Is ice water bad for u?

Question

My dad who is a chinese physician always remind me not to drink ice water. He said it caused the body to be weak? and can cause all sorts of health problem? but he can't explain scientific way. Is there any scientific explanation?

Answer 1

The only medical concern I have ever heard of , involves eating and drinking cold water. The problem would be if you are eating a food high in fat ( grease, oil) the ice water used to wash the food down reacts with the fat. In essence, it congeals the fat and makes the stomach work harder to produce more acid to digest the fat that has to be warmed up to melt again. I've only heard this argument when it relates to heartburn. The same person said you should only drink cool or warm and not hot or cold. I never let it change my ways.

Answer 2

I've heard about this saying from many chinese friends as well. They don't have a scientific explanation. Most chinese beliefs are handed down through word of mouth from the old generation to the young with no real scientific proof/explanation. My chinese friends told me that not only does one get weak if one drinks cold water, but one's face would also get puffy. It's all just beliefs, nothing more. I had a nurse tell me once that cold water is better because the water gets absorbed by the body more easily. who knows?

Answer 3

That is only half true, dude. I believe it depends on the situation. If your body temperature is high, like after tanning in the beach for a couple of hours or after heavy exercise, ice water is quite good for you because it brings down your body temperature to the normal level. However, if your body temperature is already lower because of cold weather or you have been in a cold room too long and then you drink ice water, then obviously it is not good for you. Now, at normal body temperature, only sissies with sensitive throats and weak immune systems will find it unhealthy and actually even get sick because of this. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Chinese believe in temperatures for healing.

But basically iced water can irritate your stomach.

Try drinking cool water, and if you normally had a lot of gas issues, you will find that it may lesson.

Iced water is a "shock" to your system because it is so cold & inside your stomach is hot.

So cool water is less of a shock

Answer 5

The only difference is that the body can process water at room temperature faster then it can ice water. No, its not bad.

Answer 6

Ice Water is good for your health. Just don't drink it very fast, lest your throat become stricken with a severe case of frostbite, resulting in a long and painful hospital confinement, devastating medical complications, hundreds of thousand of dollars of medical payments, and last but not least an extremelty high chance of painful and excruciatingly horrific death in a bed of nightmaris agony and psychotic delusion just before your ultimate demise.

Answer 7

actually in some cases yes.

As a healthcare provider, and we use eastern medicines in our practice. hot, warm water "closer" to body tempature is more accepted for persons dealing with illness, since the body does not have to react to the stimli of the "cold" prior to absorbing the water. It is a physical reaction, no science to prove.

So the anwser is YES- sometimes.

Answer 8

Your body does use energy to warm the water up in your stomach...on the other hand, this burns about 70 calories a day!

Answer 9

Might be in the beliefs, but the only thing I know of is excessive water is not good for you, but that is rare that someone drinks enough water to effect your body. Water is good for your body, it flushes out impurities.

Answer 10

I don't know how true that is or not. I have heard before though is to drink something cold when it is cold outside and drink something warm win it is hot outside. Reason is.. your body temp wont take a big surprise then. Say you drink something cold when its hot out then your body has to really adjust to it and visa-versa. Naturally it is always refreshing to drink something cold when it is warm out just to cool you down and visa-versa..