Uh, Does Tea Dehydrate You? Here's How It Compares To Water & Coffee

“Tea is conscionable arsenic hydrating arsenic pat water,” explains Carrie Ruxton, Ph.D., a dietitian for nan Tea Advisory Panel and interrogator who has studied nan effects of beverage connected hydration.

In fact, a 2011 study conducted by Ruxton compared the hydrating effects of achromatic beverage and regular water1 directly. In nan study, participants were fixed six cups of achromatic beverage to portion complete nan people of nan day. Their hydration position was measured and nan research was past repeated utilizing nan aforesaid magnitude of pat water. “The results showed nary differences successful hydration status,” Ruxton tells mindbodygreen.

This mimics nan findings of nan Beverage Hydration Index2, which measures really overmuch definite beverages origin nan assemblage to clasp aliases suffer fluid complete 4 hours erstwhile compared to water. Tea comes successful correct astir water, compared to things for illustration coffee, which is somewhat (but conscionable slightly) little hydrating thanks successful portion to its higher caffeine content. Caffeine has a diuretic effect, meaning it tin origin you to suffer much fluid done urine than you retain.

According to Dana Cohen, M.D., an integrative medicine practitioner and co-author of Quench: Beat Fatigue, Drop Weight, and Heal Your Body Through nan New Science of Optimum Hydration, tea tin count towards daily fluid intake.

As a wide norm of thumb, nan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics3 recommends aiming for astatine slightest 9 cups of fluid per time for women and 13 cups per time for men. However, they besides statement that fluid requirements tin alteration depending connected a agelong database of factors, including your age, sex, activity level, and wellness status.

Pro tip: Instead of sticking to a circumstantial amount, Cohen recommends drinking capable fluid that you’re taking a bath break each 2-3 hours to guarantee you’re staying well-hydrated.

Summary

Tea is conscionable arsenic hydrating arsenic water, and it tin count towards your regular fluid intake (9-13 cups of fluid per day, aliases capable to make you return a bath break each 2-3 hours).

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• Black tea: Each cup of achromatic beverage provides astir 47 milligrams4 of caffeine, which is astir half nan magnitude recovered successful coffee. “[This] is excessively debased to person an effect connected hydration but conscionable capable to beforehand mild alertness,” says Ruxton.
• Green tea: Compared to achromatic tea, green tea is moreover little successful caffeine, pinch conscionable 29 milligrams5 successful each cup, making it a awesome prime for staying hydrated.
• Herbal tea: Herbal teas for illustration peppermint, chamomile, and rooibos are typically free of caffeine and tin thief support you hydrated. According to 1 study connected dehydrated wrestlers, rooibos was likewise effective astatine promoting rehydration6 arsenic regular water.

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The thought that beverage tin origin dehydration stems from its caffeine content, arsenic studies show that drinking ample amounts of caffeine—around 250-300 milligrams, aliases betwixt 5-8 cups of tea—could enactment arsenic a natural diuretic7 and propulsion disconnected fluid balance.

However, Ruxton points retired that these studies are based connected nan depletion of high-dose caffeine pills alternatively than caffeinated drinks. In fact, studies connected nan effects of caffeine-containing beverages for illustration java person really recovered that it offers beautiful akin hydrating properties8 arsenic h2o erstwhile enjoyed successful moderation.

According to Cohen, if you’re drinking little than 8 cups of beverage per day, it’s improbable to origin dehydration. Ruxton agrees, explaining that “tea will ne'er origin dehydration because nan humble caffeine contented of 40-50 milligrams per serving is ever teamed up pinch 100-250 milliliters of water.”

So if beverage is really hydrating, why do immoderate group consciousness barren aft drinking it? Interestingly, this whitethorn really beryllium owed to its contented of tannins, which are compounds recovered successful beverage that person astringent properties9, making your rima consciousness barren aft you drink.

Summary

At nan extremity of nan day, sipping connected a soothing cup of beverage from clip to clip won’t origin dehydration and tin beryllium a awesome measurement to meet your fluid needs. If caffeine is simply a concern, opt for caffeine-free herbal teas to get your hole instead. Throwing successful a fewer crystal cubes tin besides compression a spot much h2o into your beverage and boost nan hydrating effects.

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While beverage tin thief support you hydrated, going overboard whitethorn do much harm than bully erstwhile it comes to your health, which is partially owed to its caffeine content.

“The European Food Safety Authority recommends that we support our regular caffeine intake beneath 500 milligrams per time which equates to astir 10 cups of tea,” says Ruxton. Exceeding this magnitude tin origin a slew of side effects, including anxiety, dizziness, headaches, and insomnia.

Because of its caffeine content, it’s besides champion to instrumentality to drinking caffeinated beverage earlier successful nan time to debar interfering pinch your slumber schedule. Drinking a cup correct earlier bedtime tin besides summation nan consequence of waking up successful nan mediate of nan nighttime for a bath break.

Plus, beverage tin besides origin nausea10 for immoderate people, particularly erstwhile sipped connected an quiet stomach. For this reason, it mightiness beryllium champion to bask a cup of beverage alongside a ray snack aliases repast alternatively than drinking it each connected its own.

Summary

Drinking excessively overmuch caffeinated beverage tin origin anxiety, dizziness, headaches, insomnia, and different slumber disruptions. But this shouldn't hap unless you're drinking much than a whopping 10 cups a day.

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So does beverage dehydrate you? According to nan experts, it tin really beryllium conscionable arsenic hydrating arsenic water, truthful agelong arsenic you don’t spell overboard. In fact, Cohen points retired that caffeine-free varieties for illustration herbal beverage tin beryllium a flavorful measurement to meet your regular fluid requirements, particularly if you don’t for illustration nan sensation of plain water.

Besides helping to boost hydration, many types of beverage (such arsenic green tea) whitethorn moreover connection added wellness benefits, helping to ease accent levels aliases supply a zip of other energy. So see this your motion to portion up!