Caffeine

Can we count caffeinated coffe toward our fluid intake?

 I think you will have differences of opinions on this. I asked the same question a year ago and the one I liked best was...liquid is liquid! I only drink 1 cup a day so no biggie, but I have seen some HUGE caffeine drinkers and they are still alive to talk about it!!
Erin

I normally only drink 1 - 2 cups daily.  Just thinking its been so hot lately I would drink my one cup of hot then drink some iced.  Its a diuretic so I know I will have to keep water in me as well.  I also figured liquid was liquid, so I guess that's what we will go with.  Thank you!!

 I also try to get a little benefit out of my 1 cup by making it an iced protein coffee. I really look forward to it! Yummy
Erin

My surgeon's nurse spoke about this at a recent post op group. My surgeon's thinking is that caffeine should try to be avoided for the first few months, so that you learn to drink enough liquid. Caffeine may cause excessive urination, leading those post ops who have issues with water into potential dehydration issues.  That said, once past the first few months, caffiene is OK'd by my surgeon if you follow this rule.  If you drink 8 oz of coffee, drink an EXTRA 16 oz of water that day.  So it may not be the wisest to count your coffee as part of your fluid intake. You'll likely do better adding more water to your daily intake when you do drink coffee. DAVE

Thanks Dave, thats a good response.

 Some suggest you should drink the equivalent in non-caffeinated beverages, too.

Bu****er is water, and many of us survive on mostly coffee and tea.

Caffeine is a very, VERY mild diuretic, and one that your body habituates to very readily. In other words, if you routinely drink cafffeinated drinks daily, your body adjusts to its very mild diuretic effects within 3-4 days, and it no longer affects you.

My surgeon told me that pretty much anything I could swallow without chewing was a liquid. (*grin*)

I was told you can, but can only claim half the value.  For instance an 8oz cup of coffee can only count as 4oz of fluids.  Decaf coffee and tea totally count though.

Recent studies show that if you are a regular coffee drinker the diuretic and appetite stimulating effects are not going to affect you. It's only if you are new to drinking coffee that you will have any reaction and like Ms Batt says the body rapidly adjusts to the effects of the caffiene so it is not a long term issue.