5 Reasons to Avoid Drinking Cold Water for Better Health

Doesn’t everybody just love that refreshing feeling after taking a glass of cold water, especially when the day is so hot? But probably all of us hardly know that drinking cold water can badly affect the body. According to recent studies, it is healthier to drink room-temperature or warm water. Here are five scientifically-supported reasons to avoid drinking cold water:

1. Cold Water Slows Down Digestion

When you are drinking cold water, the body expends more energy in maintaining its temperature, which is taken away from digestion. Scientists report that cold drinks cause your stomach blood vessels to constrict, therefore decreasing the efficiency of digestive enzymes. That means food will move slower in your intestines, causing bloating, cramps, or constipation. In addition, by opting for warm or room-temperature water, your body will be in a better position to give more concentration to efficient food digestion.

2. Cold Water Impairs Fat Digestion

Cold water has the potential to make the fats in your digestive system solidify, which makes their digestion more difficult. This is quite possible because cold water leads to clumping, where food and fats clump together, delaying digestion or slowing it. Undigested fat increases the chances of deposition in your body and may further contribute to weight gain. On the opposite end, warm water helps maintain fat in a state of liquidity so your body can digest and metabolize them quite well.

3. Cold Water Shocks the Body

All our bodies maintain and like one thing: stability. This is especially true in the case of temperature levels. Cold water has the ability to achieve a sort of internal shock effect on the body, even more so if taken right after meals. Nutrients then cannot be digested well within our bodies and may weaken the immune system, thus it becomes easily prone to cold and other respiratory problems. According to some studies, cold-water drinkers could face irritation in the throat or congestion since cold water produces mucus that affects respiratory health.

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4. Cold Water May Be Less Efficient for Hydration

You might think that cold water will hydrate your body equally as room-temperature or warm water does, but studies say the opposite. Cold water constricts the blood vessels, affecting blood flow and probably water absorption at the cellular level. With water at room temperature or slightly warm, your system can assimilate it better for further use in cellular processes and maintain utmost hydration and energy throughout the day.

5. Cold Water Affects Metabolism

Cold water can decrease metabolic rate because of the energy it takes to raise the temperature of the water to body temperature. This may work against your metabolism because it affects your body’s normal metabolic processes, which would result in a temporary slowing of metabolism. While this effect may be minor, those who consume cold water regularly may experience a subtle but consistent reduction in metabolic efficiency, which should affect weight management and energy levels over time.

The Pathway to Better Health

While cold water may be cooling and refreshing, especially during heat, some of the possible side effects it has on health may reconsider one to use it. Room temperature or warm water could support easier digestion, better hydration, and more efficient metabolism.

Source: Xtrememediaonline.com