As a respite from the brutal heat, many turn to cold drinks and frozen treats as the saviours. After a long day outside, the first instinct after coming back home is to guzzle down an icy beverage, like iced coffee or chilled soda, or eat a big scoop of ice cream straight from fridge to get that instant relief and feel cool. But does it actually cool you down? Or is it misleading?
To know the truth behind this common belief, HT Lifestyle spoke with Dr Sukrit Singh Sethi, director and senior consultant in gastroenterology at Narayana Hospital, Gurugram, who explained how much truth there is to idea that chilled drinks and frozen treats actually help cool the body during extreme summer heat.
What is the immediate cool feeling?
The first sip of cola or ice cream may feel great and make you feel like you are cooling down, but is that feeling of being cooled truly real or just a deception?
The doctor explained that actually it is just the tongue may feel like an ‘immediate relief’ as the icy temperature hits, the digestive system may react differently, and not in the way you expected. He stated, “What feels cold to the touch often triggers a metabolic fire inside the body.”
What happens inside your body when you eat or drink anything cold?
The body responds in a very complex manner. The gastroenterologist described, “The body maintains a very tight internal temperature. When someone consumes a sugary, iced drink, the digestive system works overtime to process the high caloric load. Sugar requires significant energy to break down. This metabolic process actually generates heat as a byproduct.”
So, what exactly is the cooling feeling? The throat temporarily feels cool, but the body because of all the loaded sugar, may actually produce more internal heat while digesting it.
The doctor called this the ‘thermogenic’ effect of sugar. And apart from sugar, caffeine, and fermented products may also have a similar effect.
Does iced coffee increase or decrease body heat?
Iced coffee in particular, which is widely sought after during summers, may actually increase internal heat. How? Dr Sethi explained, “Iced coffee is a popular summer staple, yet caffeine is a known stimulant that increases heart rate and speeds up metabolism. This spike in activity results in more internal heat.”
Even the mangoes were scrutinised, and for good reason, because their high sugar content requires the gut to work harder, which in turn may increase internal body heat. Nowadays mango finds itself in many sugary beverages, from mango matcha latte to mango coffee frape.
What should you have instead to beat the heat?
The urge to cool down is not wrong, after all the heat is usually unberable, but you need to maintain your composure and simply choose better options. For this, the doctor advised priortising hydration over icy foods and drinks, as it is hydration that actually helps the body cool down, not just the temperature of the food itself.
Giving one example, Dr Sethi described how hydration works to cool you, “The body cools down primarily through the evaporation of sweat. When a person drinks room-temperature water or plain coconut water, the body absorbs the fluid quickly without having to ‘warm it up’ to match internal temperatures first.”
Better options
Instead of cold drinks, the gastroenterologist recommended these:
- Buttermilk: It is easy to digest and helps maintain gut flora without taxing the metabolism.
- Cucumber: Its high water content provides a steady stream of hydration.
- Coconut Water: It balances electrolytes which are lost through perspiration.
- Room temperature water: It allows for the fastest rehydration without shocking the digestive tract.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
