Drinking hot or cold tea: which is the best way to drink it?
Its many properties, such as skin care or cholesterol control, and the fact that it can be drunk at any time of the day, make tea one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. But there is always a question surrounding this drink: should we drink cold tea or hot tea? What is the best way to drink tea? The answer is simple: both ways. Tea can be drunk both hot and cold, and its consumption will depend on taste and also on the moment of ingestion.
Characteristics of hot and cold tea
Before going into detail, the first thing we need to do is to get to know hot and cold tea better, and some of their defining characteristics.
On the one hand, cold tea is more refreshing. However, it is said that the flavour loses potency, but the truth is that it will depend on the variety of the tea.
On the other hand, hot tea has a more intense flavour and you can consume it in winter as well as in summer.
The best way to drink tea if you want to take advantage of its properties
Tea has many properties that are beneficial to our health. While it is true that its benefits are maintained regardless of how we consume it, hot tea retains its properties better than cold tea. This does not mean that cold tea loses its properties, only that when served iced it does not retain them in the same way. So, if you drink tea because you are only interested in the health benefits it provides, don’t worry, you can drink it either hot or cold.
The best way to drink tea according to the season
Let’s talk about the two most extreme seasons of the year in terms of temperature: summer and winter. When it’s cold, the best thing to do is to drink hot tea to warm up. When summer arrives, it is to be expected that cold tea is the best solution. But you can also drink hot tea in summer. As we have seen in the characteristic section, hot tea is so refreshing that it can also be drunk on hot days.
When you drink a cold beverage, it has been shown that the body starts to work to acclimatise the liquid you ingest to your body temperature. This expends energy and therefore produces heat. With hot tea, on the other hand, as the body temperature is similar, the body does not have to do any extra work. Thus, it ends up cooling. In fact, in some countries, such as Morocco, tea is drunk hot, even if the temperatures are very high.
It is true that, depending on the taste of each one, there are people who like more to take it in one way or another, but we recommend that you go alternating and drink it in both ways, since the best way to drink tea is simply take it. This way, you can enjoy both hot and cold tea and get the best of both versions.
At Raíces de la Tierra, we have a wide catalogue of high quality natural teas and infusions, perfect for any moment. Take a look at our catalogue and immerse yourself in the world of tea and infusions.
