HEALTHY LIVING

What Everybody Ought to Know About Hot Drinks

Time to reduce our consumption of cold drinks.

Hot drinks are making a comeback. So, instead of that cold drink with loads of ice, try reaching for a cup of hot coffee, tea or even water and see what happens.

Research shows that warm and hot drinks may benefit your health, well being and mood a lot more.

1. Sweating is good for you because it helps you to cool down

Ask Indians why they drink hot tea in such a hot climate! They serve warm meals on their trains when the temperatures outside are 45° C ( 113°F). These meals are always accompanied by hot sweet tea.

“I’m Indian, I’m British. A billion Indians can’t be wrong. They drink hot tea in hot weather.” — Madhulika Sikka, producer, Morning Edition.

Let’s look at some research to see if there is any truth in this. A study done at the University of Ottowa shows how important sweating is to keep the body cool. That’s why perspiration helps us when it gets hot outside.

Hot drinks also help us sweat more than cold drinks. They tested athletes and found that cold drinks were not really doing the job. Sweat more and stay cooler is the message here. Hot drinks will help us to do that.

2. You may come across as friendlier

A study at the Unversity of Colorado Boulder asked participants to judge people while holding a drink in their hands. They did not know that the drink was a key element.

Those holding hot drinks in their hands were much more open to other people’s empathy and generosity. Those who were holding the cold drinks scored much less on positive perceptions and were less likely to choose a gift for a friend.

It is a shame that we cannot offer a hot drink to interviewers when we apply for our dream job. Just imagine how that would increase their positive vibes about us. You’re hired!

3. Reduce your diabetes risk

We all know that blood sugar levels will rocket when we drink sugary drinks such as soda, energy drinks, or iced tea. It is startling to know that the standard can of regular soda has about 130 calories and 32 grams of sugar.

Too much sugar may lead to a higher risk of a heart attack, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. If you are in doubt when you look at the Nutrition Facts on a drink or snack, try to aim for 36 grams (for men) and 25 grams (for women) which is the daily recommendation of the American Heart Association.

Carbohydrates contain a lot of sugar so it is better to limit them and drink water which can dilute the excess blood sugar. Walking after meals can also help to burn off excess blood sugar, according to Medical News Today.

One of the best solutions is to drink hot tea or coffee which is unsweetened.

4. Get relief for coughs and colds

Forget about a can of iced tea if you have a bad cough or cold! What you need is a nice cup of hot tea or coffee. You might say that this is what your Mom or Gran would always say!

Let’s go to the Common Cold Center at the University of Cardiff in the UK to see if science agrees with your Mom. Admittedly this was a small study (30 participants.) The results were clearly in favor of the hot drinks relieving symptoms of the common cold rather than a drink at room temperature.

“The hot drink provided immediate and sustained relief from symptoms of runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chilliness and tiredness, whereas the same drink at room temperature only provided relief from symptoms of runny nose, cough and sneezing.”

Even allowing for the placebo effect, it must be said that a hot sweet taste does release compounds that are similar to those in morphine which is a great pain reliever.

5. Can hot drinks boost your metabolism?

Have a hot glass of water with your meal! This is now gaining traction among dietitians when advising people on their diet. The Chinese do this all the time and they cannot understand why we always insist on cold water or even water with ice when we eat.

There is not much research on why or how hot water can increase your metabolism. This study here shows that there was an increase in metabolism after drinking warm or hot water. Certainly worth a try if you are trying to lose a few extra pounds. You can add a little lemon juice to help you get used to the taste.

6. Get some more protection from infections

Why is boiling water used to sterilize dental and medical implements? Simply because most bacteria will not survive those high temperatures. The great advantage for us is that hot drinks can help reduce the damage caused by fungi and bacteria. It also can loosen the amount of mucous and also speed up its expulsion.

“Hot chicken soup, either through the aroma sensed at the posterior nares or through a mechanism related to taste, appears to possess an additional substance for increasing nasal mucus velocity. Finally, hot liquid might be superior to cold liquids in the management of fluids in upper respiratory tract infections.” (from the above study.)

7. You will have improved digestion

There does not seem to be much evidence whether drinking hot or cold water can actually aid digestion. A friend of mine who studies Ayurvedic medicine says hot water can definitely help with this. These practitioners believe that cold water can cause muscle contraction and that will impede digestion.

Hot ginger tea with meals was investigated by the University of Maryland Medical Center and they maintain that it can help with your digestion.

8. Cold drinks can damage your teeth

Iced tea and cold soda contain lots of sugar. The problem here is that when it touches the plaque around your teeth it produces a sort of acid that destroys your tooth enamel.

Hot drinks are much safer for your teeth and will reduce your dentist’s bill!

Now that we know that while cold drinks are refreshing, they tend to create many health problems. It seems that hot drinks are much better for us all round.

“The tea seemed to be making things better. It was a hot drink made of leaves, used in times of crisis as a means of restoring normality.” ― Matt Haig, The Humans

Disclaimer:- I am not a licensed dietitian, nor medical doctor nor a fitness expert. Always seek medical advice for any questions regarding a medical condition.

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