How much of a difference will a glass of lukewarm water make to your body? Drinking water hot or cold gives your body hydration. There are different important functions of water in the body such as carrying nutrients and water to cells, flushing bacteria from the bladder, aiding in digestion, preventing constipation, maintaining blood pressure, cushioning joints from wear and tear, and regulating body temperature etc.
Drinking warm water can benefit you if you are looking for weight loss, improving digestion, and improved metabolism. Some people have also experienced that drinking warm water relieves congestion, improves digestion and promotes relaxation in comparison with cold water.
Benefits of drinking lukewarm water:
1. Aids digestion:
Drinking warm water in the morning helps activate the digestive system. The warm water moves through your digestive system, making your body better at eliminating waste through your body. Warm water generally helps in dissolving the food you have eaten which is difficult for your body to digest.
2. Relieves constipation:
Drinking warm water in the morning helps in softening of the stool and makes it easy to pass. Drinking warm water regularly can help manage frequent constipation.
3. Improves circulation:
Healthy blood flow affects everything from your blood pressure to your risk of cardiovascular disease. Taking a warm bath helps your circulatory organs, your arteries and veins expand and carry blood more effectively throughout your body. Drinking hot water may have a similar effect. However, there’s little research to show its effectiveness.
4. Decrease stress levels:
Since drinking hot water helps improve central nervous system functions, you might end up feeling less anxious if you drink a hot beverage.
Research says that drinking less water resulted in reduced feelings of calmness, satisfaction, and positive emotions. Staying hydrated may therefore improve your mood and relaxation levels.
5. Helps body in detoxification:
Warm water in the morning helps in flushing out toxins, detoxification helps in boosting metabolism which eventually benefits in weight loss by utilizing more calories throughout the day.
Different ways to consume lukewarm water in the mornings:
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Fresh ginger tea: Warming, spicy ginger tea has a long history of use for stomach ache and nausea. To make it fresh, grate or slice a small piece of peeled ginger root. Pour boiling water over it and leave to brew for around 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can buy tea bags in most supermarkets.
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Fresh mint tea: Mint tea is low in calories, a great palate cleanser and has traditionally been used to aid digestion. Wash and tear up a handful of mint leaves, add to a small teapot and top up with boiling water. Avoid Moroccan mint tea in restaurants, as it can be loaded with sugar.
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Hot lemon: Squeeze fresh lemon juice into a mug, add an extra slice of lemon, and top up with boiling water. Hot water and lemon makes a good alternative to sugar-laden drinks such as lemonade.
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Green tea: Its health benefits are often exaggerated, and it does contain caffeine (it’s made from the same plant as black tea). But green tea is still a healthier alternative to drinks that are high in sugar and fat.
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Warm water with apple cider and cinnamon: In a cup of warm water add 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of cinnamon powder. Apple cider is a good source of vitamin C and iron, and also contains the soluble fiber pectin, which may aid in reducing cholesterol. Vitamin C is essential for tissue repair and regeneration, and supports the healthy functioning of the immune system.
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Warm water with cumin and coriander powder: Take a cup of warm water, add a tsp of cumin and coriander powder to it. Mix well and drink up. This mixture helps in improving digestion issues such as constipation, bloating, flatulence etc.
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Warm water with curry leaves and lemon: Take a cup of warm water, add 5-6 curry leaves into it and squeeze a lemon on top. This helps in relieving digestive issues and aids in weight loss.
Takeaway:
Lukewarm water in the morning can have multiple benefits if taken in the proper way. There are different ways to incorporate lukewarm water depending on your health condition and issues.
In order to know more about understanding foods that can aid in weight loss or gut issues, get in touch with Uvi Health and talk to the nutritionists.
References:
- Aids in digestion. NCBI. 2016. “The Effect of Warm Water Intake on Bowel Movements in the Early Postoperative Stage of Patients Having Undergone Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27684632/
- Decrease stress levels. NCBI. 2014. “Effects of Changes in Water Intake on Mood of High and Low Drinkers”. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3984246/
