Water vs tea hydration

Tea counts towards your fluid. See your total fluid and the caffeine that comes with it.

Your details

Water, tea and coffee today

2.3 litres

of fluid: you have reached the everyday guide

Water (250 ml glasses)750 ml
Tea and coffee (250 ml mugs)1,250 ml
Other drinks330 ml
Everyday guide (EFSA, from drinks)1.6 litres
Caffeine in the tea and coffee400 mg (coffee counted as instant)

The NHS counts tea and coffee towards your fluid. Water is still the best everyday choice because it has no sugar or caffeine.

Feeling very thirsty all the time, or peeing a lot, is worth a chat with your GP.

The working

3 glasses of water, 4 teas and a coffee

Three 250 ml glasses of water are 750 ml, five 250 ml mugs of tea and coffee are 1,250 ml and a 330 ml can makes 2.3 litres, well over the 1.6 litres EFSA suggests for women from drinks. The four teas (75 mg each) and an instant coffee (100 mg) bring 400 mg of caffeine, right at the EFSA guide for adults.

What counts

From the NHS

Water, lower fat milk and lower sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, all count
The Eatwell Guide suggests 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day, and pale yellow pee is a good sign
Keep fruit juice and smoothies to one small glass (150 ml) a day, with a meal
Food provides about a fifth of your water too

Caffeine

The catch with tea and coffee

Caffeine adds up fast across mugs. Up to 400 mg a day is fine for most adults (EFSA), 200 mg in pregnancy (NHS). Decaf counts just as well for fluid.

Read with care

What this cannot tell you

Know your brewTea and coffee strength varies a lot.
Set a fluid limitSome heart and kidney conditions need one; follow your care team.
Account for hot daysUse the heatwave hydration calculator for those.

Questions

Common questions

Does tea count as water intake?

Yes. The NHS says tea and coffee count towards your fluid.

Does coffee dehydrate you?

Everyday amounts still count towards your fluid, according to the NHS. Just watch the total caffeine.

How much should I drink a day?

The Eatwell Guide suggests 6 to 8 cups or glasses, and the NHS says to aim for clear pale yellow pee. EFSA puts drinks at about 1.6 litres a day for women and 2.0 for men.

Is water still best?

Water is the best everyday choice because it has no sugar, calories or caffeine.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

If you are always thirsty

See your GP if you are thirsty all the time despite drinking plenty, or are peeing a lot more than usual, as these can be signs of conditions such as diabetes.