We care a lot about which foods are the healthiest and what portions are, but we rarely question what impact the temperature of the dishes can have on our health. Is it better to consume hot or cold dishes?
What is better, to eat hot or cold dishes? This question arises spontaneously during the change of seasons.
Still, the cliches about it generate some confusion. For this reason, in the following space, we talk about it in detail. Find out the answer!
Eating hot dishes promotes digestion
Do you know why it is recommended to eat or drink something hot even in summer? The answer is very simple: hot foods or liquids help us digest. This is what an article published in the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture states.
As long as the digestive system can work at its best, the food must be at the same temperature as the body. This means roughly 37 degrees Celsius.
Logically, we are led to think that eating hot or lukewarm foods favors the digestion process. This is because the stomach does not need to exert extra effort to reach optimal temperature before going to work.
Eating hot dishes seems to be a good idea for those suffering from digestive disorders or slow digestion. Also, as with spicy dishes, hot dishes are also great for warming up.
The temperature increases the absorption of some nutrients
Finding the right temperature for a dish can improve the supply of certain nutrients, such as the antioxidant compounds in carrots and tomatoes.
Another aspect to keep in mind when choosing between hot or cold dishes is how the temperature interferes with the nutrients of each food.
In some cases, it can promote access to certain nutrients and their absorption. Therefore, it is recommended to cook the following foods before consuming them:
- Raw eggs make protein digestion worse.
- Cooked tomatoes and carrots increase the availability of antioxidant components such as lycopene and beta-carotene.
- Cooked broccoli guarantees a greater contribution of glucosinolates.
Loss of nutrients
Contrary to what has just been seen, on other occasions cooking food can lead to a significant loss of nutrients. This is especially true for water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C and B vitamins, which are very sensitive to heat.
The main source of these vitamins in our diet are fruits and vegetables, which can be eaten raw without any problems. So it’s a good idea to include salads and nuts in our daily routine.
We have already seen that if we accompany them with a second hot dish or a hot drink, even the stomach will be able to reach the optimal temperature to work. And if we find it hard to eat very cold foods, we can take them out of the fridge a little early to reach room temperature.
In the case of vegetables that cannot be eaten raw, the most suitable cooking methods are steamed, baked, or browned in a pan, just long enough to make them a little crunchy.
Hot or cold foods to prevent intoxication
Food security is also important to feed us. This is especially true when we have to prepare and cook food, i.e. when we run a greater risk. With good management of the cooking temperature, we can save ourselves many health problems, even serious ones.
Bacterial proliferation is directly associated with temperature. By applying heat we can eliminate most pathogens. For this reason, it is advisable to cook the most sensitive foods (meat, eggs, or fish) particularly well.
Also, we need to make sure that no portion of food is left raw or undercooked. Once cooked, the dishes should be eaten as soon as possible, or they should be stored at over 65 ° C.
If we want to consume them cold it is important to follow the correct cooking and cold storage rules
Hot food is usually tastier
The taste of food can be perceived by the tongue, through the taste buds. A food temperature between 20 and 38 ° C favors the perception of flavors and very often helps to obtain softer and more delicate textures.
On the contrary, when we consume very cold foods we have to savor them a little before we appreciate their taste. Still, you have to be careful with very hot dishes.
While we have a tendency to reject them to avoid burning our tongues, on the other hand, prolonged consumption of too hot foods can favor the appearance of esophageal and stomach disorders, according to a study published in the journal Medicine.
As the Cancer Research Agency indicates, “very hot drinks (with temperatures above 65 ° C) are classified as possible carcinogens”. This conclusion was reached after the review of about 1000 research studies on the consumption of hot drinks and their possible correlation with cancer.
Although we may think that it is not the taste of food that makes them more or less healthy options, it is very important to know how to enjoy food. Far beyond the quantities, nutrients, or their absorption, nutrition also has a lot to do with emotions and well-being.
Enjoying every bite of delicious food will make our meals a moment of pleasure and enjoyment. And this, while it may not seem important, is also a valid bet in terms of health.
