Cold beer or hot tea? Which refreshes you more when it's hot
Do you reach for an ice-cold drink when the sun is shining? Maybe not the best idea... and the most effective alternative will surprise you. Imagine: 100°F/38°C in the shade, no sign of a breeze and that sticky sweat that accompanies you all the way indoors. Your body asks for a break. You go to the fridge and, without thinking, you take out a beer. Refreshing, frothy, bubbly and very cold, almost icy. The first sip is pure glory. But... what if you were told that this relief is a mirage?
We may be fighting the heat with the wrong weapons. Because what really refreshes you is not always the coldest thing.
What you think helps... but not that much.
Drinking something very cold seems the most logical thing to do. Soft drinks, slushies, ice cubes even in the soup. And yes, the initial sensation is pleasant. But internally, the body is not fooled: the sudden cold in the throat can cause blood vessels to constrict, slowing heat dissipation. And if you also drink alcohol, such as beer, the effect is multiplied: dehydration, vasodilation, and a greater effort by the body to regulate its temperature.
In other words: the coolness is momentary, but the heat returns... and sometimes with interest, because the body has to work twice as hard to compensate for the thermal contrast and recover its internal equilibrium.
The least intuitive drink to beat the heat
And here comes the unexpected twist. In many countries where heat is the norm - Morocco, India, the Middle East - they don't drink soft drinks or beer to cope. They drink hot tea. Yes, hot. Why?
Because when a hot drink is introduced into the body, the body reacts by sweating. And that sweat, as it evaporates, generates a natural and effective cooling. It is not immediate, but it is real. It is an efficient thermoregulation mechanism: by providing heat, the body activates sweating and cools down as the sweat evaporates.
So you have to give up beer in the summer?
Not necessarily. But it's important to understand what's going on. An ice-cold beer may be good for a moment of leisure, but it shouldn't be your primary strategy for combating a heat wave. Alcohol, in addition to dehydrating you, can cloud your perception of risk, and in high temperatures that's especially dangerous.
If you opt for it, do so in moderation and compensate with water and foods rich in liquids (watermelon, melon, cucumber...).
Some extra tips
Coolness does not only depend on what you drink. Loose clothing, natural fabrics and covering yourself from the sun (yes, even with long sleeves) help to keep your temperature stable. Wetting your palms, feet or cheeks with lukewarm water can also be more effective than a cold shower. It all adds up. Everything counts.
Your body doesn't need extreme tricks, it needs to understand its own mechanisms. Not everything that cools immediately is effective in the long term. Neither too much ice, nor alcohol disguised as coolness, nor iced drinks as a rule are always the best option. Sometimes, what really promotes thermal regulation is just the opposite: a warm stimulus that activates the body's natural cooling system.
And you, would you dare to try this advice during a heat wave?
Patricia González
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