Summer weather is hot, and many people love to drink beverages to cool down. To stay healthy, it's important to consume cold drinks correctly. The following introduces the proper way to drink cold drinks in the summer and beverages suitable for the season. If you want to learn more, take a look. In the scorching summer, many people drink large amounts of cold drinks and frozen fruit to pursue the stimulation of coolness. In fact, to beat the heat, cold drinks are not the best solution, and they are not recommended for summer health preservation. If you really want to drink them, pay attention to the method. So, how to correctly drink cold drinks in the summer? What drinks are good to drink in the summer? Next, I will introduce them one by one for your reference.
How to correctly drink cold drinks in the summer?
1. The best temperature for beverages is between 30-32°C
The ideal beverage temperature is between 30-32°C, which is close to body temperature. Warm tea is a more ideal drink. The temperature of cold drinks is generally lower than the stomach's internal temperature. Long-term consumption of excessive cold drinks can cause the blood vessels under the gastric mucosa to constrict, weakening the stomach's defensive functions and affecting health. Drink fewer cold drinks and iced water, especially not before or after meals, so as not to easily affect health.
2. Avoid eating cold drinks before or after meals
When eating, most of the body's blood is concentrated in the digestive organs like the stomach. If you eat cold drinks immediately after a meal, it causes the expanded blood vessels in the stomach to constrict, reducing blood flow and hindering the normal digestive process. The stimulation of cold water also speeds up gastrointestinal motility, affecting the body's absorption of nutrients. At the same time, cold water can also dilute gastric juice, affecting digestion.
3. Don't drink iced beverages for breakfast
The human body always prefers a warm environment. When the body is warm, microcirculation is normal, and the transportation of oxygen, nutrients, and waste is smooth. Therefore, when eating breakfast, avoid drinking iced beverages and foods. Breakfast should consist of "hot food" to protect the "stomach qi." In Traditional Chinese Medicine, stomach qi is a broad concept that not only refers to the stomach organ itself but also includes the digestive and absorption capacity of the spleen and stomach, acquired immunity, and muscle function.
In the morning, the yin qi from the night has not yet dissipated, and the earth's temperature has not yet risen. The body's muscles, nerves, and blood vessels are still in a state of contraction. If you consume cold food and drinks at this time, it will inevitably cause the body's various systems to constrict further and blood flow to become even more unsmooth.
4. Be cautious with cold drinks after exercise
It is unscientific to eat a large amount of cold drinks after summer exercise. Intense exercise raises body temperature. At this time, consuming a large amount of cold drinks is a strong cold stimulus to the digestive tract, which can cause strong gastrointestinal motility, leading to abdominal pain and diarrhea. At the same time, the drastic change between cold and hot can cause the blood vessels in the stomach to suddenly constrict. Frequent occurrences can lead to digestive and absorption dysfunction, causing indigestion or other diseases. Additionally, after exercise, the throat may be in a congested state, and a strong cold stimulus can cause throat pain, hoarseness, and other symptoms. Therefore, it is not advisable to eat cold drinks immediately after exercise; it's better to rest for a while first.
5. Avoid alternating between cold and hot drinks
Some people drink a cold drink and then immediately follow it with hot coffee, hot milk, etc. Such changes between cold and hot can easily stimulate the teeth and lead to dental problems. Moreover, alternating cold and hot drinks is also unfavorable for the gastrointestinal tract and can easily cause digestive tract dysfunction. Therefore, cold and hot drinks should be consumed separately, with an interval of at least 30 minutes. Eating cold drinks 30 minutes before or after a meal can dilute gastric juice, reduce the activity of digestive enzymes, and be unfavorable for the digestion and absorption of food, thus harming human health. In the hot summer, drinking a little light salt water before a meal can supplement the body's needed salt and water, making it unnecessary to eat cold food and drinks.
What drinks are good to drink in the summer?
1. Lemon water
Lemon water is a very popular weight-loss drink. Drinking a glass of lemon water on an empty stomach every morning can help you expel excess metabolic waste left in the body, which is a good way to lose weight quickly. In addition, lemon water is very easy to prepare and won't delay your time for work.
2. Honey water
Research has proven that the main components of honey, glucose and fructose, are easily absorbed and utilized by the human body. Regular consumption of honey can help expel toxins and has beautifying effects. Drinking a glass of honey water 40 minutes after breakfast and 40 minutes before bedtime every day can help you lose weight easily and quickly.
3. Plain boiled water
Plain boiled water is the most suitable drinking water for the human body and has many advantages:
After tap water is boiled, it is not only clean and bacteria-free, but it can also improve water with excessively high hardness, and it can preserve certain minerals in the original water, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and other minerals needed by the human body.
The vast majority of sweet beverages only contain sugar and water but do not provide minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, nor do they contain vitamins. They may contain non-sugar sweeteners, organic acids, flavors, colors, etc. Drinking too much may lead to adverse consequences such as poor bone development, indigestion, cavities, obesity, vitamin deficiency, and even possible changes in children's behavior.