Water is an amazing creation of nature. It may not have any taste but the way it soothes the human body with its nutrients and soothing effects, there can be no alternative to it. 70% of our body comprises of water, and enables all our organs to perform just like the way they are supposed to.
It is said that a human can go for a period of 2 weeks if he has to; without eating, but he cannot survive without drinking water for 4 days. This statement is not just mere experience but it has been proved scientifically.
While it is necessary for the survival of life, it has also remarkable drinking benefits. Intake of water in any shape or temperature is helpful in boosting your health. The advantages of drinking water also depend upon the temperature of the water. While everyone knows the advantages of drinking hot water, cold water has always been misunderstood as hazardous to health. Today, in this article we will highlight the health benefits of drinking cold water, so that you can fully utilize its benefits and enjoy it to the fullest.
It is a myth that cold water does more harm than it does well. Recent studies on the impacts of drinking cold water have busted this myth and revealed that cold water also has a lot of health benefits. The advantages associated with the intake of cold water are explained below.
Better Metabolism Rate
Studies and a lot of health practitioners have revealed that fast metabolism rate is an indicator of good health. Cold water boosts the metabolism rates. Recent studies in various health journals state that drinking cold water speeds up the process that activates the mechanism leading to burning of calories for the purpose of heat generation in the body. Drinking cold water regularly can help in increasing the metabolic rate of your body. So, the myth that drinking cold water contracts your stomach making it harder for food to digest; end here.
Help in Weight Loss
Obesity is the root cause of many diseases in the human body. Everyone wants to keep themselves fit and control their weight. For the sake of losing weight, people go on strict diets and add warm water to their daily routine. It is believed that only warm or room temperature water helps in weight loss, this is true but it is also true that drinking cold water helps in weight loss too. When you drink cold water, your body has to work more aggressively in order to maintain the internal temperature of the body, while doing so it burns more sugars and fats leading to weight loss. Drinking warm or room temperature water does not support extra calorie burning as it is already matched with the body temperature and easily absorbed in the body. So, people who are on the road to weight loss skip drinking warm water and move to cold water so your body works even more harder to shed the extra calories.
Mood Lifter
In summers, a glass of cold water is one of the best things that happen to you apart from a cold shower. After spending hours under direct sunlight, a hard exercise session, and outdoor activities that result in sweating, you require a glass of cold water to refresh your mood. There are certain regions in the temporal lobe of the human brain; particularly responsible for moods; that are stimulated by drinking cold water or simply by having a refreshing ice cream. Cold water gives you pleasure and uplift your mood. This is also a reason why people having aggressive behaviors are offered a cold glass of water, as it fuels the happy hormones in the body and cools down the aggression.
Hormone Regulation
Hormones are the most important chemical substances produced in the human body by various glands. Recent studies have revealed that drinking cold water has a positive impact on hormones in the body, specifically testosterone and estrogen. Cold water is helpful in maintaining a good sex life. So, next time you drink normal temperature water, try adding a couple of ice cubes to keep yourself fully geared up.
Workout Partner
Cold water is an excellent workout partner. When you are having a rigorous workout session, your body heats up, it needs something to cool it down. Ice-cold water is an excellent option for this purpose. While hitting the gym or going for a run, you should keep your body well hydrated and cooled down, cold water is the best way to achieve it. It refreshes you mood and gives you even more energy to continue your workout sessions.
Healthy skin
Water intake is mandatory if you wish to have a flawless skin. However, cold water speeds up the process of natural glow and along with smooth skin texture. A lot of people are unaware of the fact that warm water strips off your skin from essential oils responsible for skin health and natural glow; while cold water does the job right. Cold water intake encourages the blood to rush to the surface of skin giving a healthy glow and smaller pores.
Better hair
People who use warm or hot water to wash their hair often complain of having a rough hair texture and increased dryness on their scalp. You might have experienced it yourself as well. This makes it an understandable factor that washing your hair with cold water makes the cuticles of your hair lie flatter which in turn helps your hair reflect more towards light. This is how you get shinier and healthier hair.
Detoxification
It is well-known fact that adding lemon to water can help you detoxify your body. Drinking lemon water at room temperature or warm water is a tough job, you can add lemon and salt in cold water during the summer season and enjoy a chilled glass of lemonade. Ice-cold lemonade not only helps in detoxifying your body, it also supplies your body with essential salts and vitamins that are usually lost due to excessive sweating. Also, the citric and vitamin C in lemon and refreshes your mind and body alike.
Combating Extreme Heat Waves
Nothing beats the heat better than a glass of cold water. Ice-cold water is the best remedy for the crazy heat waves. Cold water not only keeps your blood pressure in control, it also keeps the vital organs of your body cooled down and save them from the impacts of heat. Cold water keeps the human brain relaxed and reduces the chances of losing conscious during insanely high temperature.
Keeping you Alert
Drinking cold water stimulates adrenaline production. Adrenaline helps in keeping you alert and mentally ready. Alertness has long been associated with tea and coffee as they supply you with caffeine. Research has shown that other than caffeine, drinking ice-cold water helps you in staying attentive and gives focus to your mind. Having an alert mind by better adrenaline production, leads to making quicker decisions; hence improving your decision making skills.
Eases pain
Just as discussed above, cold water increases the adrenaline production. Adrenaline does not only has the capacity to uplift your mind but it also increases the body’s tendency to bear pain. This is the reason why people involved in accidents are often given a cold glass of water so their body and mind stays alert, along with the factor that their body feels lesser pain as compared to the trauma it went by. Also, according to the British Triathlon Federation, a “natural response to immersion in cold water can be the constriction of your arteries.” Just like using an ice pack, prevents bruising, swelling and waste tissue build-up following an injury.
Acts as an Energizer
Water regardless of its temperature helps in providing you with more energy. The composition of water does not scientifically contain anything other than hydrogen and oxygen to supply you with energy but when you are properly hydrated and have a regulated body temperature; it enables you to derive energy from the ingested diet.
Boosts up the immune system
Just like taking a cold shower releases body stress, drinking cold water has the same effect on your body by working on the immunity. It works on the white and red blood cells of the body, and maintains great balance between the two.
Conclusion
While cold water has a lot of benefits for your health, it is important to understand that you should not drink cold water if you are having a cold, flu or a coughing problem. A lot of health practitioners advise their patients to drink cold water, but not while having your meals or right after having a meal as this will cool down the body temperature as a whole which can be dangerous. You should also avoid drinking cold water if your doctor has forbidden you from it.
Other than these factors, drinking cold water is very helpful in increasing your health status and gives you an energetic life. All of the above-explained benefits will start to appear after you make drinking cold water a habit, so grab your water bottles and fill them with some ice-cold water to have a better mental and physical health.
Drinking of cold water and even cold baths help a lot for good health. The article is useful.
I find this article very very interesting and I have benefited tremendously from it by reading it. Indeed I never attached any benefits to drinking cold water at all until now. Well done to the researchers.
started having three litres or more of cold water n I’m. already starting to experience some of its benefits such as a glowing skin n being in a damn good mood
This is so interesting and helpful. As water is to a fish so it is to me. I’ve had sequences and cold water registers more benefits. Thanks to this research. I feel as though the research was done on me. Winkwinky.
This article gives me the right answer to my doubt if drinking cold water is bad for the health. Credit to the researcher. Job well done. Five star for this!