I'm trying to resist, but I'm failing

The diuretic effects of sodas and coffee are generally exaggerated. You retain about 2/3 of the fluid from them. It's less hydrating than water, but it's not like you get a negative hydration effect from them.

I'm (in case you couldn't tell) with Alex on this one. I'm not anti-water, I'm just anti-blindly accepting untested "common knowledge".

I drink MORE than 8 glasses of water a day. My kidneys haven't failed me yet.

Vate 'til ya my aich, sonny boy.

Don't you have to pee a great deal more after coffee than after water? I do. And my mother, who has to use the restroom every two hours with water, cannot drink coffee or tea whatsoever because they increase the pressure and frequency of those trips. I don't know what the percentage is, but I listen to my body and I hear quite plainly that my body does not like soda and coffee (and that my mom's doesn't, either) and I base my actions on that.

Absolutely it's important to question things and have scientific proof, but I think the idea that coffee/soda is just as good for you as water is suspect and I'd like proof. Also, your zeal for this topic is baffling me.

Did I say it was "just as good for you as water"? All I said was that, despite commonly accepted mantras, drinking soda and caffeinated beverages does NOT lead to dehydration. For proof, here's an abstract of a study done by The Journal of the American College of Nutrition for starters. "This preliminary study found no significant differences in the effect of various combinations of beverages on hydration status of healthy adult males. Advising people to disregard caffeinated beverages as part of the daily fluid intake is not substantiated by the results of this study."

As for my zeal, it's like Alex said. Acceptance of misinformation, no matter how benign, is not a trend I take lightly.

Fair enough, I misinterpreted you. Which is pretty easy to do, because I don't see anyone here saying "everyone must drink eight glasses of water a day, no more, no less, and everything else is bad." But it looks - to me, anyway - like you're on a soapbox as though we are. You say you're not anti-water and I accept this. But by feeling healthier when I drink water, and thusly drinking water, I am not anti-science, either.

Except that I don't think we should be aiming for dehydration - "too late" in my statement wasn't implying dehydration, it was implying thirst. And personally, I can tell if I'm not drinking often enough; I'm not technically dehydrated but I simply don't feel as good.

And yes, water IS better for you than soda or coffee. No additives, no caffeine, etc. What is so wrong with making sure that you drink enough of something that is better for you so that you aren't thirsty for something that isn't as good? It's the liquid equivalent of eating plenty of vegetables to stave off the cheese.

Where, I ask you, is the pseudo-science in any of this?

How about this... for those of us who have ever had a urine test, I was told by the Dr that the color dictates whether you are hydrated or not, and that you should use that as an idicator.

As far as the thirst thing kicking in, I have that somewhere, still looking.
Something I have from the health plan diet thing we have here at work says that. And talks about how people are typically unable to tell the difference between hunger and thirst, and that usually when people think they are hungry, it is the body stating they need hydration.

But but... let's not start talking about staving off cheese here. :p

Wow. Did I open Pandora's fridge or what? ;)

In other news, I suddenly got the celebratory food fest thing going on in my brain. So, being a good girl, I decided that munching on carrots, broccoli and cauliflower (sans dip) would probably do the trick, too.

I think it's working.

I've been doing this more and more lately... just buying the bag of mixed veggies that's in the produce dept. I get annoyed with chopping when I want a quick snack, and these guys do the trick for me.