Who Drinks Hot Coffee During Summer? We Do!
Drinking hot coffee in the summer?! While many of us love coffee so much that we’ll have it every day no matter what the temperature is like outside, it does feel counterintuitive to drink a hot beverage when it’s extra hot outside. But is this really a bad idea? Is there something that coffee lovers should be aware of?
In fact, there’s actually some evidence that drinking hot beverages when it’s hot outside could actually cool you down, and maybe even more effectively than cold beverages. So, before you reach for that cold brew or drop some ice cubes in your espresso, check out these facts about drinking coffee in the summer.
Can Hot Coffee Keep You Cool?
It just might, and for the same reason that a good workout can help you cool off—sweat. Sweat is the body’s natural air conditioner. Its purpose is to keep you cool, which is why sweat is stimulated by exercise.
That liquid on your skin effectively draws out heat and cools your body, and those same sweat glands are also stimulated by drinking hot coffee, so drinking the stuff can actually cool you off. Of course, not everyone likes to sweat, so if staying dry is a priority or if you’re already sweaty, then you can go ahead and stick with your favorite iced coffee or cold brew.
Can Hot Coffee Keep You Going in the Summer?
However, another benefit of drinking hot coffee during the summer is the associated caffeine boost that comes along with it. Hot water is better at extracting coffee from the coffee bean, so hot coffee is more likely to give you that caffeine boost that you’ve been craving.
If you’ve been having the feeling that your cold coffee drinks aren’t giving you that same buzz that your regular coffee beverages do, this is likely the reason why.
Yeah, But Doesn’t Caffeine Dehydrate You?
You may have heard that coffee is a diuretic, which will cause you to lose water, meaning you will dehydrate more easily in the summer. This is only partially true.
Studies have actually shown that while some individuals may experience a diuretic effect from caffeine, not all people do. In fact, more active people are less likely to experience this diuretic effect.
It’s also important to keep in mind that there is a lot of water in coffee, so you are replacing a good amount of the water you might lose.
With respect to exercising, studies have shown that moderate caffeine intake does not necessarily have a negative impact on the ability to exercise in heat. While you might not want to carry a thermos of coffee with you on your run, a cup or two of hot coffee before or after exercise should be fine, and might even help you stay cool.
The Final Word on Summer Coffee
In conclusion, coffee, since it contains water, can cool you down – whether you enjoy it hot or cold. If you’ve already worked up a sweat, then it’s time to cool down with a nice iced coffee or cold brew. If you’re heated up but not sweating it out, a nice hot cup of joe could cool you down fast.
With respect to the caffeine, yes, it can cause you to pass some of that water a little more quickly, but it doesn’t always, especially in active people. And further, a cup or two of hot coffee shouldn’t be a problem for most people.