Is It Bad To Drink Cold Water?

Cold water can help us regulate our body temperature after exercise. In addition, it hydrates us faster, because the blood flow absorbs it more quickly.

There is a misconception that drinking cold water frequently, especially after eating, facilitates the onset of serious illnesses, such as cancer.

This idea is due to pure and simple speculation: drinking cold water after a meal solidifies ingested fat, which delays digestion.

Many people believe that this process gives rise to a series of reactions in the stomach and intestines. According to them, these reactions would cause the appearance of carcinogenic cells.

What the doctors say

However, some medical specialists recommend the consumption of cold water. And this, especially after a physical effort, because it regulates the temperature of the body.

Other doctors claim that drinking cold water causes the body to expend energy to warm itself. This therefore results in the immediate loss of the benefits of the water consumed.

There are other times when we are used to using cold water, but it is not recommended. For example, during a rise in fever. 

Indeed, we tend to immerse our body in cold water, when it should be done in lukewarm or slightly hot water.

Cold water can cause chills and temperature rises by activating a body’s defense mechanism. Drinking it, in this case, would cause the same negative result.

The real problem

We hear quite often that we need to drink a certain amount of water. The recommended average is two liters per day.

If we do not take this average into account, or if we do not provide enough water for our day, then we would be susceptible to contracting certain health problems.

But everyone is different, so your urine is the best indicator of whether you’re getting enough water.

If it is dark, you are not consuming enough water, whereas if it is light, you are consuming enough. You have to take into account that the urine in the morning (shortly after getting up) is always darker.

You should also be careful with your thirst: if your body tells you that it is thirsty, you should drink and it doesn’t matter whether the water is cold or hot.

The criterion that really affects our health is the quantity, and the quality, of the water we drink. Most of the water we consume should be natural, without artificial flavors (some additives like mint leaves or lemon slices are allowed) and without sweeteners.

The benefits of cold water

We drink fluids to keep our body hydrated. Cold water, in addition to hydrating us, brings us benefits specific to its temperature. 

• Water helps us lose weight:  the body always maintains a stable temperature, when you consume cold water this temperature will drop, and the body will spend calories to stabilize it again.
• It lowers our body temperature:  After exercising, the body temperature rises. Drinking water will help stabilize it, as we said earlier.
• It hydrates faster:  After exercising, your body needs to hydrate quickly. Cold water is absorbed more quickly by the blood stream which accelerates hydration.

Consuming sufficient water is necessary for maintaining good health, regardless of its temperature.