At first glance, tea contains water, but … it does not hydrate as much as you might think. Explanations with Catherine Serfaty-Lacrosnière, nutritionist doctor.
Among the advice that we systematically find in many articles on nutrition and slimming, that of drink at least 1.5 water per day tops the recommendations.
Maybe you thought you’d hit that quota with your daily cups of tea? Think again ! Tea certainly contains water, but also caffeine(or theine, it’s the same molecule), a substance with dehydrating effects. “Drinking tea does not keep you hydrated. It’s just like with coffee. The recommended daily amount of water excludes this type of drink “, says Catherine Serfaty-Lacrosnière, nutritionist doctor in Paris.
Black tea, more diuretic than green tea
Caffeine, also present in coffee, chocolate, energy drinks or carbonated drinks, acts as a natural stimulant, increasing alertness, reducing the feeling of fatigue. It can also act on your kidneys with its diuretic effect. Which means that you will urinate more frequently. So evacuate more water. And we risk expelling too much compared to what we will keep in our body. “However, this statement must be qualified because it all depends on the tea. They are not all the same.“, adds Doctor Serfaty Lacrosnière.
The richest in caffeine are the varieties of black tea, and the one found under the name “oolong”. Green or white teas are a little less rich. But obviously the contents can vary from one brand to another. Typically, they provide 120 mg of caffeine per cup, others around 35 mg. And then, the longer it is allowed to infuse, the higher the caffeine level.
Go for herbal tea!
“If you want to keep the pleasure of drinking cups of hot drinks without the risk of dehydration, herbal teas can replace tea”, specifies the specialist. Most of them do not indeed contain caffeine. But be careful to check that they are not tea derivatives or energizing plants. Yerba Maté, for example, is a South American drink that is confused with herbal tea even though it contains as much caffeine and sometimes more than in a cup of tea or coffee. Ditto for drinks with guarana, a substance that gives energy. If you want to vary the drinks and replace or supplement your water quota without risk of dehydration, better bet on herbal teas such as chamomile, peppermint and ginger, which are completely caffeine free. So for optimal hydration. “Pure and still water remains the best drink”, concludes the nutritionist.
Thanks to Catherine Serfaty-Lacrosnière, nutritionist in Paris
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