Iced water in summer: a refreshment that does more harm than good

Drinking ice-cold beverages in the middle of summer is a mistake that’s actually harmful to the body. When the temperature outside is above 30 degrees Celsius, and humidity is high, and you feel like you can barely breathe, you definitely should not reach for a drink with ice. Instead, it’s better to drink a glass of water warmed to room temperature.

There are several reasons for this.

Cold water slows down the hydration of the body, which can cause serious problems in metabolism, as well as the functioning of internal organs. Cold water also causes the coagulation of fats, making them less soluble and requiring you to stay on your diet much longer. Cold water can reduce your weight-loss efforts by up to 30 percent. Excessively cold water inhibits digestion, slows blood circulation, increases uneven water retention in the body, and decreases absorption of nutrients by a third or more (meaning you need to eat that much more food).

The solution, of course, is lukewarm water, but not during or right after a meal (wait at least 20 minutes, though it’s much better to drink a glass of water before lunch). Even better is lukewarm tea. With it, you’ll quench your thirst and cool down at the same time. Lukewarm tea will trigger better blood circulation much more quickly, thereby speeding up sweating, which will cool you much better.


Information on this website is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.