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Cold Water or Warm Water. What’s better?

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Cold Water or Warm Water?

Does the temperature of the water matter at all?

Believe it or not – it does matter.

Cold water is not as good for hydration as room temperature. The theory is that the cold water causes the blood vessels surrounding stomach to shrink, slowing absorption.

One theory, upon which medical researchers have varying opinions regards whether drinking cold water is as good for you as drinking tepid water, particularly when you are exercising. Some doctors suggest that room temperature or body temperature water is better than cold water, because the body has to expend energy to heat cold water to body temperature, resulting in some water loss. On the other hand, some doctors say that after physical exertion, you should drink cold water since it will help cool the body more effectively than room temperature water.

What is clear is most people who drink cold water are likely to consume more of it, since it tends to taste better and is more satisfying. Even if drinking cold water results in marginal water loss, the extra water you will probably drink will help make up for this.

The problem is that as the COLD drinks pass through our system, they solidify the fats from the foods we have just eaten or are eating at present. This makes it challenging for the body to digest and disperse the unwanted fats from our body.

However, if we simply swap our cold drinks for a warm drink (warm water/ coffee/tea/herbals) the warm fluids help the fats in our foods to remain fluid and so easing the digestive system and helping the fats pass through our body (and reduce risk of clogged arteries).

If you are attempting to help bring down a fever, or assist someone with sunstroke (animal or person), you should not immerse that person or animal in cold water. Instead you should use lukewarm water, or even slightly warm water. Cold water can provoke chills, which may actually raise body temperature. Though baths can be a helpful way to bring down high fevers, you especially want to avoid allowing someone to shiver or get chilled. If people with fevers drink cold water that is very icy, they may also get chilly, so lukewarm or tepid water may be a better choice.

There are a number of other urban legends associated with the amount of liquids and the type of liquids you consume. For instance people are told that coffee, tea and sodas deplete water from their bodies. Actually, people who routinely drink caffeinated beverages retain about two-thirds of what they drink, and this can be counted as part of daily fluid intake. Another “myth” regarding water is the eight, eight ounce (.24 l) glasses of water are needed daily. While this amount of water, whether you drink cold water or hot, won’t hurt you, daily intake of food usually provides about half the amount of needed fluids. Most people would get by with drinking about 32 ounces (approx. 1 liter) daily.

Also warm/hot water relaxes the body better. Cold water might be more refreshing, but it may disrupt your vocal cords, that’s why singers always drink room temperature water.

The best indicator on whether your body is getting enough water is urine color. If your urine is dark yellow, chances are you’re not getting enough water. If you pass clear to very light colored yellow urine, your fluid intake is adequate. Remember that urine color in the morning will always be a little darker.

Check out a popular podcast on the myth of having to drink 8 glasses of water per day

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Larry & Oksana Ostrovsky, founders of BeWellBuzz, are Life Upgrade Coaches committed to helping you navigate through the latest natural health and personal development information to a destination of optimal wellness. The goal of this site is to be a catalyst in creating and spreading the Buzz, dispelling dangerous myths, society norms and helping you elevate your spirit, do more, live better, and think deeper one day at a time. We’d like to thank you in advance for not only visiting and arming yourself with great information but also sharing it with family and friends. Check out and subscribe to our YouTube Channel and become a fan of our Facebook Page.  
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Comments

  1. Sabra says

    My boyfriend and I recently had a friend over for supper who practically argued that it is better to drink ice cold water than room temperature water. In this he stated that room temperature water is actually bad for you. Attempted argument is now settled. Thank you!

  3. Il Padrino says

    I’d like to see some scientific proof that drinking cold water solidifies fats and make them harder to digest. I find that extremely hard to believe since the food in your digestive tract is there more than long enough to return to body temperature after drinking cold water and if there is any solidification it wouldn’t be permanent. I found a link to a blog that says the American College of Sports Medicine states that there is no concern for harming internal organs. http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/drinking-cold-water-harmful
    When I’m hot, I drink water that is at the point of right before turning to ice. I’ve never had any issues with digestion.
    Honestly, this comes down to personal preference. It’s like debating whether scrambled eggs or over easy is better for you.

    • Il Godrino says

      Actually there is evidence that scrabbled eggs are less healhy than over easy, do a little research there bub, it seems scrabbling actually changes the molecular structure of the eggs and in turn the nutrients you are able to digest. I am not a doctor nor a scientist, but I have read the reports, sorry to throw a pin in your whole doubting thomas, negative nancy routine though.

    • anas says

      well to be quite and calm i can say that ice water dose not solidifies fats but actually it takes energy form the body in order to warm it so in this case (if have mind to think rather than scientific proofs) body will lose energy and its share of energy for the digestive system would be low and would lead into digestive problems .

