Keywords: Scorching Heat, Hot Tea
When it's hot, people look for drinks that are both thirst-quenching and cooling. But after trying all sorts of beverages, they suddenly realize that tea, especially hot tea, is the most thirst-quenching.
One experiment had participants drink cold beverages, warm tea, and hot tea. The results showed that those who drank cold beverages had their body temperature drop by 0.8—1.0°C, those who drank warm tea by 0.8—1.0°C, and those who drank hot tea by as much as 1.5—2°C. Moreover, the cooling effect of hot tea lasted for over 15 minutes. The main reason hot tea has such a good cooling effect is that it quickly opens the pores and relaxes the sweat glands, allowing sweat to be released freely. This enables body heat to dissipate with the sweat, achieving a comprehensive cooling effect.
When a person drinks water, the water is not absorbed in the stomach but only after it enters the small intestine. When drinking hot tea, the warm stimulation promotes the contraction and peristalsis of the stomach wall, causing the water to quickly enter the small intestine to be absorbed. This quickly satisfies the body's need for water, which is the principle behind why hot tea quenches thirst. In contrast, when drinking cold water, the stimulation on the stomach wall is weaker, and the water stays in the stomach longer, prolonging the absorption time in the small intestine and delaying the body's timely rehydration. Therefore, it cannot quench thirst and cool down as quickly and effectively as hot tea.
Therefore, on a hot summer day when you feel thirsty, you can first rinse your mouth with cool boiled water, then sit down and slowly sip warm tea. This allows you to enjoy the tea while quenching your thirst and cooling down. Why not? Besides, tea is rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds with health benefits, making it the best health drink for the body. Regular consumption is not only good for your health but also avoids the discomfort caused by excessive intake of carbonated drinks. Of course, tea should be sipped lightly and not be too strong. It's best not to drink it before bedtime to avoid affecting sleep.