Is drinking cold water bad for you? We asked a dietitian.
On a hot summer day, probably the most refreshing drink, whether it’s tea, lemonade, or plain water, comes with a few ice cubes. But just as there are myths about drinking hot drinks, so do cold drinks. According to some wellness influencers and well-meaning loved ones, cold drinks can disrupt digestion and nutrient absorption. But, unsurprisingly, these claims are disproportionate.
âCold, icy drinks have developed an undeserved bad reputation,â says Diane Lindsay-Adler, a registered dietitian and assistant professor of pediatrics at New York Medical College. Popular science. So should we throw our ice cube trays to the wind and fill our water bottles with lukewarm liquid? Here’s what you need to know.
People with certain conditions should avoid cold drinks
So, are there any health risks to drinking frozen drinks? It depends on who’s drinking it, says Natasha Bhuyan, a family physician based in Arizona. Popular science.
If you’re prone to acid reflux, cold drinks can trigger symptoms. But let’s be honest, what you drink is often more important than whether it’s on ice: soft drinks, certain fruit juices like citrus or tomato, coffee and alcoholic drinks can make a flare-up worse.
If you have a cold or a stuffy nose, cold drinks can slow the speed of mucus, meaning those achoos don’t eliminate as much gunk as they might if you drank tea or hot soup, according to a 1978 study.
For people with migraines or asthma triggered by cold temperatures, cold drinks may contribute to these symptoms, Singapore-based physician Samuel Choudhury said in a TikTok video. However, if your condition isn’t triggered by temperature, you likely won’t experience a flare-up of symptoms simply from drinking a cold beverage.
Another group of people who should approach cold drinks with caution are people with achalasia, says Allison Miner, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies at George Mason University. Achalasia is a condition in which damaged nerves can prevent the tube connecting your mouth to your stomach, the esophagus, from doing its job of moving food from one place to another. Drinking cold drinks or eating cold foods can cause patients to have difficulty swallowing, have chest pain and regurgitation, according to a 2012 study.
There is also the problem of tooth sensitivity and brain freeze. If every time you gulp down a slushy ice cream or iced tea your teeth start throbbing or you feel that familiar momentary pang in the brain, just stick to room temperature or warmer drinks.
Mayo Clinic Minute: Cold Facts About Ice Cream Brain Freeze
If you’re prone to brain freeze, it may be best to avoid iced drinks. Video: Mayo Clinic Minute: Cold Facts About Ice Cream Brain Freeze, Mayo Clinic
But when it comes to digestion or nutrient absorption, no matter the old stories, you won’t see any benefit or harm to drinking cold water. The temperature of the liquids you drink doesn’t really matter: our bodies have a knack for digesting liquids, and absorption and digestion of water can occur in about five minutes.
A cold drink can quickly reach room temperature. âSo the effects, if any, are transient,â Choudhury said in his TikTok post, adding that water and nutrient absorption are not affected by temperature, so you’re safe no matter what temperature you favor.
Cold drinks actually benefit some people
Before you give up ice water for good, there are several reasons why some people should keep their drinks cold. Namely athletes and people who exercise a lot, Miner explains.
When we exercise, our bodies heat up, something you’ve probably noticed in the form of mid-jog rash or sweaty socks after a soccer game. If you exercise outside on a hot day, there is always a risk of heat exhaustion, which can manifest as dizziness, profuse sweating, rapid heart rate, and even fainting.
One of the best ways to manage heat exhaustion and prevent it from happening is to drink plenty of water. While any water or sports drink will do, Miner adds that cold water can help cool the body faster than a warmer alternative.
âIf you are an athlete and you run a marathon or play three hours of basketball, [cold beverages are] something you might want,â Miner says.
Plus, if cold drinks simply make you drink more on a hot summer day, that’s reason enough to fill your water bottle to the brim with ice. When it’s hot, we sweat more, which means we’re constantly losing water to keep our bodies cool and comfortable. This means it’s important to stay hydrated, especially as our summers continue to get hotter.
âIn hot weather, people naturally drink more when drinks are cold,â says Lindsay-Adler. “In winter, hot drinks may be more appealing when thirst signals are weaker. Neither choice is metabolically superior: the better option is one that encourages you to drink enough.”
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