💧 The Hydration Tracker in our app doesn’t just track the sole amount of liquid you consume. It also calculates the so-called absorption coefficient to provide you with accurate data and understanding of your actual liquid intake.
To make a proper assessment of your body's water balance, Simple takes all the facts into account. And while Simple can't always be 100% accurate on the subject without constantly asking you for blood and urine samples (it won't!), we do provide you with a fairly accurate estimation of your hydration level, and this is so much better than not having any data at all. We hope you’ll agree.
This is why we strongly encourage you to track everything you drink so you will get some valuable insights on how well you've been hydrating your body.
Speaking of drinks, you might be wondering:
💬 Coffee and caffeinated drinks hydrate you as well as water does. Is this true?
Well, not all drinks are equal in terms of their hydration value. For example, a regular can of Coke does not contribute exactly 12 ounces (or 340 ml) of water to your body, and some drinks (like any liquor) will even drain your body of water.
It is true that coffee and other caffeinated drinks can contribute to your daily fluid requirement during intermittent fasting. While caffeinated drinks may have a mild diuretic effect — meaning that they may cause the need to urinate — they don't appear to increase the risk of dehydration because our bodies quickly compensate. This is most likely true for habitual coffee drinkers.
Moderate amounts of black coffee during a clean fast is totally safe, but if you’re concerned about hydration, just aim for no more than 2-3 cups per day to stay within your limits. If you consume more than this, it may be a good idea to switch to decaf black coffee, or choose herbal teas which are naturally caffeine-free, such as chamomile or hibiscus. However, plain old water is probably your best bet to stay hydrated. It's calorie-free, caffeine-free, inexpensive and readily available.
In short, when logging water intake, try to keep in mind that coffee and water do not have a 1:1 liquid ratio. We recommend choosing water as your liquid intake during the fast.
💬 This does not really address my morning coffee ritual habit! I am not really ready to make coffee a late day drink.
No worries! If your morning ritual includes drinking a cup of coffee, feel free to do so as long as it's black and unsweetened.
Remember that drinking caffeinated drinks such as coffee and tea late in the day can have a significant impact on your sleep. Even if you manage to fall asleep after consuming caffeine, it can disrupt the sleep stages and overall sleep quality. Caffeine can reduce the amount of deep sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which are essential for restorative rest and cognitive function.
That's why as a general rule of thumb we recommend to consume no caffeinated drinks within 4-6 hours of your bed time. Some people may even need more time that this depending on the speed at which their body breaks down caffeine.