Glass tea pitcher and glasses with infused water with mint, berries, and citrus on a table with flowers and fresh fruit.

The Best Expert Tips for Staying Extra Hydrated

Is tea hydrating? Can you drink tea instead of water? 

Without proper hydration, you run the risk of not functioning fully and developing certain sicknesses and ailments. When you’re dehydrated, you might struggle to trudge through the day. Water is essential for life and living. 

But, how much water do you need? Is it really eight glasses? Can you drink other things instead of water and keep up with hydration? 

If you want to know the truth about how caffeinated drinks hydrate you, this blog has answers. And if you hate drinking water, this blog has alternatives for you so you can mix up your water intake. 

By the end, you’ll understand why hydration is so important and the differences between water and tea hydration. You’ll also discover alternatives to drinking water so you stay hydrated and healthy all day long.

Why is Hydration Important?

A woman sipping infused fruit water with a straw from a glass on a white table.

Your body is made of mostly water so it’s important to maintain that water balance. This means you must replace the water you lose from sweating, breathing, and going to the restroom. 

A loss of only one percent of water can reduce endurance and strength significantly. Dehydration can result in a lack of concentration and increased headaches.

Drinking enough water can help combat some health problems like kidney stones, urinary tract infections, constipation, and skin dehydration. Your body is made of 60% water. To live a full and healthy life, you must drink enough water every day.

Does Drinking Tea Count As Water?

A woman holding a small teacup while making tea for hydration with various teapots on a wooden table.

You may have heard that tea and coffee have caffeine which makes them dehydrating. This is false. 

According to several studies, both caffeinated and herbal teas are just as hydrating as water when enjoyed in moderate amounts. 

Caffeine is a compound that can be dehydrating. It can also have a diuretic effect which pushes blood flow to your kidneys and produces more urine. But, going to the restroom more isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

And to feel this diuretic effect, you’ll likely have to consume about 6-13 cups of tea. Now, that’s a lot of tea!

Studies show that drinking coffee or tea when compared to water had no difference in hydration results. This means tea is hydrating as long as you don’t drink more than six cups a day.

Drinking caffeinated beverages means you may have to go to the bathroom more often. But using the restroom more doesn’t mean you are less hydrated. It means you are drinking enough liquid for it to pass through your body more frequently. 

The bottom line is the diuretic effect you experience from caffeinated drinks doesn’t make you lose more liquid than you drink. Drinking coffee or tea for hydration is perfectly fine. Just make sure you’re getting enough healthy liquids to keep yourself hydrated all day long.

How Much Water Do You Need To Drink A Day?

A clear glass on a wet countertop with water pouring into the glass for hydration.

There is no “one size fits all” rule when it comes to rules for drinking water. You’ve been taught that drinking eight, 8-ounce glasses of water is the goal, but that isn’t always the case. This myth was scientifically debunked.

Your activity levels, your body size, and even the climate you live in change the amount of water you need to drink on any given day. Eight glasses might be too much water for some people but not nearly enough for most active, healthy adults. Overall, most people should drink more than eight glasses of water a day to maintain optimal hydration.

Gauge your hydration by looking for clear, pale urine when you go to the restroom. If it is dark, consider drinking some water or tea for hydration. 

To maintain a healthy level of hydration, drink water throughout the day even if you don’t feel thirsty. If you feel thirsty, it’s a good sign you need some water and are already dehydrated. 

But, keep in mind that as you get older your sensation for thirst decreases. This means, that if you are older, you may need to remind yourself to consciously drink water regularly. This may also apply to people on certain medications or treatments.

Which Teas Have Caffeine?

Wooden spoons filled with herbs and tea for hydration on a blue counter with dried fruits and tea leaves.

All real teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant and include white tea, green tea, black tea, and oolong tea. White tea and green tea have lower levels of caffeine, whereas black and oolong can have moderate to high levels of caffeine. It’s good to note that even decaffeinated teas have trace amounts of caffeine.

Herbal teas, on the other hand, are not made from tea leaves and have no caffeine. They are a blend of herbs, spices, fruit, roots, and more. Caffeine-free beverages are very unlikely to contribute to dehydration at all.