    • carboy57 says

      Dude …….evidently your a young age. myself personally have suffered from childhood with every digestive issue of ulcers to reflux and some other issues. I drank cold liquids all my life……..the colder I thought was better. the moment I started drinking room temperature liquids or hot. all of my digestive issues have gone away. No Doctor came up with that solution…… just the old prescribe me this and that which has caused other issues like Candida Overgrowth from all the anti-bio tics they had me taking. Your body is a machine….what you put in it gives it the performance it need to run…….just like a automobile……put in some bad fuel , well it runs like crap, don’t maintain it ….. it dies on you and you have to get another one. Well you only have one body to last you how many years you want to live. My suggestion to you is get your head out of the sand and pay attention. you can make simple changes in your diet..to make your diet run more effectively , and something as simple as drinking room temperature liquids and or Hot is a good place to start. As far as eating eggs , boiled eggs are your best bet for optimum health benifits.as it retains all of the nutrients that you need, good protein and the good fat.

    • Shaun says

      Your “common sense” is indeed flawed. Your argument is based upon one of the most fundamental principles of thermodynamics: that heat spontaneously flows from regions of higher temperatures to regions of lower temperatures. Would this not therefore mean that cooled fats would then return to the temperature of their surroundings? For example, fats that entire at temperatures warmer than that of your body will cool, and colder fats will heat up. Furthermore, I have seen no definitive scientific proof in agreement with the purported claim that drinking cold water causes fats in your body to become deleterious to one’s health. Quit listening to your ill-informed friends and educate yourself.

  5. Fanatic says

    Why do people “abuse” these blogs with their frustrations or anger? Is it really necessary to become personal ? Attack the problem / issue and not the individual. We are all here to learn and we are not perfect. A dumb question to me might have relevance to someone else.

    • EmilyM says

      Exactly what I’ve been thinking reading this because I saw on Pinterest said warm water satisfies hunger so when my stomach is upset I drink warm water if I can’t hold anything down. I’ve been trying to find out info and people’s experiences and all you get is their damn complaints. #thatsthatshitidontlike

  6. Karin says

    My personal preference is room temperature. However, if I use a water filtration system, Brita example, for how long can water be safely left at room temperature?

  7. Christine says

    It seems to me that about 65% of the people in the comments section are arguing as if they believe they’re talking about the creation of the universe and not something as slight as hot water vs. cold water. Calm down guys.

  8. 10sweet9 says

    Childrens we are all here to learn not to bite each other heads off. Calm your ass down, please. What matter here is r opinion about luke water vs. Cold water.now if you don’t have anything positive or helpful informations then keep your mouth shut.

  9. Josephine says

    I am trying hot water immediately after meals for easier digestion, and very cold water after two hours for metabolism. Its trial and it has made me feel a lot healthier than before and gotten rid of heart burns I get if I drink cold water immediately after a meal. I have also noticed a slight loss of belly fat.. Let’s try to help each other and I am glad I use both thus I can not blame or take either sides.

  13. Bluecrown says

    The information on cold water solidifying fats in the gut really needs a reference as this information is inaccurate. It is in fact a Chinese/Japanese myth with no medical support that I can find. If cold beverages do indeed solidify fat, then you will indeed find it harder to digest but you will then expel it (not absorb it into your blood stream)

    • byron says

      I would normally agree with you, but a simple experiment can test this theory: Heat some grease in a pan, turn the heat off and add cold water or ice cubes. Then do the same thing and add warm water. The cold water will solidify the grease much faster. In fact, even simpler, it is why you wash your dishes with hot water, so the grease can stay fluid and not clog pipes, and the hot water is better at removing grease. The same process is happening inside our body.

  14. Bluecrown says

    The information on cold water solidifying fats in the gut really needs a reference as this information is inaccurate. It is in fact a Chinese/Japanese myth with no medical support that I can find. If cold beverages do indeed solidify fat, then you will indeed find it harder to digest but you will then expel it (not absorb it into your blood stream)

    • byron says

      I would normally agree with you, but a simple experiment can test this theory: Heat some grease in a pan, turn the heat off and add cold water or ice cubes. Then do the same thing and add warm water. The cold water will solidify the grease much faster. In fact, even simpler, it is why you wash your dishes with hot water, so the grease can stay fluid and not clog pipes, and the hot water is better at removing grease. The same process is happening inside our body.

  15. Bluecrown says

    The information on cold water solidifying fats in the gut really needs a reference as this information is inaccurate. It is in fact a Chinese/Japanese myth with no medical support that I can find. If cold beverages do indeed solidify fat, then you will indeed find it harder to digest but you will then expel it (not absorb it into your blood stream)

    • byron says

      I would normally agree with you, but a simple experiment can test this theory: Heat some grease in a pan, turn the heat off and add cold water or ice cubes. Then do the same thing and add warm water. The cold water will solidify the grease much faster. In fact, even simpler, it is why you wash your dishes with hot water, so the grease can stay fluid and not clog pipes, and the hot water is better at removing grease. The same process is happening inside our body.

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