🥛 Why Does Milk in Tea or Coffee Not Count Towards My Water Intake on the Total Plan?

Understanding Hydration on the Total Plan

While you can enjoy tea or coffee with a splash of milk as part of your routine, it is important to understand that milk-containing drinks do not count towards your daily water intake.

Here’s why milk affects the way your body processes fluids and limits its hydration benefit:

🔍 Why Milk Does Not Count Towards Hydration

1. Milk Contains Nutrients That Require Digestion

Milk is not just a liquid — it contains proteins, fats, and sugars. These nutrients must be digested and processed by the body, which slightly reduces the fluid’s hydrating effect.

2. Hydration Guidelines Focus on Pure Fluids

Water intake recommendations are based on drinks that provide direct hydration without added nutrients. Drinks such as plain water, black tea, or black coffee are absorbed more efficiently and are more effective at hydrating the body.

3. Milk Alters the Drink’s Composition

When you add milk to tea or coffee, the drink becomes more like a liquid food. Its composition is no longer that of a simple fluid, and so it is not counted towards your hydration target on the Total Plan.

💧 What Should Count Towards My Water Intake?

To meet your daily hydration goal of 2.5 to 4 litres, count only:

• Plain water (tap, bottled, still, or sparkling)
• Black tea (from a leaf or root, not fruit or floral)
• Black coffee
• New You Plan water flavourings, if used in moderation

If you enjoy tea or coffee with milk, that drink does not count — so be sure to drink enough plain fluids alongside it to stay properly hydrated.

💬 Need Help with Hydration?

If you’re unsure what drinks to include in your daily intake or need support building your routine, we are here to help.

📧 Email us: [email protected]
📞 Call us: 028 3833 0720

Proper hydration is key to your success on the Total Plan. Stick to milk-free drinks for your water target, and enjoy your favourites with milk in moderation — just top up with extra water throughout the day.