Somehow, somewhere, a rumor was started that tea did not hydrate you. And regretfully, the answer boards at Yahoo.com are not always a reliable place to get information. Zhi would like to set the record straight.
Tea hydrates as well as water. Recent studies from India compared two controlled groups: one drank water and the other drank tea. There was no measurable difference between hydration indicators, leading to the conclusion that drinking tea is just as effective for bodily functions as water. This validates results from a 2010 study that showed the same conclusion: the trace amounts of caffeine in tea did not compromise hydration.
Additionally, there is evidence to show that tea actually hydrates better than water! Tea contains beneficial elements that water does not: antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids. Plus, since tea has such a range of flavor, your eight cups a day could each be unique! Today, we’ll have an eight cup marathon of our current favorite: Cherry Sencha. What will you hydrate with today?