What happens if you drink cold water?

 A majority of us wish to start our day with that hot mug of coffee or a cup of strong tea. But when it comes to “drinking water”, we choose to grab that cold bottle. Ayurveda suggests that cold drinks including cold water can cause more harm than good. On the other hand, regular consumption of warm water provides us with infinite health benefits including weight loss and inducing better sleep. And “what happens if you drink cold water” is something beyond a sore throat and cough. It deals with your energy and digestive fire.

What is the effect of drinking cold water? 

Cold water when taken on a regular basis leaves a negative impact on your heart as well as the digestive system. The low temperatures contradict with our overall body warmth & energy causing distress in the tissues & blood vessels. Drinking cold water with meals is also considered harmful in Ayurveda. The cold water actually solidifies the oily food that we consume and leads to a slower digestion process.

1. Restricts Digestion: Drinking refrigerated water creates a shock-like state for our digestive system. It extinguishes the strength of our Agni or the digestive fire which leads to problems like indigestion & accumulation of toxins. The blood vessels begin to shrink and this is what happens if you drink cold water regularly.

1. Makes You Prone to Diseases: Effects of cold water after a meal leads to excess mucus formation in the respiratory tract increasing vulnerability to cold, flu or a sore throat. Cold beverages also hinder the hydration process.

1. Increases Lethargy: The energy that works for digesting the food and absorbing its nutrients is actually spent on regulating the normal body temperature of 37 Degree Celsius. This leads to slower digestion which gradually makes you feel exhausted.

1. Robs body’s Nutrients: Our body spends energy to regulate its temperature (because of drinking cold beverages) rather than retaining the nutrients. So when the required proteins and nutrients (from the food that we eat) are not properly absorbed in the body, it starts to hamper the functioning of several organs.

How warm water benefits? 

Warm water enhances the hydration process, breaks down the consumed food more easily and also acts as a natural detoxifier.

1. Enhances Digestion: Optimizing digestion is essential in Ayurveda. Warm water after meals stimulates the natural digestive enzymes & boosts the digestion process. Read more about how to enhance your digestion

2. Detoxification: Warm water helps to detoxify the body. It purifies the blood along with improving blood circulation, it clears the skin and cleanses your kidneys and the lymphatic system.

3. Aids Weight Loss: There are numerous health benefits of drinking hot water in morning. Take a glass of warm water along with a freshly squeezed lemon, (you can add a tsp honey if you want) daily. Warm water slightly increases the body temperature which in turn accelerates the process of metabolism. This way it reduces craving for sugar, prevents hunger pang, satiate your senses and aids the weight loss process.

(According to some people, ice cold water also burns calories. But that is a very slow process and calories burnt are fairly insignificant.)

4. Rejuvenation: Warm water relaxes the body inducing better sleep patterns and making you feel rejuvenated when you wake up.

You’ll observe a remarkable improvement in your body once you get into the habit of drinking warm water. So next time you grab that cold or refrigerated water bottle do not forget to Hold the Ice and instead Get the Warmth!