Drinking cold water is bad for you. This health claim is quite common and according to this local general practitioner, it’s even more so if you grew up in an Asian household.
He thought it might be time to “settle this once and for all” and provided his views on the matter.
On Wednesday (Jan 11), Dr Sam took to his TikTok account Skingapore and shared a clip of him debunking this health myth.
It’s good news for those who are fond of chugging down cold water as he mentioned there was (for the most part) no real health risk to doing so.
He brought up a couple of health claims about drinking cold water, the first being that it slows down digestion.
The medical professional explained that there are thermal receptors in the stomach, so this health claim might actually hold true.
But studies on the topic have been conflicting, he added.
Ultimately though, the temperature doesn’t affect the absorption of nutrients.
“So you don’t absorb less water just because it is cold,” Dr Sam said before suggesting this claim is untrue.
Well, what about having cold water with hot food?
With a wry smile, Dr Sam mentioned that mums often tell you that mixing these two would form a “sludge”, with digestion and absorption affected.
Unfortunately for those mums, there are no scientific studies confirming this so Dr Sam brushed it off as another health myth.
Claim number three has to do with cough and surprisingly, it is based on scientific grounds.
A study found that cold water reduces the flow rate of mucus in the nose.
This can “make congestion and cough worse”, Dr Sam concluded.
So there you go, not all health advice from others should automatically be dismissed.
In the comments section, netizens were eager to send the clip to their mums.
They might have wanted to give a credible counterargument to their respective mums and this video might just do the trick.
“Someone please send this to my mum,” one netizen wrote.
Despite backing his views with findings from medical journals, Dr Sam said that his video gave general advice that “does not replace professional medical advice”.
Benefits of drinking cold water
In fact, there are studies that point to the benefits of drinking cold water.
During exercise, cold water can help keep one’s core temperature lower and help to avoid overheating, according to Healthline.
But what’s more important than water temperature is the actual amount of water one consumes.
Dr Sam recommends drinking eight glasses of water a day as it can help people avoid getting constipation.
Furthermore, drinking water can help to increase metabolism and even burn calories.
It’s also a good way to help pinpoint your actual hunger levels. The next time you feel “hungry”, drink some water instead.
That way, you’ll know if it’s actual hunger pangs or if you’re just craving a snack.
This article was first published on AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.