One of the nutritional tips for getting through the summer is to drink enough water. But with the sweltering heat and high temperatures, it’s important to get the right hydration from solid foods too.
Experts recommend drinking at least two litres of water a day and always carry a water bottle with you. They also recommend eating fruit to avoid dehydration and replenish the vitamins and minerals lost through sweating.
But if you are a true coffee lover, surely your biggest concern is whether you can drink coffee in summer.
Until a few years ago, there was a false myth that coffee and caffeinated beverages were responsible for dehydrating the body. This is why many people still have doubts about drinking coffee in summer.
But can coffee really cause dehydration in the body?
Let’s see what doctors think about the consumption of caffeinated drinks in summer.
What do doctors think about this?
Where do the doubts and false myths about Italy’s most popular beverage come from?
According to coffee studies conducted in the late 2000s, caffeine in high doses has a diuretic effect on the body. Therefore, drinking caffeinated beverages at a time of intense heat could cause dehydration.
Subsequent research has refuted these studies, stating that there is no link between coffee and dehydration.
In fact, taking caffeine in normal or moderate doses poses no risk.
These studies have also looked at the effects of caffeine on sportsmen and women, who are at greater risk of becoming dehydrated through intense sweating.
In fact, even in this case, no negative effects were found. Quite the contrary! It was found that discontinuing coffee in regular users negatively affected the athletes’ performance.
A 2014 University of Birmingham study actually redeemed the function of coffee by demonstrating how thoughtful consumption can even restore appropriate hydration.
Cold coffee or hot coffee in summer
In order to get relief from the mugginess and not to worsen the hot feeling during the summer months, many people decide to give up the pleasure of hot espresso coffee. In summer, many people opt for alternative drinks, such as coffee creamers and iced coffee with ice.
If you prefer the intense aroma of espresso coffee, however, there is no need to give up the pleasure of drinking this beverage. In fact, cold or iced drinks provide a momentary pleasure. Drinking a small amount of iced coffee has a cooling effect that fades after a few moments. While the exact opposite occurs with hot beverages.
Did you know that hot drinks help the body to better manage its internal temperature by increasing sweating?
This means that, contrary to popular belief, it is hot coffee that has a cooling effect and provides relief in hot weather!
Although it is true that the heat can make you feel worse from excessive sweating, it is recommended to avoid hot coffee and extremely cold drinks in favour of room temperature drinks and sugar-free.
In addition to stimulating the body’s thermoregulatory effect, espresso coffee in summer has many other benefits. Continue reading to learn what they are.
Effects and benefits of caffeine
By drinking a cup of coffee, you can recover energy and get over exhaustion brought on by sweltering heat and perspiring. Caffeine acts fast and boosts bodily activities, combating exhaustion and loss of focus, so its advantages are noticed right away.
It offers the proper amount of energy and guards against deficiencies that are damaging to the body because it is rich in antioxidants and minerals that are necessary for the body.
This is a great treatment for people with low blood pressure. In fact, hypotension is a common issue that can lower energy levels and make you feel more exhausted. Contrarily, the impact of coffee helps avoid any light-headedness and fainting brought on by the heat.
Espresso provides a powerful energy boost by replacing the fluids lost via excessive perspiration thanks to the nutrients found in the beans.
The nervous system and brain are extremely susceptible to high temperatures. The body is stimulated by the coffee’s effect, which helps prevent the summer fatigue that is so common.
It’s a good practise to drink espresso after meals since it encourages the creation of gastric juices, which helps with digestion.
It stimulates the metabolism, facilitating weight loss and speeding calorie consumption. Contrary to popular belief, caffeine actually offers anti-inflammatory qualities that are very beneficial to the body.
In summary, therefore:
- it helps to recover energy and overcome heat- and sweat-related fatigue;
- it replenishes mineral salts and antioxidants that are essential for the body;
- it helps prevent dizziness and fainting due to the heat;
- it helps to replenish fluids lost through heavy sweating;
- it stimulates the body to avoid heat-related fatigue.
- facilitates digestion;
- accelerates metabolism;
- has an anti-inflammatory action.
Which beverage offers the most advantages? Let’s find out.
What is the recommended source of caffeine in summer: tea, coffee or sports drinks?
If you’re wondering which source of caffeine to consume during the summer, here are the words of a famous nutritionist, Dr Rupali Datta.
According to Dr Datta, consuming caffeine during the summer does not cause any harm. Just don’t overdo it and don’t exceed 250 milligrams (about two and a half cups a day).
The important thing is to choose the right drinks to drink.
According to Dr Datta, tea and coffee are fine, but sports drinks should be avoided. Sports drinks are considered more harmful than a cup of tea or coffee because they contain much more sugar.
For an excellent regenerating coffee even at home
So, there is no need to give up espresso during the hot season. You can drink every day up to two and a half cups of caffeinated beverages without risk. According to doctors, these quantities can be consumed without fear of side effects.
In fact, coffee taken in moderation does not cause problems of dehydration. On the contrary, we have discovered that our favourite beverage has many advantages in the summer, because it helps the body to face the hot days with more vigour.
We have also dispelled the myth of cold coffee. It is precisely hot drinks that are healthiest in hot weather, as they stimulate the body’s thermoregulatory effect.
If you are a purist and can’t give up the pleasure of espresso coffee after a meal or in the morning, enjoy it in peace and quiet even in summer. Now we have also given you good reasons to drink your hot espresso without guilt.
If you want to enjoy a good espresso at home, discover our professional lever machines. You will be able to drink a coffee with a unique barista aroma at home.