Cold water: Benefit and Risks

Hydrating oneself with water has proven to be a reliable source of information for your mental and physical health.  The National Academy of Science and Technology says that men over the age of 19 consume 3.7 liters (15.5 cups) of water per day and women over the age of 19 drink 2.7 liters (11.5 cups) of water per day.

But can drinking cold water have a negative impact on your health?

Some people think that drinking cold water is a bad habit that can be harmful to your health in the long run. This belief is based on the idea that drinking cold water causes the stomach to contract, making it difficult to digest postprandial food. Some people also believe that your body has to work harder to maintain its internal temperature of 98.6°F (37°C) if you`re drinking water that`s near the temperature of ice, or less than 36°F (4°C). But is there any truth to these ideas? Keep reading to find out the possible risks and benefits of drinking cold water.

Risks

Drinking cold water does affect your body in ways you might not anticipate or want. It is generally found that drinking cold water made nasal mucous thicker and more difficult to pass through the respiratory tract. For comparison, having chicken soup and hot water help people breathe better. Drinking cold water can exacerbate constipation when trying to treat a cold or flu. There are some health problems that can be exacerbated by drinking cold water.

A 2001 study associated drinking cold water with causing migraines in people who already had migraines. According to a 2012 study, pain associated with achalasia, a condition that limits the body's ability to pass food through the esophagus, can also be exacerbated by drinking cold water with a meal.

Chinese herbal medicine believes that drinking cold water with hot food creates an imbalance. Usually, in Chinese culture, meals are served with hot water or hot tea instead. This belief is reflected in several other cultures around the world. Like some people believe that cold water does not help cool on hot days. There is not enough research to conclude whether a belief is right or wrong.

Benefits

There are benefits to drinking cold water-

According to a 2012 study, drinking cold water while exercising can help prevent your body from overheating and make your training more successful. This is thought to be because drinking cold water helps the body maintain a lower core temperature.

Weight loss by cold water:Drinking regular water, regardless of temperature, is associated with reduced caloric intake during the day. If you drink water instead of a drink containing sugar, it will be easy to digest even if the water is cold, and you will gain a moderate weight.

Cold water helps burn some extra calories during digestion as the body must work hard to maintain its core temperature. However, drinking cold water is unlikely to be an effective start-up tool for weight loss.

Hot water better than cold water?

 You can drink warm water as it aids the body in following ways:

• Help digestion
• Help circulation
• Help the body get rid of toxins faster

It is known to drink warm or hot water to quench thirst. This is dangerous on days when you are trying to cool yourself by losing water with sweat. Keep in mind that you may not bethirsty when drinking warm water.

Takeaway

You may want to avoid drinking cold water. Drinking cold water when you have a cold, flu, or a chronic illness that slows your digestion is probably not a good idea. However, while some cultures consider drinking cold water to be a significant health risk for everyone, few studies support this claim. However, drinking warm water has many advantages.