Question:
I read here the other day that anything liquid that has 0 calories and is decaf

counts towards your daily liquid intake. If I add one creamer to a 16 oz cup of decaf coffee, does it make a difference? Also if the coffee is half unleaded, and half leaded... Oh no, I confused myself. You get what I'm saying. haha!! *LOL*    — Michelle J. (posted on January 15, 2004)

January 15, 2004
I was told that if it has 0 calories and 0 caffien, it can't count just like your water, but if it does have caffein, you only count 1/2 of it. If you add anything else to it, like cream, which I use, too, you can only count 1/2 of it. Hope this helps! 8/11/03 302/205/150
   — Angie M.

January 15, 2004
Obviously, I meant it CAN count toward your water with 0 calories and 0 caffein. Sorry!
   — Angie M.

January 15, 2004
It all depends on what your doctor or his/her agent says. My doctor's nutritionist says that I am to have all of my 48 (minimum) water intake as water first then I can have Crystal Lite, decaf coffee or tea to my hearts content. I usually get in a minimum of 64 oz of water a day and many times I will have a couple 12 oz glasses of Crystal Lite also. Just keep in mind that your body utilizes the water better than decaf drinks or flavored waters.
   — ChristineB

January 15, 2004
My surgeon and nutritionist state that any decaf liquid counts---as in protein shakes, broth, egg drop soup, etc.. I make decaf iced coffee every morning in my sports bottle, using skim milk, and have been counting 24 to 48 ounces of it daily for almost my whole post op period. The reason I was given for NOT counting caffiene beverages was not calories, but the diuretic characteristic of the caffiene.
   — Fixnmyself

January 15, 2004
I was told diet snapple and crystal lite can be counted as water intake. I usually drink 30-40 oz. of plain water, 20 oz. of diet snapple and 20 oz. of crystal lite every day along with my juice and milk in the morning. My nutritionist and surgeon both say that is fine.
   — tazfan

January 15, 2004
Once you mix them in a cup the liquid becomes cafineated. But if you drink them from separate cups they should counter balance each other. So that means you didn't drink anything. Now aren't you thirsity??!! The creamer is another issue. If you drink it like a shoot and chase it with 1/2 and 1/2 coffee/decafe you still haven't drank any liquid yet for the day. It sure makes me wonder.. ;-)
   — Robert L.

January 15, 2004
This subject and all the 'rules' that people adapt just kill me. Caffeine is a diuretic, that means it causes you to go pee, inturn losing some of the liquid value of the drink. About half to be exact. In comparison to water, where you lose 1/3rd. So yes, theoretically you should drink your 8 glasses of water per day. But coffee and tea really aren't as evil as everyone is leading everyone to believe. By saying your decaff coffee can't count if you add cream is obsurd.
   — RebeccaP

January 15, 2004
This is another one of those questions that you have to address with your doctor/nutritionist, but it's good to ask all of us because we can tell you our experiences with our own doctors/nutritionists and in your discussion with your own you can tell them what we've been told and it might spark them to do a little research to find out the latest news (long run-on sentence, huh?). Personally, my nutritionist told me that as long as it's decaffeinated, then you count it all as your daily intake. Of course, they say that plain old water is the absolute best, but I think that's because Crystal Light and other diet beverages have aspartame in them. She also told me that if it's caffeinated, then you can only count 1/2 of what you drink as daily water intake because the caffein works as a diuretic. Also, FYI, did you know that the truly artifical sweeteners (like aspartame and saccharin) increase your appetite? Good luck to you!
   — Lynette B.