Drinking water: ice cold or room temperature?

[dan the man 67]

I am hearing more and more that it is better to drink water at room temperature.............can anybody tell me why?

[Legend]

I'm really not sure but I did hear that your body absorbs the water better at room temp.

[Bod]

Brain Freeeeeeze!!

[The Sundance Kid]

from what I understand you body has to burn more calories by warming the cold water up.

Drink cold water: burn more calories.

I'm not doctor though.lol

[Tick]

I prefer drinking cold water ( I think it taste better) but all to often drink it room temp because my case sits under my desk at work and doesn't get cold. I have heard both things though and never learned what the better one was.

From "Ask the Dietitian" it says...

I've noticed recommendations for cold water a couple of times recently. Is there a difference between room temperature and cold water as far as how the body uses it?

Cold (40 - 50 degrees F) water is absorbed more quickly from the stomach. Also, if cold water is drank during physical exercise has the dual effect of also cooling the internal body temperature along with sweat produced by exercise. Since sweat is your body’s way of cooling itself, leave sweat on your skin and you should feel cooler.

About.com
also is saying pretty much the same thing...

Is drinking cold water during or after exercise good for you or bad for you? Does the temperature of the water matter at all?

A. Believe it or not, cold water is absorbed faster by your body than water at room temperature or at body temperature. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that water and other drinks be chilled when used for exercise.

Best of yet, according to Snopes drinking cold water after dinner (or a meal) does NOT cause cancer!!!

Claim: Drinking cold water after meals will lead to cancer.

Status: False.

[Clint]

As far as I know the absorption rate (and teh argument that cold water burns more calories) are both negligible realistically. I am sure it absorbs faster cold but if you are dehydrated enough to be worrying about how fast you can get water into your system, you ahve bigger issues.

I personally say drink it however you prefer to drink water.

[Skullet]

In my opinion, cold water is better. It burns calories, and a decent amount of them if you drink a half gallon+ a day. As far as the absorbtion rate, I don't really know, but from what I've read, it's absorbed faster.

[The Sundance Kid]

Originally Posted by Clint

As far as I know the absorption rate (and teh argument that cold water burns more calories) are both negligible realistically. I am sure it absorbs faster cold but if you are dehydrated enough to be worrying about how fast you can get water into your system, you ahve bigger issues.

I personally say drink it however you prefer to drink water.

Party Pooper.

[virtualpurple]

Originally Posted by Skullet

In my opinion, cold water is better. It burns calories, and a decent amount of them if you drink a half gallon+ a day. As far as the absorbtion rate, I don't really know, but from what I've read, it's absorbed faster.

You do burn calories heating up the cold water, but the amount you burn is pretty slight.

[lottie-12]

Originally Posted by Clint

As far as I know the absorption rate (and teh argument that cold water burns more calories) are both negligible realistically. I am sure it absorbs faster cold but if you are dehydrated enough to be worrying about how fast you can get water into your system, you ahve bigger issues.

I personally say drink it however you prefer to drink water.