Drinking too much coffee dehydrates you. Right? Apparently not exactly. A new study shows that in moderation, coffee is no less hydrating than water.

The study was done by researchers from Loughborough University, UK, and they were interested in accurately establishing the effects of coffee drinking on people's daily balance of fluids. they set out to establish whether or not it would result in low level dehydration.

Sophie Killer and her colleagues conducted the experiment with 50 participants, and each were required to drink four mugs - each 200ml or either coffee or water per day for three days, and switch for three days.

There was no significant difference between those who drank coffee or water, and in either order, both were equally hydrated at all stages. [PLOS ONE via The Conversation]