Hydration is essential to keep our bodies healthy and maintain homeostasis, a state of balance among all body systems needed to function and survive. Drinking sufficient water, warm or cold, helps us flush toxins out of our bodies, maintain blood pressure, boost skin health and body weight, and most importantly, regulate body temperature (UC Davis Health, 2022). Although little scientific evidence suggests drinking warm water is more beneficial than cold, many people claim drinking warm water is beneficial to the body in some instances.
Benefits of drinking warm water
When you have a stuffy nose, drinking warm water may help thin out the mucus buildup in your sinuses and relieve your symptoms. According to an older study in 2008, drinking hot water provides “immediate and sustained relief from symptoms of runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chilliness, and tiredness”. Drinking warm water therefore serves as an effective treatment to relieve your nasal congestion in the common flu or cold.
Drinking warm water may ease digestion and relieve constipation. Constipation is usually caused by dehydration which results in waste clogging up your intestines (NHS Choices, 2024). Drinking warm water thereby helps rehydrate your digestive tract, allowing your body to dissipate toxins more easily (Clinic, C., 2021). Moreover, some claim that drinking warm water may help relax and loosen the muscles of your digestive system, which has favorable effects on bowel movements.
Warm water improves blood circulation, especially during cold weather. Blood pressure increases in colder weather due to constriction of blood vessels (Mayo Clinic, 2024). As a result, your body is more susceptible to muscle cramps and joint pains. Drinking warm water may help expand your blood vessels to support better blood flow to your muscles and organs. Warm water can also help you increase your body temperature in the cold, which reduces shivering.
A journal published by the Institute of Food Technologists suggests the appropriate temperature range for hot beverages ranges from 130Fo to 160Fo (54-71Co). So, it is important to be careful of the temperature of your hot beverages, as temperatures beyond this range may cause burns to your mouth.
Conclusion
On a final note, drinking water is important to maintain a healthy body. While the preferred drinking temperature varies depending on an individual’s liking, drinking warm water shows benefits in relaxing your body and relieving the symptoms of illnesses, especially in cold weather.
Works Cited
Abraham, J. and Diller, K. (2019). A Review of Hot Beverage Temperatures—Satisfying Consumer Preference and Safety. Journal of food science, [online] 84(8), pp.2011–2014. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.14699.
Clinic, C. (2021). Are There Health Benefits to Drinking Hot Water? [online] Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-there-health-benefits-to-drinking-hot-water [Accessed 1 Jun. 2024].
Mayo Clinic. (2024). How cold weather affects your blood pressure. [online] Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/expert-answers/blood-pressure/faq-20058250. [Accessed 1 Jun. 2024].
NHS Choices (2024). Constipation. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/constipation/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2024].
Sanu A; Eccles R (2022). The effects of a hot drink on nasal airflow and symptoms of common cold and flu. Rhinology, [online] 46(4). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19145994/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2024].
UC Davis Health (2022). Why it’s important for you to drink water and stay hydrated. [online] good-food. Available at: https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/why-its-important-for-you-to-drink-water-and-stay-hydrated/2022/07. [Accessed 1 Jun. 2024].
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