While tea is mostly water, many varieties also contain caffeine. Because caffeine is a mild diuretic (i.e., it makes you urinate more), it's a common belief that caffeinated tea is dehydrating and can't be counted toward fluid goals.
The Eatwell Guide says we should 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.
Coffee and tea also count in your tally. Many used to believe that they were dehydrating, but that myth has been debunked. The diuretic effect does not offset hydration.
Summary: One cup of tea would count as about three-quarters of a cup of water.
Juice, smoothies, iced coffee, ice tea, protein shakes, milk, and other drinks can be excellent alternatives to water. You should avoid relying too much on drinks with a high sugar content, such as soda, certain fruit juces, energy drinks and chocolate milk.
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.
It is a wrong concept and behavior of only drinking tea but no water. After all, tea contains different ingredients, and most of these rich ingredients need to be released from the body and metabolized to make it easier for the body to absorb.
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and northern Myanmar.
Drinking Too Much Tea May Cause Negative Side Effects
If you are drinking more than 9 cups a day, you might be overdoing it. Many types of tea contain caffeine which, when overused, can cause anxiety, unwanted stress, poor sleep, increased stomach issues, headaches, heartburn, and create caffeine dependency.
A recent study conducted by researchers at King's College in London claim tea is better for your health compared to water. Unlike water, tea contains a number of naturally occurring compounds, such as polyphenols, that have many health-promoting properties.
However, on average a cup of tea contains 47mg of caffeine. Doctors recommend a caffeine intake of no more than 400mg to reduce your chance of negative symptoms like restlessness, insomnia, headaches, dizziness, and dehydration. Therefore, in terms of caffeine, many consider more than 8 cups of tea to be too much.
If you're a regular tea drinker, you can continue drinking tea and it will contribute to your overall hydration level. It shouldn't replace water, though, especially if you're drinking more than six or seven cups of black tea per day. It's important to incorporate some water into your daily fluid intake.
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 high caffeine based drinks on an empty stomach can lead to heartburn, bloating, pain and increase ulcer pain. This is because the acid in tea/caffeine based drinks interfere with the digestive acids in the stomach and lead to bloating and acid reflux.
In this battle over health benefits, coffee comes out on top. Coffee drinkers can raise a mug to fiber, microbiome health and lowering risk for cancer and diabetes. But tea drinkers, do not despair. Tea is undoubtedly good for your blood pressure, cholesterol, stress levels, mental health and productivity.
Best for overall health: green tea
When it comes to tea, green tea gets the gold. “Green tea is the champ when it comes to offering health benefits,” says Czerwony. “It's the Swiss Army knife of teas.
Higher tea consumption was also associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and stroke.
Other studies have shown teas can help protect your teeth and your heart, as well as possibly even helping to stave off cancer. At the very least, drinking tea is a flavorful way of getting enough fluid into your body each day. Which type you drink can make a difference.
A: Although it's possible that you will get more of whatever health benefits can come from tea by drinking it without milk added, if you prefer your tea with milk, research is not strong enough to suggest that you change your habit.
Here are some tips to help you make sure you are drinking enough fluids to maintain good levels of hydration. You are probably all aware of the “cardinal rule” that says adults should drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.
Mineral, structured, and pure spring water are some of the healthiest water you can drink because they're clean and contain all the essential minerals your body needs. Filtered water removes contaminants but might also remove essential minerals.
Drinking water first thing in the morning immediately helps rehydrate the body. Your six to eight hours of sleep is a long period to go without any water consumption. Drinking two or three glasses of water right when you wake up is a good way to rehydrate your body quickly.