Is it bad to drink very cold water in summer?

Do you have questions about nutrition? Send them to us at comer@lavanguardia.es, our nutritionist Aitor Sánchez will answer all your questions.

Is it bad to drink very cold water in summer? (Juan González, reader)

Hello John,

It is important to take care of the temperature of the liquids we drink, since they can have a negative impact on our digestion or even cause discomfort.

It is important to keep in mind that this liquid will produce an exchange of temperatures in our digestive tract and that if it is too cold or too hot it can cause damage.

The smartest thing to do would be to use this to our advantage and slightly modulate the temperature not only of what we drink, but also of the foods we eat that have a large amount of water, such as soups, broths, stews, smoothies…

If we drink them cold, at a temperature close to refrigeration, we will not only be hydrating ourselves but we will also be lowering our body temperature, which can be very interesting in summer.

We can do exactly the opposite in winter. If we eat food at a temperature higher than our body temperature but without burning it, we will stay warm and even facilitate digestion and nighttime rest.

First of all, common sense, if the water is so cold that it causes damage to our mucous membranes or teethis a good indicator that it is better to temper it before drinking it. Likewise, if we are drinking very cold water straight from the refrigerator or with ice, we can keep it in our mouth for a while so that it reaches a higher temperature before swallowing it.

Is melon or watermelon more nutritious? Which should I eat more of? (Elena Garcia, reader)

Hello Elena,

Melon and watermelon are practically similar in terms of nutrition, so I invite you to choose the one you like best at any given time. It also doesn’t make much sense to compare them with each other, or with other summer fruits, since practically any decision in favor of the fruit we choose will be positive for our diet.

If you want to explore other possibilities, watermelon is great in homemade slushies, gazpachos, marinated with soy sauce, and even grilled, which is a real delight.

Melon is usually best used in cold soups, creams and also in salads. It also goes very well with savoury dishes, for example, in many regions of Spain, crumbs are eaten with melon, which allows for a sweet contrast in the mouth, and also a refreshing touch.

If you want to explore new types of melons, those that are orange, such as cantaloupe varieties, have a little extra vitamin A due to having more carotenoids, which are responsible for giving it that striking color.