Drinking tea as good as water for hydration--study

Contrary to the popular belief that tea is dehydrating due to the caffeine content, a new study claims the warm soothing beverage hydrates body as effectively as water with the added antioxidant benefits.

The researchers found daily consumption of four to six mugs of tea to be just as hydrating as a litre of water, with no negative impact on health.

Study details
In a bid to dispel the myth that tea is dehydrating, the researchers in UK conducted a study.

The investigators enrolled 21 male volunteers with an average age of 36 years who refrained from high caffeine intakes.

For the purpose of the study, the study subjects were asked to drink either four mugs of sugarless tea with 240 ml of skimmed milk (equivalent to around a litre of tea in total), or a similar amount of plain, warm water over a period of 12 hours.

Four cups was considered an ideal number because it is a little over the average daily tea intake in the UK.

The test was repeated a few days later. As the study was a cross-over trial, all the men were exposed to both water and tea but on separate occasions.

The participants had to adhere to a controlled diet on the days of the trial and vigorous exercise, and caffeinated products and alcohol intake was strictly prohibited the day before each test.

Blood and urine sampling
As a part of the cross-over trial, blood samples of the volunteers were taken before drinking tea and water and then at successive hours to monitor the levels of electrolytes, total protein, urea, creatinine and osmolality, all markers of body hydration.

In addition, urine was collected over 24 hours to gauge total volume and to check levels of creatinine, osmolality, and electrolyte concentration, which are also recognised markers of hydration.

Findings of the study
The analysis revealed that consuming four mugs of tea in a day was just as hydrating as drinking the same amount of water.

This suggests that tea is a valid contributer to daily fluid requirements of the body necessary for good mental and physical health.

Lead author of the study, Dr Carrie Ruxton, nutritional advisor to the Tea Advisory Panel stated, “It’s a common misconception that drinking tea can increase the risk of dehydration because of the caffeine content. But this new study proves that there is absolutely no truth behind the theory.

"Drinking moderate amounts of tea – four mugs a day – offered the same excellent hydration qualities as plain water. There were no statistical differences between regular tea and water when a wide range of blood and urine markers for hydration were tested among the volunteers.

"In addition, urine volume was similar after tea or water, confirming that we do not urinate more after drinking tea.

“This study shows that tea is an excellent way to keep hydration levels topped up throughout the day. Not only is a mug of tea refreshing and delicious, it can be an important part of maintaining proper hydration.”

The study is published in the 'British Journal of Nutrition.'