Tea and sugar free drinks

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  • I drink quite a bit of tea and we use the sugar free mixes like fruit punch (etc) too....do you count this as part of your water intake fully or do you have to subtract a little for the additions of the tea and flavor?
  • I don't count tea towards my water intake ever. I enjoy a cup now and then when it's cold.

    I don't really add mixes to my water but if I did I'd probably count that towards my water. Like if I mixed up half a liter then drank it with lunch.
  • I don't count tea but I use the drink mixes quite a bit and count those. I usually only use half the recommended amount because full strength tastes too strong.
  • I agree....I only use half strength too. Do you know if there is something specific about tea not to count it?
  • If non-water drinks didn't count as "water" I would have died at some point, literally. Not the healthiest lifestyle, but yeah, have been known to drink nothing but diet pop for days to no adverse effects. I find it interesting that Katieee and Beerab don't count tea, but do count mixes. Tea is probably more water vs whatever than most things, if you aren't adding sugar, honey, milk, etc. Infact, considering it's natural and healthy, I would count tea as a water before artificial drink mixes. I'd be interested in hearing more as to why tea doesn't count?
  • I totally count tea towards my water intake. I don't drink it every day and I rarely drink anything but herbal, so it seems like a decent source of water to me.

    As for mixes, I count those too. Since I'm only drinking Crystal light and rarely more than one mix a day, i don't consider the calories. I'm on WW so I would have to drink a lot of Crystal light to equal a point.

    If you're worried about it, you can always just make your water flavored at home. If you put a pitcher into the fridge with lemons, cucumbers or mint, it can give a slightly flavored taste to plain water.
  • I count herbal tea as water too. But I don't add any artificial sweetners.
  • I drink two Crystal Lite packets everyday, which I think is 20calories, but I don't count them (I know, slap on the wrist). I don't drink them strong at all, those 2 packets make 6 full water bottles. I absolutely count it towards my water consumption. I drink 101.4oz in just water bottles with Crystal Lite. Not to mention the fluid I get from fruits, milk in my cereal, and other food.

    If I drank tea, I'd count that also.
  • I don't track liquids/water, but I doubt I drink 2 full glasses of straight, pure water a month. I do drink a crap load of crystal lite, tea, and coffee.
  • I drink a lot of hot tea and diet Snapple and count them both in my fluid intake.
  • All the liquids count towards your bodies fluid requirements, because our bodies have no problem at all using the fluid in beverages and foods. Even coffee counts, and contrary to popular myth there's no need to
    "compensate" with additional water.

    I use the Walmart store brand drink mix (comparable to Crystal Light), and I like to use one tub (makes 2 quarts) in a gallon pitcher and then add a couple of tea bags.

    I try to avoid drinking caffeine after 3pm, just so that it won't interfere with sleep.

    There have been some recent studies that have found health benefits to both coffee and tea (for coffee up to three cups per day). It could be the caffeine, or it could be the antioxidants and other phytonutrients.

    I'm trying to get more of my caffeine from tea (I've never been a coffee drinker) and less of it from diet sodas (I used to have a morning diet Coke like most people have a morning cup of coffee).
  • I totally count my iced tea. I drink a ton of green tea, unsweetened, cold. Sometimes if I am feeling wacky (lol) I will put some lemon juice in it or a can of 5 calorie light lemonade (into an entire 2 quart pitcher).

    But yeah, I count it, I go through a 2 quart pitcher of iced green tea every few days. Love it.

    I tend not to count diet sodas, but I have those pretty rarely anyway. Same with coffee.
  • I wouldn't count caffinated tea because caffine dehydrates you, hence negating the point of drinking fluids. I do count crystal light because I add 1/2 a packet to 32 oz of water.
  • i do not count it.. the crystal light stuff and ice tea, it isnt water to me.. so i drink my 2.5-3 litres a day and whatever else on top of it.. other wise i feel like im "cheating" water.. weird i know..
  • I personally don't count anything that's not pure water as water anymore. I drink hot tea and light lemonade, but don't count them. However, when I was on weight watchers I counted drinks with no calories, caffeine, or sodium as part of my water intake. I think at the time they were saying to make sure at least 1/2 of your "water intake" was just pure water.