Hot water or cold?

tracymayo1

Serious question, although not sure anyone will have an answer,
I work with a couple of Chinese women in my department who SWEAR that drinking hot water speeds up their digestion/metabolism...

Is this true? Should I swap in my cold water bottle for a mug of hot water instead?

Kaylee11133

I've heard that the cold water can help burn some calories because it would use some calories getting the liquid to the temperature of your body. I would imagine that hot water would work in a similar way, your body has to get it to the right temperature still, but i haven't heard of the hot water being true. However, I don't think the difference is significant. Just keep drinking water. Water in general helps to maintain your metabolism and keep you feeling more full.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

If it makes any difference at all (which I sincerely doubt) the extra calorie burns will be negligible. I'm talking in the single digits of calories, probably. Certainly not worth choking down nasty hot water in this weather.

RhysWill_I_Ams88

I know they recommend drinking room temperature water when doing exercise, something about it gets into your system faster. Other than that do what you feel like your routine should be bespoke for you!

ethompso0105

In my past experience with receiving alternative treatments, I remember learning that Chinese medicine believes in not putting cold into your body. I don't know that it has anything to do with metabolism, though over time it wouldn't surprise me if that has become a popular belief.

In Western culture, we learn to drink cold water to "shock" your metabolism into working faster--I don't believe it really works. I do know, though, that for *most* people, drinking warm or hot is easier on the digestive system.

ETA: Even when it's hot outside, I feel cooler drinking room temperature or slightly warm water than I do drinking ice cold water.

SusanUW83

The British swear that a hot cuppa tea (from the colonials in hot/humid countries) helps cool you down better than cold water. Hot - cold -- whatever gets you drinking more water.

shadowofender

I used to only be able to drink water ice cold. No idea why. I still prefer most of my drinks cold.
However when I was working out if I tried to drink water that was cold, it would honestly hurt going down. Then I switched to room temp for workouts and evenaually I just drink room temp water and on the occasion I drink anything else it's likely cold (probably because it's booze...).
I really don't think it makes enough of a difference with your metabolism. If that was true, I'd drink hot water all day every day I swear to god.

ETA: drinking warm/hot things will help cool you down because you'll sweat and that's your body naturally giving you air conditioning. evaporating water off the skin and all that. Science.

martinel2099

Simple put, yes it does take calories to convert the temp of the water when it enters your body, but it's very little and insignificant.

When you are dehydrated it is highly recommend that you drink water at room temperature, why? Because your body can't use the water until it is closer to your body's temperature, so your body will have to raise the temperature. That's why you don't give ice cold water to someone who is super dehydrated.

Should You Not Drink Ice Cold Water After Exercise?
Last Updated: Jan 16, 2014 | By Michael Brent

Burning Calories
Drinking ice water can burn calories as the body works to raise the temperature of the liquid ingested to the same temperature as the body. According to Roger Clemens of the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, the actual number of calories burned is almost negligible. As quoted on the website Chow, Clemens notes that, to burn enough calories to lose a single pound, you would have to drink 435 8-ounce glasses of ice water.

David_AUS

Just to stick to the question posed,

Cold water definitely has a albeit small metabolic deficit since you do need to warm it up.

Warm / Hot water - can make drinking water more palatable which can be useful and allow you to enjoy drinking more water during the day. It helps increase your vascular flow as your body wants to disperse the heat. It also helps with peristalsis movement which gives the digestive track a kick along.

Water in general helps keep the digestive track moving and helps with absorption from your foods. Hot or cold it is really what you prefer on a given day that really matters to drink it in a form that you enjoy. I cannot drink cold water on a cold day and hot water on a hot day is just too unpalatable for my liking.

vismundcygnus27

The British swear that a hot cuppa tea (from the colonials in hot/humid countries) helps cool you down better than cold water. Hot - cold -- whatever gets you drinking more water.

Yup, I've had it explained to me that it's because hot drinks make you sweat, and the sweat cools you off.

DeadliftAddict

Please do not over think this thing called health or fitness. Just drink water the way you enjoy it. You won't get any more benefit from drinking hot water if you don't like hot water, cause you won't drink it.