You crave it in the morning, you wait in long lines for it, and I’m drinking it while I write this: coffee is everywhere. But that means misinformation about it is everywhere too. Coffee doesn’t rob you of water, sober you up, or keep your children short, so let’s grind up these myths and brew a hot pot of truth.

Myth: Coffee Dehydrates You

The notion that coffee dehydrates you is a widespread misconception, much to the chagrin of waitstaff everywhere who are asked for “a coffee and a water” only to later clear a table of untouched water glasses. This concept originated because caffeine, a main ingredient in coffee, is a diuretic, or a substance that makes you go pee a lot. The logic seems sound; the more you pee, the more water your body is losing, right? But that logic is missing one important part of the whole “drinking coffee” formula: the water you’re drinking in the coffee.