Water

[elainegrey]

New smart watch would make tracking water consumption rather convenient.I might do so to compare work days to work-in-the-yard days. So i started wondering about what counts as water as i mixed my masala blend of hibiscus, ginger, clove, and tumeric into some warm water.

Poll #19603 Water

This poll is anonymous.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 16

Do you keep track of how much water you drink?

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Yes, accurately, in units of 8 oz glasses.
0 (0.0%)

Yes, accurately.
2 (12.5%)

Yes.
0 (0.0%)

Well, roughly.
4 (25.0%)

I drink when i'm thirsty.
10 (62.5%)

If you were to count glasses of water what additions would you accept as still being "water"?

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carbonation
10 (66.7%)

lemon or other citrus slice
15 (100.0%)

mint or other fresh herb
14 (93.3%)

spices (like tumeric or ginger)
14 (93.3%)

a dash of bitters
8 (53.3%)

Would you count any of the following in your water tracker?

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herbal tea/tisane
10 (100.0%)

tea
5 (50.0%)

coffee
2 (20.0%)

mate
2 (20.0%)

fruit or vegetable juice
2 (20.0%)

some blended concotion
2 (20.0%)

milk
2 (20.0%)

soda
3 (30.0%)

beer
1 (10.0%)

wine
1 (10.0%)

mixed drink with soda water or tonic water
1 (10.0%)

mixed drink with other mixers
1 (10.0%)

alcohol on the rocks
1 (10.0%)

soup
3 (30.0%)

watermellon
3 (30.0%)

Comments

[oakmouse]

FYI, with regard to things like tea, coffee, mate, fruit juice, etc --- the principle I was taught in health class is that anything which requires more fluid for the body to process than it brings in with it doesn't count for hydration purposes. Also, diuretics don't count because they flush out fluid from your system.

So according to what i was taught, herbal tisanes which are not strong diuretics and don't contain caffeine (which is a diuretic) count. Tea, coffee, mate, juice, milk, highly sweetened beverages (ie soda), alcoholic beverages, and smoothies don't count as all of them either have diuretic properties (tea, coffee) or rquire more fluid to process than they bring in (juice, beer).

This was about 40 years ago, though, so understandings of how the body processes, say, milk or vegetable juices may have advanced and changed which categories the different beverages belong to. But the basic advice is still sound: if it flushes fluids (diuretics) or requires a lot of fluid for the body to process (alcohol), it doesn't count toward liquid requirements.

[snippy]

I drink when I'm thirsty, but that's because many years ago I trained for it. I needed to increase my fluids per doctor, so I got an 8-ounce cup and at the top of every hour at work, I drank what was left and refilled it. Now without keeping track I average half a gallon a day at work alone, so I don't worry about it.

[annie_r]

I really really need to drink more water.

[elainegrey]

At the moment, the current advice per webMD -- https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/healthy-beverages#1 -- counts almost everything but alcohol. There's even advice that fruit is hydrating (watermelon), and vegetables like celery and romaine. OK, they also include tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers as vegetables that help you stay hydrated, but i consider those fruits.

Admittedly "consume to keep hydrated" and "counts as water" aren't exactly the same question.

[elainegrey]

I think i started drinking at work as a fidget. Getting up to drink, getting up to... undrink. Rinse and repeat. I'm pretty sure while i'm working inside i am staying hydrated. Outside i try to stay hydrated - -and i am wanting to figure out how much i do drink inside so i can create a target for outside (which will need to be larger to compensate for perspiration).

[warriorsavant]

The famous "eight glasses of water per day" (plus enough to cover additional sweating in hot climates or with heavy work) actually included "water" taken in as part of food. Doesn't matter how you get the liquid into you, you need liquid (although one could argue about needed 8 x 8oz). Alcohol and caffeine are mild diuretics (make you urinate out liquid), so probably shouldn't count toward the total, but hard to tally how much you take in versus how much diuretic effect you get.

Short answer: don't worry so much about the details. Drink when you are thirsty, but in a hot climate drink before you actually get thirsty so you don't fall too far behind. Also in a very cold (and therefore dry) climate.

Another short answer: judge by the color/clarity of your urine (assuming no major kidney problems or infections). If it is light-to-clear, you are getting enough fluids. If it is dark-to-cloudy, you are not.