Do you ever feel the need to gulp down chilled water after a very hectic day or even on a very hot day? Does your first ritual after coming back from office or place of work involve running to the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of chilled water to quench your thirst and whisk the exhaustion of the day away? After all, who doesn’t want the cooling respite in this scorching heat? With the temperature rising every day, it feels necessary to chug down icy-chilled water as often as possible. But did you know, what you have been deeming as an excellent thirst quencher may be taking a toll on your digestive tract and other parts of your body? And that the cooler the water, the harsher are the consequences?.
Experts have advised against the practice of drinking chilled water no matter how hot it gets or how you crave for it. It is unwise to drink very chilled water during or after a meal or even at any time of the day. The reason being that it can disturb the normal functioning of the gastric juices and also upset the balance of doshas.
You should not even have iced-drinks or beverages during meals, instead sip a little warm water between mouthfuls of food. You may read up World Water Day: 6 Awesome Tips to Reduce Water Wastage at Home
Here are a couple of reasons why you should make a switch from chilled water to normal room temperature water –
1. Chilled Water Restricts Digestion
Experts have claimed that drinking chilled water and even cold beverages contract your blood vessels, thereby restricting digestion. It also hinders the natural process of absorbing nutrients during digestion. This is because your body’s focus is diverted from digestion as it tries to regulate your body temperature and that of the water, which can actually cause water loss and make you feel dehydrated. The normal temperature of the body is around 34 to 37 degrees Celsius, so when you consume something of a very low temperature, your body compensates by spending energy to regulate this temperature. This extra energy that is now used to regulate the temperature would have been originally used in the process of digestion and absorbing nutrients. This is why it is always advisable to have water at room temperature.
2. Chilled Water Could Cause Colds & Sore Throat
Another very obvious reason, for which even your elders have been preventing you from gulping down cold water, is your increased chances of getting a sore throat, cough and even stuffy nose. Drinking chilled water, especially after a meal, results in the build-up of excess mucus (respiratory mucosa), which forms the protective layer of the respiratory tract. However, when the track gets congested, it becomes vulnerable to many inflammatory infections.
3. Chilled Water Inhibits Breakdown of Fats
Experts have also say that if you drink chilled water just after your meal, the chilled temperature would solidify the fats from the foods you have just consumed, making it tough for your body to break down the unwanted fats in your body. It is therefore not suggested to drink water immediately after your meal. Usually, keeping a window of 30 minutes after a meal before you drink water is highly recommended. Do check out The Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Drink Water Immediately After Meals)
4. Chilled Water Or Beverages Could Decrease Heart Rate
Some experts have that cold water may have a very serious role to play in decreasing your heart rate. Drinking ice water supposedly stimulates the tenth cranial nerve – the vagus nerve. This nerve is a significant part of the body’s autonomous nervous system, and it mediates the lowering of heart rate. When you consume chilled water, the low temperatures of the water stimulates the nerve to cause the heart rate to drop. Drinking cold water has a way of bringing down the body temperature, which in turn, can cause the blood to clot, meaning that the blood becomes thick and not able to flow freely through your organs.
5. Chilled Water – The Shock Factor
It is not advisable also to have chilled water after a workout. Gym experts suggest taking a glass of warm water after a workout. When you workout, there ’s a lot of heat generated in your body, if you drink ice-cold water immediately after, the mismatch of temperatures may take a toll on your digestive tract. In addition to that, your body cannot absorb the chilled water, therefore it’s of no use. Some people have also complained of chronic pain in the stomach due to the intake of chilled water right after a workout. This is because ice-cold water comes as a shock to your body, if you regularly consume cold water, you may experience shock which can lead to some diseases due to the sudden change in your body temperature levels.
These reasons stated above does not mean that you should cut down on your water consumption completely. In the soaring temperature, it is a must to keep your body hydrated at all times. Consuming water at room temperature or warm water packs great benefits. Other than just increased hydration and faster digestion, it leads to the better stimulation of natural digestive enzymes and ensures smoother and better digestion.
Hot or warm water breaks down the food easily and enhances your bowel movement. It also acts as a natural blood purifier and increases your body’s natural detoxification processes. So load up on this wonder liquid, but make sure it is not ice-cold.
In a tropical region like Nigeria, it is advised to avoid extreme hot temperature as it is not good for your body, people may stay under the shade to reduce the heat from direct sunlight and houses should be build to be properly ventilated
Do you have issues drinking chilled water or are you struggling with having to stop drinking chilled water? Please drop your comments below so we can talk about it. You can follow me on my social media handles and subscribe to get posts directly to your mail. Cheers!
