You wouldn’t mind grabbing a cup of hot tea or coffee on a chilly winter morning because these are technically the warmth and comfort sources for you.
Well, no ham in comforting yourself with these beverages once in a while. But if you are consistent with them or worse, addicted, then definitely that’s an alarming situation.
While beverages are known to be a go-to choice for quick hydration and appealing taste, one might not expect some of these beverages to be dehydrating as well. Not to a large extent, but enough to bring out the repercussions of consuming them regularly.
If I ask you ‘ Does tea dehydrate you?’ or ‘ Does coffee makes you feel jittery?’, you wouldn’t be able to answer it in one go until you realize that indirectly, you are already facing the after-effects.
This article is a quick rundown of the most common beverages you might be fond of consuming in your daily life but they can lead to dehydration if gulped down in excess.
Dehydrating beverages you might not know about
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Coffee
Coffee lovers might get a bit disappointed here. Coffee, although one of the best solutions to stay active, can be extremely dehydrating if consumed in excess.
200-300 milligrams of caffeine is roughly 2-3 cups of coffee which can lead to many health issues, especially dehydration.
The excess amounts of caffeine in coffee can make you feel jittery and can cause headaches, insomnia, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, etc.
If you are working long hours or are not getting enough sleep, switching to caffeine every time does not really help. Instead of making coffee as your go-to solution to every problem, get an insight into How To Stay Awake Without Caffeine.
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Tea
Does tea dehydrate you?
Well, this question doesn’t really seem to have a fixed answer due to the limited researches and studies done on this notion. However, an excess of everything is wrong and the same is the case with tea.
Now whether tea dehydrates you or not depends a lot upon the type of tea you are consuming. Some teas like black tea, caffeinated teas, etc. contain excess caffeine thus acting as diuretics and causing dehydrating effects.
On the other hand, herbal and hybrid teas are a great alternative as they are usually caffeine-free.
All in all, teas are quite low in terms of caffeine content as compared to coffee. But if you gulp down, say, more than 8 cups in a day, then it sure as hell will lead to worse effects than other than dehydration.
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Energy drinks
While energy drinks are a powerhouse for important minerals and vitamins and provide an instant energy boost, they can be dehydrating in terms of their large caffeine content and added sugars.
Commercially sold energy drinks are fine for a pre or post-workout recovery drink but their regular use may get you into trouble.
Excessive consumption of caffeinated and sugary energy drinks might lead to high blood pressure, irregular heart, neurological problems, mental dysfunction, etc.
If you are into a mild to moderate exercise regime or want to get a hold on your energy levels, it is advised to look for alternatives like natural energy drinks to go for.
Even if you wish to opt for branded and marketed energy drinks, it is much better to choose decaffeinated sugar-free energy drinks which are easily available these days.
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Beer
Drink BEER till you can BEAR.
Beer or any other kind of liquor basically just removes water from your tissues, thus making you dehydrated.
The more the alcohol content is, the more dehydrating your drink would be. For more on this, read Does Alcohol Dehydrate You?- A Nutritionist’s Opinion.
Anyways, when on earth liquor was ever a healthy option? So, it is best advised that if you want to have a beer and also avoid dehydration, look for a low-alcohol light option.
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Soda
Soft drinks/sodas often contain caffeine, which is a clear marker of dehydration. Also, excess amounts of added sugars and sodium content in soft drinks are very bad for your bone and teeth health as well.
You can have your share of cokes and sodas in moderation, but in the long run, it would anyways turn out to be a wrong proposition for you affecting your neurological and physical health.
Healthy beverage alternatives for hydration
While you are aware of What NOT to drink to prevent dehydration, why not fill up the gaps by knowing what beverages are actually beneficial for your body and have good hydrating properties as well.
Here are some of the best hydration beverages which are a must add to your daily diet-
- Water
Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING can replace water when it comes to hydration! With about 8-10 glasses daily as an optimum consumption level, water is an all-in-one alternative for rehydration.
Bonus: What Is The Best Water To Drink? (Purified, Spring, Distilled, Or)
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Milk
Apart from being a great hydration source, milk is enriched with calcium and Vitamin D which makes it a healthy beverage altogether.
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Fruit-infused water
Plain water might be boring to consume for some people. For them, fruit-infused water is a healthy and tasty alternative. You can even make your own fruit-infused water right from the comfort of your home.
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Coconut water
I know you were looking for this!
Coconut water is an excellent choice of beverages to replenish the electrolyte and fluid stores of your boy. The nutritional properties of coconut water make it an instant relief-giving and instant energy-providing source.
The best part is you can find coconut water nearly everywhere, making it easily accessible and affordable.
Takeaway
Beverages, in all, can be both hydrating and dehydrating. It’s the amount and the type of beverage you are consuming that make all the difference.
You can sip on one cup of tea a day and it would do you no harm, but gulp down several glasses of fruit juices in a day and watch your blood sugar levels spiking like a skyrocket!
It’s all about moderation and playing it safe otherwise hydration and dehydration always go hand in hand and can counter-effect each other in any way.
