The last thing you probably want to do on a sweltering day is sit down with a mug of hot tea, but science tells us that this in fact is the best way to cool down. It seems counter-intuitive, we know, but the explanation makes sense.
It all has to do with sweat.
Drinking a hot drink increases the body’s heat load and the body responds to that by sweating. The output of sweat is greater than the internal heat gain, and this is where it all starts to make sense ― when the sweat evaporates from the skin, it cools us down.
The sweat increases heat loss and reduces body heat storage. Good info to know, and it’s all thanks to Ollie Jay ― a researcher at University of Ottawa’s School of Human Kinetic ― and the research he published in 2012.
Our bodies sweat when we drink something hot because of nerve receptors on our tongue. When our tongue receives the information that a hot beverage is being consumed, it sends that info along to the brain, which then sets about to cool down the body by sweating.
But, there’s a little caveat you should know about. If you’re drinking a hot drink in an environment where the sweat won’t evaporate ― like somewhere hot and humid ― that hot drink probably won’t do the trick. You might want to stick to a cold beverage if that’s the case.
“The hot drink still does add a little heat to the body, so if the sweat’s not going to assist in evaporation, go for a cold drink,” Jay told Smithsonian.com.
In that case, we have a roundup of must-have products for making your own cold brew at home.
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Ovalware's stainless steel, dishwasher-safe cold brew features an airtight seal you can store ready-to-drink cold brew in your fridge for up to two weeks. Not into coffee? You can also easily brew hot or iced tea in this carafe.
Thanks to Mr. Coffee's simple measuring system, you'll be able to brew the perfect tumbler of iced coffee in under four minutes. It brews a perfect calibrated amount of hot coffee, which can then be dispensed over a full tumbler of ice for a refreshing cold, caffeinated beverage.
Reviewers are obsessed with the simplicity of this machine. "The insulated cup with the fill line and the measuring scoop makes a perfect cup of iced coffee-way better tasting and much colder than brewing a cup of coffee and pouring it over ice," a reviewer wrote. "It was worth the small cost of having a separate machine. I keep it in my home office. Cheap, but quite useful."
This electric cold brew simplifies that process by giving you the ability to have ready-to-drink cold brew in minutes. You can choose from four different brew strengths, all of which will take different amounts of time to prepare.
This cold brew is made to last, too: You can store it in the fridge for up to 10 days. It also includes a self-cleaning function that flushes out residual coffee and cleans it with fresh water.
"I have bought several cold brew makers and have found this one to be one of the best," a reviewer wrote. "It’s so good, I bought an extra one for work."
The Keurig K-Iced comes with three cup-size settings (8, 10, and 12-ounce) and is compatible with the K-cup universal coffee filter. A removable drip tray can be used to accommodate tumblers and travel mugs up to 11 inches tall, and hold a full "accidental brew" for easy cleanup. Randomly feeling a hot cup of coffee? Worry not, because this coffee maker can do that, too. And if you want iced coffee the next day, just press the "iced coffee" button.
"I have had a larger Keurig 2.0 for years (it still worked just fine), but I wanted an updated look for my coffee station and I had used this model while on vacation and really liked it," one reviewer wrote. "I like the slim water reservoir, it's easy to pop out and fill...it's a really nice looking product on my counter and takes up half the space my old 2.0 took up. I'm glad I upgraded to this model."