From the moment one of our earliest ancestors poured boiling water over a shaved root or dried leaves, and drank, humans have been partaking of warm, relaxing drinks. There’s something about a glass, cup, or mug of liquid heat that can do us a world of good. While pure water is typically the beverage of choice, sometimes you want or need something more than pure hydration.
If you want a chance to unwind, there are few things more comforting and satisfying than slowing down to enjoy a warm, relaxing beverage. Perhaps this is why many of us start our day with coffee and end it with herbal tea. Or you might have fond memories of hot chocolate after ice skating on a clear winter day. And while warm drinks are a natural fit during cold weather, imbibing a warm and relaxing drink can do much more for us than take the chill off our fingers and lips.
Why Drink Warm Drinks
Let’s start with the obvious: warm drinks warm you up when it’s cold. And, science confirms this common sense. Researchers from the Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory of the University of Sydney, in Australia, discovered, in 2017, that warm beverages can protect athletes from decreased performance in cold weather. They found that humans have thermoreceptors in their abdomens. And drinking warm or cool drinks can improve perceived and actual body temperature regulation, essentially ramping up or throttling down sweating.
This means that while a warm drink probably doesn’t actually change your core temperature, it assuredly improves your body’s capacity to handle extreme cold or heat. Paradoxically, drinking a warm drink before exercise can jumpstart your perspiration, giving your body a headstart in dealing with hot environments as well.
Not only that, warm drinks may increase circulation. A 2018 study from Japan found that women who were given a hot beverage to drink experienced a rise in the temperature of their hands. One drink was brewed from dried ginger, and the other (a placebo) was flavored to mimic ginger but did not contain the herb. The ginger-drinkers showed increased hand temperature for twice as long as those receiving the warm placebo. So it appears that certain plants, like ginger, can amplify the power of warm drinks.
So, here’s one main reason you should be drinking warm drinks:
Health
Warm beverages may also aid digestion by relaxing stomach muscles. A 2011 study from Turkey found that a cup of warm liquid helped patients who were having their gallbladders removed surgically experience fewer gastrointestinal spasms. As with the ginger experiment aforementioned, it appears that certain herbs are more potent than others in bringing about relaxation of these involuntary muscles. Some examples of relaxing teas include peppermint, ginger, and chamomile.
Traditions around the world prescribe warm beverages to heal the sick, too. Hot drinks can relieve cold and flu symptoms, and plant-based ingredients can provide additional benefits. Lemons squeezed in hot water can boost immunity through its generous vitamin C content. Who doesn’t want that added boost, especially nowadays? And the pectin that comes along with the pulp is a potent prebiotic that can contribute to a healthy gut microbiome. Ginger supports the liver as it breaks down toxins for elimination. And many teas, including green, white, redbush, and hibiscus, contain compounds that fight inflammation, cancer, and other ailments.
One of My Favorite Warm Drink Recipes: Golden Milk
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. organic almond milk (or your choice plant-based milk, unsweetened)
- ½ tsp. organic vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. organic ground turmeric
- ½ tsp. organic ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. organic ground ginger
- 1 dash organic ground black pepper
- 1 dash organic ground clove
- 1 dash organic ground nutmeg
Directions:
- Add the plant-based milk and vanilla to a small saucepan. Heat on medium-high until hot and steaming (don’t let it scorch or boil, though).
- While the milk is heating, combine the spice ingredients in a small bowl and mix them together until well blended.
- Once the liquid is hot, turn off the burner and add the spice mixture to the saucepan with the milk and whisk until all of the spices are dissolved.
- Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!
Adapted from Food Revolution Network