What is better to drink in the heat: cold water or hot tea

founder of the International Institute of Integrative Nutritionology

The human body is 70% water, so the question of drinking enough fluids is always relevant. But what kind of water to drink – hot, room temperature or cold?

The ideal drink for quenching thirst in the heat is pure water at room temperature. Despite the strong desire to drink a glass of ice water or other beverage, I recommend choosing water with a temperature of about 20 degrees for a number of reasons.

Why you should drink hot tea in the heat

• quenches thirst and helps to replenish water in the body;

• effectively stimulates the gastrointestinal tract;

• normalizes digestion;

• stimulates metabolism;

• does not provoke inflammation in the throat.

You can add lemon, lime or fresh mint leaves to the drink to diversify the flavor. But be careful with citrus additives if you have problems with the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, ulcer, increased acidity.

After a cup of tea, the body will be protected from excessive sweating for several hours. In addition, hot tea expands blood vessels, so that the body even faster gives up heat (sweat evaporates from the surface of the skin) and cooled.

Cold water will not quench thirst, but can weaken the immune system and cause sore throats. Also icy drinks activate the sweat glands, which provokes sweat production and dehydration of the body.

Read about other useful summer drinks in the previous material.

What tea is better to drink in the heat

Green tea

Hot green tea is considered a traditional drink for hot summer in the countries of Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia and Kalmykia.

Kalmyk Jombu tea

Traditional Kalmyk tea djombu is prepared with milk, butter and salt. Caffeine contained in the tea tones and stimulates metabolism, potassium improves cardiovascular and kidney function, normalizes blood pressure, and sodium (as part of the added salt) maintains water-salt balance.

Natives of Kalmykia note the effectiveness of such a drink in quenching thirst, as well as other positive properties:

• raises mood and energy level;

• boosts immunity;

• serves as an excellent absorbent, as milk neutralizes poisonous and harmful substances in the body.

Classic hot tea will quench thirst much better than a mug of cold water, while helping to reduce sweating. A cup of such a drink will first make you sweat, and then cool the body and reduce the elevated temperature. The main thing – drink tea in a ventilated room and in not tight clothes, so as not to prevent sweat from evaporating.

Perhaps the most useful tea in the summer days – natural green tea. It has a pronounced tonic effect and reduces the body’s need for fluids. The chemical composition preserves the necessary salts in the body, which come out with sweat.

I recommend brewing tea not strong and do not add sugar to it. The optimal amount of tea per day – no more than 3-4 cups. Black and green tea can also be drunk chilled, but without adding syrups and ice cubes.

In summer days, the question of quenching thirst is especially acute. For a list of other drinks that will definitely help in hot weather, see the article at the link.