Why should you drink hot beverages in the summer?
In the summer, when temperatures rise, we often prefer cold drinks, thinking they help regulate our internal body temperature and provide a refreshing feeling.
Drinking hot beverages can be beneficial for your body when the outdoor temperature is high (Illustrative image: SP).
For the Tuareg people, who live in some of the hottest regions in the world—the Sahara Desert—they prefer hot drinks. So what should you switch to when temperatures reach their peak?
In this article, you'll discover that hot drinks in the summer offer more benefits than you might think.
Why should you drink hot water in the summer?
We should know that humans are homeothermic, with the body constantly regulating its internal temperature to maintain an optimal level of 37⁰C.
When we drink very cold beverages, especially when the outside temperature is high, the only thing it provides is a fleeting feeling of refreshment.
In fact, this action disrupts our own metabolism because the body has to expend unnecessary energy to regulate its internal temperature.
This gives us a rather unpleasant feeling of "warmth." Therefore, when it's particularly hot, consuming hot drinks is much more beneficial for our bodies.
Drinking hot beverages won't give you a refreshing feeling, but at least they'll save your body the energy it needs to regulate its temperature.
Limitations of hot drinks in summer
Drinking hot water when it's hot is a strategic signal we're sending to our bodies. Upon receiving a new source of heat, the body automatically adjusts to prevent our internal temperature from rising too much.
To achieve this, it will produce more sweat. However, sweating also helps regulate temperature by releasing heat through the skin, thus lowering body temperature.
That's why hot drinks indirectly create a cooling sensation. The problem is that our bodies lose more water (through sweating), so you have to drink more water and more often.
Solutions for beating the summer heat?
The best solution is to drink warm (temperate) beverages at room temperature (i.e., neither hot nor cold). The closer the drink is to 37 degrees Celsius, the less the body has to work to regulate its internal temperature.
So, if you really want to treat yourself to a delicious mint tea for the summer, remember not to drink it too cold. If you're not someone who drinks a lot of water, you can also increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are naturally rich in water.
