Cold water can be a bit risky for your health in some cases, but it also offers many benefits. Let’s take a closer look!
The ongoing discussion about whether it’s beneficial or harmful to drink cold water is still not fully settled. Is having a gulp of chilly water a nice way to feel refreshed or could it be a danger? Actually, there are reasons supporting both viewpoints. Some individuals steer clear of cold water, worried that it could be bad for their health or hinder their weight loss attempts. Cold water might pose some health risks in certain cases, but it also brings along numerous health advantages that it’s good to be aware of.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Cold Water:
Let’s begin by exploring the positive aspects of enjoying cold water.
Benefits of Cold Water:
1. Boosts Metabolism: Picture this scenario – when you gulp down a glass of super cold water, your body’s calorie-burning engine gets a tiny kick. Research shows that drinking cold water might give a short-term boost to how quickly your body torches calories. Think of it as a mini exercise session for your digestion!
2. Helps with Hydration: Drinking cold water is usually consumed faster than water that’s just a bit warm. This can really help increase how hydrated you are. Keeping your body properly hydrated is super important for it to function properly.
3. Chill Out with Cold Water: Sip on cold water without worry! According to the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, it can actually aid weight loss by curbing calorie intake from fats. Don’t fret about the temperature; both cold and room temperature water are calorie-free. So, if you love your water chilled, rest assured, it won’t tip the scales in the wrong direction!
4.Beat the Heat: Whether it’s scorching outside or post an intense exercise session, cold water comes to the rescue. It chills you out by dropping body temperature and heart rate. That exhausted feeling? Cold water minimizes it. A rapid cool-down equals speedy recovery, establishing cold water as your hydration savior.
5. Relieves Discomfort: Cold water can bring relief for headaches or muscle soreness. Its chilly touch constricts blood vessels, lessens swelling, and eases pain, offering a soothing effect.
Possible Downsides of Cold Water:
1. Upsets Digestion: While sipping on a cold drink might be refreshing, it could also hinder digestion, especially for those with a sensitive stomach. Cold water can narrow stomach blood vessels, potentially slowing down digestion and causing discomfort for some individuals.
2. Might Be Tough on Kidneys: According to Nutritionist Shilpa Arora, drinking cold water with meals can weaken your kidneys. It’s better to skip cold water with your meals as it might cause oily foods to solidify and disrupt your body’s balance.
3. Aggravates Cold Symptoms: According to research in the National Library of Medicine, drinking chilled water might make your runny nose thicker. So, if you’re dealing with a cold or cough, it’s best to skip the cold drinks.
So, Should You Choose Cold Water or Not?
Right now, we don’t have solid evidence that cold water is certainly harmful to your health. From different research, it’s a good idea to skip cold water if your stomach is easily upset, you have a cold or cough, or if your body doesn’t handle cold water well due to a health condition. But, when the weather is hot and sticky, cold water can help keep you hydrated. Yet, if you were to ask the professionals for their top choice among cold, warm, or room temperature water, most would recommend drinking water that’s at room temperature throughout the entire year.