interacts with these minerals to naturally enhance the taste.

In contrast to the common belief that caffeine may cause water retention, caffeine is, in fact, a diuretic. A diuretic promotes diuresis, meaning it encourages the kidneys to eliminate extra salt and water from the body through urine.

Daily fluid intake

The Eatwell Guide recommends that people should aim to drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count. You may need to drink more fluids if you're: pregnant or breastfeeding.

However, drinking coffee isn't the same as drinking water. For instance, 2015-published research found that people lost about 15% of fluid per 300 mg of caffeine consumption. In other words, fewer than 7 ounces of coffee can go toward a person's daily water intake (and remember, a cup is considered 8 ounces.)

Translating this into coffee terms, for every eight ounce cup of coffee you consume, you can really only count a net of 6.8 ounces of fluid. (Technically only 6.664 ounces since 98% of that total is actually water.)

So, while it's generally assumed safe to drink coffee and not risk dehydration, that doesn't mean it's safe to completely eliminate water from your daily fluid intake. If you drink only coffee and no water, you could become dehydrated.

Coffee is a mild diuretic. But it probably won't make you dehydrated — especially if you're a regular coffee drinker and you limit yourself to less than 400 mg of caffeine per day. For most healthy adults, coffee is fine to enjoy regularly. And it can even contribute toward your total water intake for the day.

Does co*ke count as water intake? ›

Do caffeinated drinks like Coca‑Cola count towards my recommended daily water intake? Yes. Sparkling soft drinks, including reduced and no sugar, no calorie options, contain between 85% and 99% water, which means they can help quench thirst and count towards your recommended daily fluid intake. Did you know?

These data suggest that coffee, when consumed in moderation by caffeine habituated males provides similar hydrating qualities to water.

Processed, high-salt, high-fat, high-sugar foods and certain dairy products can make oedema worse. What foods to avoid for fluid retention? Avoid high-sodium foods, processed foods, unhealthy fats, and high-sugar beverages to avoid fluid retention.

Do healthy people really need liquids even when they are not thirsty? Virtually every health-conscious person can quote the recommendation: Drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day. Other beverages—coffee, tea, soda, beer, even orange juice—don't count.

It's really quite simple… Caffeine does not cause dehydration, nor does it deplete the human body of electrolytes. That is, if you don't over-consume caffeinated drinks. However, we understand that everyone is different, and some people may be more sensitive to caffeine than others.

While a cup of coffee is not as hydrating as a glass of water, it can count toward your daily liquid intake. "Because it acts as a diuretic, I would count coffee as about half as much liquid as it really is," physician Catherine Waldrop, M.D., tells mbg.

Research shows that milk is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks. Researchers credit milk's natural electrolytes, carbohydrates and protein for its effectiveness. Drinking milk after exercise helps replace essential electrolytes that are lost in sweat.