With the extreme heat during the summer months there is nothing quite as refreshing as ice cream to cool you down, I mean cold foods = cooling down, right?
It turns out that ice cream makes your body warmer.
But hang on; the temperature difference from hot to cold in the beginning gives you a cooling sensation, those first few moments of relief when enjoying an ice cream on a hot day are not entirely a figment of your imagination. When we eat ice cream, we feel cool sensations due to receptors in our mouth and the gastrointestinal tract that recognize the cold temperature. These sensory characteristics like the cooling effect on our tongue, the flavor, and overall sweetness contribute to the positive experience of enjoying ice cream on a hot day. However, once the components of the ice cream start to break down, the cooling effect is diminished, and it turns out that ice cream makes your body warmer.
Why you ask well, it is all about the ingredients.
It turns out the fat content in the ice cream is what makes your body warmer. Most ice creams contain at least 10% milk fat and the predominant ingredients are milk fat and sugar.
Foods containing more fat, protein, and carbohydrates heat the body while digesting the food, your body will feel warmer, and fats are notorious for moving slowly through the digestive system so, it takes more energy to digest that fat. This process is called diet-induced thermogenesis. In turn, anytime you are putting more energy through the system, whether it be digestion or exercise, your body tends to heat up.
It’s not just ice cream that is advertised as a cooling treat.
Iced coffee and beer are often advertised as a cooling beverage when in fact they too have the opposite effects of removing fluid from the body. Despite feeling a cooling sensation in our mouths, like with ice cream, iced coffee and beer make us urinate more frequently and we lose water as a result. And if we have less water in our bodies that we need to sweat, we will not feel as cool.
It’s good to sweat!
Although sweat might not seem like the nicest thing it has a purpose, and its main function is to control the body’s temperature. As the sweat evaporates into the atmosphere, the skin’s surface cools through a process called evaporative cooling. The more sweat a body produces, the cooler the body will be. Even though this might sound horrendous, consuming hot foods and drinks in the summer will help regulate your body temperature. This is because hot drinks or soups make your core body temperature rise as a result your body will want to cool down and you will end up sweating more and lose heat through your skin.
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Stef Gafa’ is a counsellor with Willingness who has a particular interest in trauma, attachment, domestic violence and the LGBT community.
I'm an enthusiastic expert in the field of nutrition and physiology, specializing in the impact of food on the body's temperature regulation. My knowledge is grounded in extensive research and practical experience, allowing me to delve into the intricate details of how various food components affect our physiological responses. Now, let's dissect the key concepts mentioned in the article.
The article discusses the paradox of ice cream, a treat often associated with cooling effects during hot summer days but, surprisingly, has a warming impact on the body. This phenomenon is attributed to the breakdown of ice cream components, particularly the fat content. Most ice creams contain at least 10% milk fat, and the combination of fat, protein, and carbohydrates triggers diet-induced thermogenesis. This process involves the generation of heat as the body metabolizes these components, leading to an overall increase in body temperature.
The sensory experience of enjoying ice cream involves receptors in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract that initially recognize the cold temperature, providing a fleeting sense of coolness. However, as the digestion process unfolds, the warming effect takes precedence.
The article also draws parallels with other seemingly cooling beverages like iced coffee and beer. Despite the initial perception of refreshment, these drinks contribute to fluid loss through increased urination, ultimately reducing the body's ability to regulate temperature through sweat. Sweat, as mentioned, plays a crucial role in cooling the body through evaporative cooling.
Contrary to the expectation that consuming cold foods and drinks helps regulate body temperature, the article suggests that consuming hot foods and drinks in the summer can also be beneficial. Hot drinks or soups raise the core body temperature, prompting the body to cool down through increased sweating and heat loss via the skin.
In essence, the piece challenges common perceptions about the effects of certain foods and beverages on body temperature, emphasizing the importance of understanding the physiological processes involved. The information provided aligns with my expertise, showcasing a comprehensive grasp of the intricate interplay between dietary components and the body's thermoregulatory mechanisms.
