In the scorching summer, "high temperature" has become its undisputed synonym. As the temperature rises, a variety of cold drinks emerge on the streets and lanes. It can be said that in this hot weather, cold drinks are the best choice for cooling down and relieving summer heat. But have you ever considered, while you are heartily enjoying the coolness of ice, whether your spleen and stomach can handle it?
Green Tea Ice Cream
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the spleen and stomach are considered the "foundation of acquired health," and summer is the best time to nourish them. However, cold drinks are considered "cold" and "cooling" substances. If you indulge in them without restraint just for a moment of coolness, you will instead damage your spleen and stomach.
For many people, summer is the season to enjoy icy foods. If you are deprived of this, what fun is there in summer? In fact, it's not that you can't drink cold drinks, so how can you drink them without harming your health?
1. The timing of eating cold drinks matters
Eating cold drinks in the summer is not something you can do whenever you want. Drinking them on an empty stomach or right after a meal is not suitable, as it can easily harm the stomach. It is generally advisable to drink them 30 minutes after a meal or after a nap. For drinks with ice cubes, it is best to drink them around 3 p.m., when the body's "yang" energy is strongest and less likely to be harmed.
2. Control the amount of cold drinks each time
Under the scorching sun, eating an ice cream can make you feel refreshed instantly. However, it is best not to eat more than two at a time. For cold drinks, each serving should be controlled to about 150 ml, and for bottled drinks, no more than half a bottle at a time.
3. Drink cold drinks slowly
After sweating from being out, drinking an iced drink is so refreshing. But be aware that cold drinks are a great stimulus to the gastrointestinal tract. To avoid harming your body, it's best to savor cold drinks slowly, so the stimulation to the stomach and intestines is less. When eating solid ice, you can first hold it in the front of your mouth, let it melt to near body temperature before swallowing slowly. This way, it won't over-stimulate the brain's blood vessels, throat, and respiratory tract.
4. Do not drink cold drinks immediately after sweating
In the high summer temperatures, you sweat a lot just from walking, even more so after physical activity. Do not drink cold drinks immediately at this time, as it can easily cause "sweat blockage," leading to poor perspiration, difficulty in dissipating body heat, accumulation of residual heat, and a high risk of heatstroke.
5. Do not drink cold drinks that have been stored in the refrigerator for too long
To be able to drink chilled drinks promptly, many households stock a variety of beverages in the refrigerator. But you should know that a refrigerator is not a safe; it cannot effectively kill certain germs. Therefore, it's best to consume cold drinks as soon as possible after buying them. If they are kept in the refrigerator for too long, their quality and safety will decrease. Also, do not put melted ice cream back in the freezer.
In the scorching summer, cold drinks are an indispensable tool for beating the heat. But for your health, some taboos must be taken seriously.
1. Avoid eating unhygienic cold drinks
In the summer, a variety of cold drinks are irresistible. However, when eating them, be sure to check if they are hygienic and fresh. Fruit juice drinks should generally have no sediment, bottled drinks should not be leaking, and should have a pleasant aroma after opening. Fresh milk should be milky white, with uniform texture, no sediment, clots, or impurities, and should have a milky smell. For canned drinks, the iron surface must not be rusty, leaking gas or liquid, and the lid should not be swollen. If a can sounds hollow when tapped, it indicates bacterial growth and should not be eaten.
2. Avoid eating too many cold drinks
Eating too many cold drinks not only harms the stomach and intestines but also poses a serious threat to your teeth. If your tooth enamel is damaged or worn, the cold stimulation from cold drinks can cause discomfort like tooth sensitivity and pain. At the same time, you should eat cold drinks in moderation and not too quickly. Remember to rinse your mouth after enjoying them to protect your teeth. Avoid drinking hot water or tea immediately after.
Eating too much can dilute gastric juice, affect digestion, and stimulate the intestines, causing hyper-peristalsis and shortening the time food stays in the small intestine, which affects the absorption of nutrients from food. Especially for people with acute or chronic gastrointestinal diseases, it is even more important to eat less or none at all.
3. Avoid drinking cold drinks too quickly and excessively after strenuous exercise
Many people think that drinking a cold drink after a workout can quickly restore energy and make them feel refreshed. But you overlook that strenuous exercise raises body temperature and causes throat congestion. If the stomach and throat are suddenly stimulated by a large amount of cold drink, it can lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea, or throat pain, hoarseness, coughing, and other ailments.
4. Avoid eating unhygienic cold drinks
Because E. coli, typhoid bacilli, and pyogenic staphylococci can all survive at temperatures as low as minus 170 degrees Celsius. Therefore, eating unhygienic cold drinks can harm your health, so unbranded sodas or popsicles should not be consumed.
5. Infants should not eat cold drinks; children should eat them in moderation
Infants under 6 months should absolutely be forbidden from eating cold drinks. The gastrointestinal function of young children is not yet fully developed, and their mucous membranes, blood vessels, and related organs are not adapted to the stimulation of cold drinks. Therefore, they should not eat too many, otherwise, it can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, sore throat, and coughing, and even induce tonsillitis.
6. The elderly should eat cold drinks with caution
The digestive function of the elderly has significantly declined, and their tolerance to cold drinks is also much lower. Eating too many cold drinks can not only cause gastrointestinal digestive disorders but may also induce more serious diseases. Especially for frail, elderly individuals, it is best to avoid cold drinks.
7. Avoid eating cold drinks before or after meals
Eating cold drinks within 30 minutes before or after a meal can dilute gastric juice and reduce the activity of digestive enzymes, which is unfavorable for the digestion and absorption of food and can harm your health.
8. Yang-deficient constitution
A yang-deficient constitution refers to a lack of "yang" energy, characterized by a feeling of coldness in the body and extremities. Its features include a pale and plump body with weak muscles, often cold hands and feet, a swollen tongue with teeth marks on the edges, easy sweating, loose stools, and clear, frequent urination. The function of "yang" energy is to warm the body, and cold drinks can easily damage this energy, causing the body to lose its warming function.
9. Blood stasis constitution
A blood stasis constitution refers to a state of poor blood circulation. Its features include a thin body, a dull complexion, a tendency to bruise easily, a predisposition to pain, dark or purplish lips, a dark tongue with possible stasis spots, dark circles under the eyes, easy hair loss, and dry skin. Specifically, women may experience painful periods, and men may often have unexplained bruises. For people with this constitution, eating cold drinks can impede blood flow and worsen blood stasis.
In the summer, cold drinks are everywhere, and some people feel that only by drinking them can they have a proper summer. Although cold drinks have a heat-relieving effect, they are ultimately considered "cold" foods and should not be eaten in excess, especially for people with a weak spleen and stomach, who should eat even less. For children, it is also essential to control the amount. Do not buy large quantities of cold drinks or ice cream to satisfy their demands, as this is very harmful to their health.
It's so sweet