Overview
Staying hydrated has proven to be a reliable benefit for your physical and mental health.
The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends that men over the age of 19 consume 3.7 liters of water (15.5 cups) per day and women 19 years and older consume 2.7 liters per day (11.5 cups). But can drinking cold water have a negative effect on your health?
Some people think that drinking cold water is a bad habit that can harm your health in the long run. This belief is based on the idea that drinking cold water contracts the stomach, making it difficult to digest food after eating.
Some people also believe that if you drink water that is close to ice temperature or less than 36 ° F (4 ° C), your body temperature will rise to 98.6 ° F (37 ° C). You, should have to work hard to maintain this condition.
But are these theories true? Read on to learn about the potential risks and benefits of drinking cold water.
Risks
Drinking cold water affects your body in ways you can’t expect or want. An older, smaller study from 1978, involving 15 people, found that drinking cold water thickened the nasal mucosa and made it harder to pass through the airways.
In contrast, researchers found that chicken soup and warm water helped people breathe easier. If you are trying to treat a cold or flu, drinking cold water can make your congestion worse.
There are some health conditions that can make drinking cold water worse. A 2001 study, a reliable source, found that drinking cold water increased the pain of people already suffering from migraines.
Eczema-related pain, a condition that limits your body’s ability to pass food through your esophagus, can worsen when you drink cold water with food, according to a 2012 study.
In traditional Chinese medicine, drinking cold water with hot food is believed to create an imbalance. In Chinese culture, food is usually served with hot water or hot tea. This belief is reflected in various other cultures around the world.
Some people have the same belief that drinking cold water on a hot day will not help you cool down. There is not enough research to conclude that a belief is true or false.
Benefits
There are benefits to drinking cold water.
According to a reliable source, a 2012 study, drinking cold water during exercise helps keep your body from overheating and makes your training session more successful. This is because drinking cold water makes it easier for your body to maintain a lower temperature.
Can you lose weight by drinking cold water?
Regardless of the temperature, drinking plain water is associated with lower calorie intake throughout the day.
Drinking water as an alternative to sugary drinks is good for maintaining digestion and moderate weight, even if the water you are drinking is cool.
Drinking cold water can help you burn some extra calories when you digest it, as your body has to work harder to maintain its core temperature. But drinking cold water is not a powerful way to lose weight.
Is hot or warm water better than cold water?
Drinking hot water may:
- Help in Digestion
- Helps in circulation
- Helps the body to get rid of toxins rapidly
While this is not a “risk” in itself and in itself, you need to consider when deciding when you want to get water into your body.
Drinking hot water has been found to be a reliable way to reduce thirst. This can be dangerous on days when your body tries to stay cool by losing water through sweat. If you choose to drink hot water, be careful that you may not feel too thirsty.