Is coffee dehydrating or not? There has been much discussion about the potential hydrating effects of coffee due to a popular article published by NPR in January of this year. The news is encouraging for coffee aficionados worldwide – coffee may not be as dehydrating as originally thought. In fact, it may actually be hydrating!
A recent study, conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham in the U.K., set out to compare the hydrating effects of coffee directly with water. Each of the 50 participants completed two phases. In the first phase, they drank coffee as their main source of hydration. In the second phase, they stopped consuming coffee and drank the same amount of liquid as they did in phase 2, but this time water.
Total body water was calculated pre- and post-trial. The data suggest that coffee, when consumed in moderation by caffeine-habituated males provides similar hydrating qualities to water. In other words, the coffee didn’t prompt the body to pee (or flush out) more fluid.
This particular study suggests that coffee may not be a diuretic, but to further urge your coffee consumption, a separate study observed coffee’s ability to rehydrate. Like the Birmingham study, the results are also intriguing.
While we don’t suggest fully replacing your water consumption with coffee, we do encourage you to stop by our Manchester Cafe for a cup the latest coffee roast or order one of our amazing coffee online. After all, it won’t dehydrate you!