Drinking water burns calories?

BrightEyesx3
BrightEyesx3 Posts: 335
in Health and Weight Loss
I've heard that when you drink cold water, you actually burn calories because your body needs to heat up in order to use the water in your system. Is this true?

Replies

  • tony1307
    tony1307 Posts: 127 Member
    I had heard that in the past, but from what I have seen and heard recently, I believe it is a myth.
  • kalyn_QT
    kalyn_QT Posts: 273 Member
    i doubt it. even if it did the amount of calories burned would be so tiny that it wouldn't make any difference. but i think that cold water burning calories is just a myth.
  • BlurtLouder
    BlurtLouder Posts: 20 Member
    In my first year of university, a chemistry prof did the math in class, and told us that you would have to drink more than a bathtub full of icewater to burn one kcal. There might be less direct benefits, though?
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    In my first year of university, a chemistry prof did the math in class, and told us that you would have to drink more than a bathtub full of icewater to burn one kcal.

    That's it in a nutshell.......
  • rward007
    rward007 Posts: 32
    Just my opinion, there are 100's of "this or that will burn more calories" tips. I'd bet that most of them are true to a degree, but the question is: how much?

    One of the biggest is muscle burning more calories than fat. True, but based on my research it's very little. I cannot remember the exact figure, but 10lbs of muscle might have been 50 calories a day.

    Point is, it may cause more calories to be burned, but I'd estimate it at < 20 calories for a whole day. That is based on no science, just a gut feeling that it cannot take that much energy to heat up a bellyful of water. In the end diet will make all the difference. You could undo an hour of cardio with an order of fries or do the equivalent of a weeks worth of drinking cold water by not eating 1 serving of potato chips. Not that I am saying exercise isn't important, but weight loss begins in the kitchen.
  • Unknown
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  • rward007
    rward007 Posts: 32
    In my first year of university, a chemistry prof did the math in class, and told us that you would have to drink more than a bathtub full of icewater to burn one kcal. There might be less direct benefits, though?

    Seriously, can we get Mythbusters to dedicate an episode to all these calorie burning urban legends?
  • halliedoll
    halliedoll Posts: 171
    Ive actually posted this very same topic before, haha. The thing is, according to my more reccent research, your body does have to work harder to process colder temperatures of water. Your body has to take the extra effort to manually warm up cold water, so with that said, it is taking extra energy (a very small maount of calories) to warm up cold water in your system, but its not a ton of calories.
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    I heard the moon landing was faked.
  • angrodriguez92
    angrodriguez92 Posts: 193 Member
    Yes, and sleeping for 2 hours burns 100 calories.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Ive actually posted this very same topic before, haha. The thing is, according to my more reccent research, your body does have to work harder to process colder temperatures of water. Your body has to take the extra effort to manually warm up cold water, so with that said, it is taking extra energy (a very small maount of calories) to warm up cold water in your system, but its not a ton of calories.
    Your research?
  • JuneBPrice
    JuneBPrice Posts: 294 Member
    Technically? Yes. But unless you're trying to burn off 1/63 of a baby carrot, it's not really significant.
  • BrightEyesx3
    BrightEyesx3 Posts: 335
    Thanks for clearing that up everyone. It sounded way too good to be true and I wanted people's opinions on it. Just think how many people would lose weight though if all those weight loss myths were true :laugh:
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Thanks for clearing that up everyone. It sounded way too good to be true and I wanted people's opinions on it. Just think how many people would lose weight though if all those weight loss myths were true :laugh:
    Or not, because no matter what you do there's a myth saying you're doing it wrong!
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Didn't read the replies however logic dictates that yes, drinking ice cold water does infact burn some calories. Your pee is always warm so the body will have to warm up the water, plus processing and everything. Now the matter of HOW much calories it burns is a different one but I'm sure over the time it adds up
  • BrightEyesx3
    BrightEyesx3 Posts: 335
    Didn't read the replies however logic dictates that yes, drinking ice cold water does infact burn some calories. Your pee is always warm so the body will have to warm up the water, plus processing and everything. Now the matter of HOW much calories it burns is a different one but I'm sure over the time it adds up

    Really? That's the first yes in the thread so far. Interesting though.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    No, it really doesn't add up to anything significant.
  • fit4lyfeLisa
    fit4lyfeLisa Posts: 529 Member
    What about jumping into freezing cold water and staying in there until one is hypothermic? I wonder how many calories that would burn?

    LOL
  • BrightEyesx3
    BrightEyesx3 Posts: 335
    Ive actually posted this very same topic before, haha. The thing is, according to my more reccent research, your body does have to work harder to process colder temperatures of water. Your body has to take the extra effort to manually warm up cold water, so with that said, it is taking extra energy (a very small maount of calories) to warm up cold water in your system, but its not a ton of calories.

    And that is how I heard this myth, from a doctor on TV explaining this
  • sarahgilmore1
    sarahgilmore1 Posts: 39
    it takes 1calorie of energy (little c, not a 'food' calorie, or big C) to raise 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius.

    to raise 1 cup (250g) of 4 degree water (fridge temp) to body temp it would take 250 x 33 = 8,250 calories, or 8.25 kCal.

    if you'd otherwise be drinking the water room-temperature, say 20 degrees Celsius, then you're only raising it by 17 degrees so the burn 'gain' is 4.25kCal
  • nostalgicfortune
    nostalgicfortune Posts: 54
    Didn't read the replies however logic dictates that yes, drinking ice cold water does infact burn some calories. Your pee is always warm so the body will have to warm up the water, plus processing and everything. Now the matter of HOW much calories it burns is a different one but I'm sure over the time it adds up

    Really? That's the first yes in the thread so far. Interesting though.

    No, technically nearly everyone agreed with this person...Yes, it does technically burn more calories...but it's the 'how much' that's the point they all took. The amount is so low that it really isn't worth it unless you just happen to like to drink freezing cold water and over a year you might burn off half a pound
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Well think of it this way, a normal fit person have to increase their calories in the north/south pole if they want to maintain their weight. The increase is typically about 3,000 calories per day. Their body have to generate alot of heat to survive(even with all the new equipments and stuff) and that costs calories. Imagine the same scenario over a small amount but a large duration (a year for example) and it wil add up. Even if drinking ice cold 8 oz water burns 10 calories, thats 80 calories a day and a bit less than 9 lbs a year lost. Not too bad.

    However, 10 calories per glass can be too much or too little estimate. It varies ALOT by the weather, your hormones, your weights and alot of other things so in short, its best not to think about this little thing and just move your butt the old fashion way :)

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