Drinking Cold water ! Is it really a cure for Obesity?
Drinking cold water causes the body to burn more calories and could be an effective weight-loss method for overweight children. Sound to good to be true? Maybe not!
Our bodies naturally try to maintain an ideal internal temperature at all times. When it’s hot, we sweat as a way of getting rid of unwanted heat. When it’s cold, we shiver as a way to create internal heat. It turns out that when we eat hot or cold foods, the body reacts in similar ways.
The study measured something called the “resting energy expenditure (REE)” of 21 overweight children. It found that, after drinking about 2 cups of iced water, a significant drop in REE occurred immediately. This was a result of the cooling effect on the mouth, throat and stomach. What’s really interesting is that about 20 minutes later, the test participants’ REE was significantly higher and stayed higher for more than an hour after drinking the water.
In order to expend more energy (in other words, raise REE), the body must burn more calories. The study found that more calories were burned by subjects who drank ice water. How much more? The study doesn’t say. Does this mean that iced water is the “cure-all” for obesity? In short, no. But every little bit helps!
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Drink it all then. :)
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