Question:
If you drink caffeinated coffee drink more water... ?

Answer: The survey of 3,003 Americans, conducted by Yankelovich Partners for the Nutrition Information Center at The New York Hospital - Cornell Medical Center and the International Bottled Water Association, reveals that America's glass is half empty.

The good news is that the average American drinks nearly eight daily servings of hydrating beverages, such as water, milk, juice and decaffeinated soft drinks. But that is undermined by the nearly five servings of caffeine- or alcohol-containing beverages that respondents report drinking each day. Scientific research shows that caffeine and alcohol act as diuretics, causing the body to lose water through increased urination.

"The net result is that most Americans are probably only getting about a third of the valuable hydration benefits they need," says Barbara Levine, R.D., Ph.D., Director of the Nutrition Information Center. "The vast majority aren't drinking enough water to begin with, and, to make matters worse, many don't realize that beverages containing alcohol and caffeine actually rob the body of water."