Food - Drink
Does Coffee Actually Hydrate You?
By WENDY LEIGH
For many coffee drinkers, a double serving of joe is one of life’s guilty pleasures, but modern research suggests that drinking two cups of coffee a day can maintain a healthy liver and prevent diseases like Alzheimer's. Knowing this, you may wonder if coffee can benefit you by keeping you hydrated — but that subject is complicated.
According to a study by Dr. Daniel Vigil of UCLA, caffeine does eliminate fluid, but this happens because the body absorbs fluids from coffee or tea and eliminates the excess. Another study, published in Frontiers Of Nutrition, compared coffee to water by having participants consume both water and two different strengths of caffeinated coffee.
This study found that coffee with a lower caffeine content has a similar hydrating effect to water, while high-caffeine coffee has a diuretic effect. One to three cups of low-caffeine coffee can indeed contribute to your daily hydration needs; the Institute of Medicine generally recommends consuming nine to 13 cups of water per day.