The question seems to be which temperature of the water is better to drink, hot or cold? In all actuality, there are benefits and negatives to both hot water and cold.
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There are times when it appears drinking hot, or very warm water is better for you than cold water is.
No matter how you look at it, drinking water is healthy for you.
It will keep your body hydrated and your systems working the way they are meant to.
Hot Water
Let’s begin this by stating that the water should never be any hotter than between 130* and 160*. Anything higher in temperature is too hot and could cause scalding or burns. It is highly recommended that you consider warm water at the above temperatures.
Hot water does have some benefits to drinking it, as well as some negatives.
Benefits
- Helps to relieve nasal congestion. Holding the cup of hot water under your nose allows the steam to travel into your nasal passages. The steam can help to loosen the congestion and may even help relieve a sinus headache. Drinking hot water or tea can help to ease a sore throat caused by mucus. As you drink the water, it will help to warm up the throat and the sinus areas where you may be able to breathe better.
- Might help digestion. Drinking water helps you digest the foods you eat. As the water moves along the digestive tract, it also helps to remove waste.
- There is a theory that drinking hot water can help dissolve the foods you eat quicker and dissipate the foods that your body has a hard time digesting. There is no harm in drinking hot water if you feel this is the case. However, more research needs to be completed before any definitive proof is available.
- It is thought that drinking hot water may help your central nervous system. When the body does not have enough water, hot or cold, this can have serious ramifications on the nervous system including affecting the mood and brain function.
- Can help relieve constipation. Actually hot, warm or cold water can do this. However, it is believed that drinking hot water will help keep your bowel movements regular. Water is what helps soften the stool so it can be passed easier.
- Keeps you hydrated. Some studies show that drinking cool water is best for rehydration, but drinking any water will keep you hydrated.
- It is said that women should get 78 ounces of water daily, and men should have 112 ounces. These numbers do include water from fruits and vegetables. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and people that participate in activities that are strenuous should be drinking more water. Many suggest that you start and end the day with a cup of hot water.
- Reduces shivering from cold temperatures. Those chilly fall days or long winter days can take a toll on people. Some end up with chills, also called shivers. It is likely that if you drink hot water, it will ease the shivers. It was found during research that people will have to put less work into warming their bodies up.
- Improves Circulation. Healthy blood flow is necessary to keep your body functioning properly. When you take a warm bath or shower, your circulatory system, vessels and veins will expand and carry more blood through the vessels and veins. It is possible that drinking hot water will have the same result on the circulatory system. Drinking hot water before bed is known to relax you so you can sleep.
- Drinking hot water may decrease your stress levels. Since the hot water helps to improve the Central nervous system, some of that anxiety that is felt may be relieved. A study done in 2014 showed that when participants drank less water, their feelings of calm and peace did not remain at low levels. This proves that staying hydrated does indeed improve your mood and relaxation levels.
- May help the body detoxify. There are no scientific studies to prove it is due to hot water, however, drinking more water will help remove toxins from your system. Water also helps relieve gout, fights inflammation, and helps keep the joints lubricated.
- Drinking hot water can help achalasia. This is a condition during which the oesophagus has a hard time moving food down. This is commonly known as difficulty swallowing. Studies showed that people with this condition had an easier time swallowing when they were also drinking hot water.
Cold Water
Again, drinking water of any temperature will help you stay hydrated. However, is there a difference between hot and cold water? Drinking water that is cold may help to burn calories as you digest the water, this is due to your body having to work harder to maintain a normal body temperature.
It is said that some people should not drink cold water if they have a cold or the flu, or any chronic condition that slows digestion.
Benefits
The benefits of drinking cold water are the same as if you drink room temperature water. Water helps you stay hydrated. Drinking water also helps you feel refreshed. Another benefit of drinking cold water, especially in the morning, is that the cold will help you be more alert.
Coldwater drinking can help a person who has a sore throat. The ice-cold water will numb the throat and ease the pain for a period of time. This means that you do not need to constantly put pills or tablets into your system.
Disadvantages
Believe it or not, there are some disadvantages to drinking cold water. Most people will drink water that they have stored in their refrigerators. This is true even in the winter. However, there are drawbacks to doing so.
- Coldwater has a negative effect on the digestive system. Drinking cold water regularly can cause problems such as difficulty digesting food. This can lead to abdominal pain, nausea and constipation. It can also cause an abundance of flatulence.
- Coldwater can cause sinus problems and headaches. This could also be considered ‘Brain Freeze’. It is believed that cold water affects the sensitive nerves in your spinal area. This in turn causes reactions in the brain leading to headaches.
- Drinking cold water can also slow the heart rate. The vagus nerve in the body controls the digestive system, heart and lungs. This nerve runs through the neck. When you drink too much cold water, it cools down the nerves very quickly which will slow down the heart rate and the pulse rate. This could lead to an emergency medical situation.
- Drinking cold water tends to make the stored fat in your body harder, and more solid. This will make it harder to lose weight. The simple lesson is if you are trying to lose weight, do not drink cold water.
- When you drink cold water after working out strenuously, the cold can shock your body. When you are working out and exercising, your body produces heat, and the conflict in temperatures causes issues with your digestive tract. That cold water not only shocks your body but can also lead to chronic stomach problems.
Compromise
For the most part, there is a compromise between the hot and cold. If you drink warm water, or water that is at room temperature, you may find many more benefits.
- Warm water, like hot, can help to loosen the mucus in your sinuses. It can also loosen mucus and soothe a sore throat during the cold season.
- Drinking warm water also helps to promote digestion of the foods you eat.
- When you are thirsty and may want to find some energy, warm water is better to drink. It can quench your thirst and help keep you hydrated. Drinking warm water is easier to drink than cold water, which leads to drinking a larger quantity of water.
Contradictions
More studies are needed to ascertain if drinking cold water during exercise and strenuous workouts is beneficial or harmful. The professionals are split as to which is better, some insist that cold is better, while others will insist that the cold water shocks the body when your body temperature has been raised from working out.
It is always best to speak with your Physician before exercising, you could also discuss with him or her the water temperature you drink. The facts are simple, water is beneficial no matter what temperature. Drinking water helps your body to stay hydrated and work properly. Water helps your body to lubricate the joints, and keep the organs functioning.
Water will help to boost your energy. Water is important for your body, the body is 60% water. Every organ, tissue, nerve and vessel in your body needs water to do its job.
Without enough water, even your brain function is affected. Your moods are changed, your energy level, your skin dries out and you have a harder time digesting foods, which also means a harder time eliminating waste. Due to this, you will find yourself constipated and in pain from bloating and gas.