If you are sensitive to caffeine, consider drinking herbal infusions instead of real teas. But, as you learned above, caffeine doesn’t have enormous effects on hydration or dehydration. What may have an effect is what you put into your tea. 

Rules for Tea Hydration

A glass double-walled tea mug with blooming tea for hydration.

When it comes to tea and hydration, stick with plain tea which can maintain or even boost your health. Tea is loaded with antioxidants and other compounds that promote oral health, heart health, weight maintenance or weight loss, and even anti-cancer properties.

Leave out the sugar to experience the most tea hydration. Eating sugar causes your body to pull water from your cells to help balance the sugar intake. Sugar leads to dehydration so it’s best to drink your tea without it and enjoy sweetened tea as a rare treat.

Thinking of adding milk to your tea? Milk received some headline fame for being even more hydrating than water, but the information might be misconstrued. This Harvard article dives into some of the questionable studies surrounding this claim. 

Adding a splash of milk to your tea is not bad. But stay away from using milk as a hydrating beverage. Drinking too much milk may have more adverse effects than benefits for most people.

6 Hydrating Alternatives to Water

A large colorful display of fresh-cut fruits, citrus, and berries, as a healthy variety of food that helps hydrate.

Do you hate drinking water? You aren’t alone. 

You might think drinking water is boring, a chore, or just plain gross. But did you know that you don’t have to drink only water to reach your hydration goals? 

There are plenty of alternatives to drinking water for hydration. This list goes far beyond hydrating tea and gets into some other nourishing beverages and even foods.

1. Tea for Hydration

Tea is a great place to start for hydration. All plain teas are hydrating, but you really shouldn’t drink more than six large cups every day. What else can you drink?

2. Coffee for Hydration

Coffee is a great alternative to water or tea for hydration. Like tea, plain coffee is made of mostly water. As long as you don’t add sugar coffee is a good alternative for hydration. 

3. Infused Water for Hydration

Is plain water boring? Make fruit-infused water by tossing your favorite fruits, herbs, vegetables, or spices into a pitcher with water. Let it sit for at least a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator to mix up your plain water routine. 

4. Coconut Water for Hydration

Coconut water is full of electrolytes and is great for hydration. But, not all coconut water is the same! You’ll want to drink unsweetened coconut water if you’re looking for an alternative to water or tea for hydration.

5. Bone Broth for Hydration

Like coconut water, no sodium broth can supply you with high levels of water. Bone broth is made with animal protein giving you a dose of natural collagen that can help with bone and muscle health. It also has electrolytes and is a fantastic alternative to water.

6. Fruit, Vegetables, and Protein for Hydration

What you eat also has a bearing on your hydration. The good news is you can reach part of your hydration goals through food!

Many vegetables are made of mostly water and are very hydrating. Try eating tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and onions. Fruits like watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, and berries are also wonderful for hydrating. 

Protein-based foods like eggs, fish, and meat also hydrate. 

Salty and sugary foods dehydrate you and increase your thirst. Be wary of what you add to your diet if you need to stay hydrated.

Explore Hydrating Teas and Incredible Teaware

A glass teapot with blooming tea for hydration on a table with fresh kiwi, loose-leaf tea, and fresh flowers.

Boost your hydration with healthy teas made with your wellness in mind. Teabloom is your home for responsibly sourced, organic teas. Enjoy them hot while you bundle up on the couch or as a refreshing iced tea on a hot summer afternoon. 

For the best flavor and experience, make your tea with Teabloom’s superior teaware. Their gorgeous designs fit into every decor style. More importantly, their borosilicate glass teaware is made sustainably, is chemical-free, and dishwasher-safe. 

With this teaware, you’ll taste nothing but the purest flavor of your tea. Explore Teabloom’s exquisite collections and teas and elevate your healthy lifestyle, today.

www.Teabloom.com

*The information provided in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention. If you or someone you know has a medical concern, you should consult with your professional healthcare provider or seek other professional medical treatment.