16 Ways You’re Drinking Water Wrong

3. You’re avoiding caffeine unnecessarily

You likely know that caffeine can boost your metabolism and help you focus, but there is one widely held believe about this morning beverage that might be steering you in the wrong direction: coffee’s dieuretic qualities. “Recent research shows that caffeine doses between 250 and 300 milligrams—about two cups of coffee—will minimally increase urine output for about three hours after consuming it,” says Susan Yeargin, Ph.D., assistant professor of athletic training at the University of South Carolina. In other words: the myth that drinking caffeine causes you to excessively pee is largely just hype. Specifically, a 2014 study published in the journal PLOS One found there to be no evidence of dehydration with moderate daily coffee intake. So, don’t avoid your cuppa! In fact, not only is coffee a great source of water, but it’s also the most common source of inflammation-fighting antioxidants in the American diet.