What Is Healthier Hot Or Cold Food?
What is healthier, hot or cold food? This question arises now that we begin to change the cold dishes of summer for the delicious hot soups of autumn. However, the myths surrounding the subject have caused us confusion. Therefore, we want to address it in detail below. Discover the answer!
Eating hot helps digest food
Do you know why it is advisable to eat or drink something hot even in summer? The answer is very simple: hot foods or liquids help us to digest. This is stated in an article published in the “Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture”.
So that the stomach and intestines can work properly, it is good that they are at the same temperature as the body. This equates to about 37 degrees.
So it seems logical to think that eating hot or warm foods facilitates the digestion process. This way, the stomach does not need to make an extra effort to reach the right temperature before going to work.
Therefore, eating hot seems to be a good option for those who suffer from digestive problems or slow digestion. In addition, as with spicy food, hot food is also a good way to get warm.
Temperature increases the absorption of some nutrients
Another aspect that must be taken into account when choosing between hot or cold food is how the temperature affects the nutrients in the food.
In some cases, the temperature can favor the accessibility and absorption of some nutrients. For this reason, with food it will be convenient to apply some type of cooking before eating:
- Raw eggs make your protein digestion worse.
- Cooked tomatoes and carrots increase the availability of their antioxidant components such as lycopene and beta-carotene.
- Broccoli, to better access the action of glucosinolates.
Loss of nutrients
Contrary to what has been seen before, other times cooking food can lead to a significant loss of nutrients. This happens, above all, with water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C and group 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 problem. Thus, it is a good idea to include salads and fresh fruits in our daily routine.
We have already seen that if they are followed by a second hot dish or a hot drink, the stomach also manages to reach the optimum temperature to work. And if it is difficult for us to eat very cold food, we can remove it from the refrigerator a little in advance to warm its temperature.
In the case of those vegetables that cannot be eaten raw, the most suitable cooking will be steam, the oven or a quick sauté. Just the minimum time for them to look good.
Hot or cold food to prevent poisoning
Food safety is also important when it comes to feeding ourselves. This, especially, at the time of preparing and cooking food, which is when we can take the greatest risks.
With good management of cooking temperatures we can avoid many health problems that could become important.
Bacterial growth is closely related to temperature. By applying heat we can eliminate most pathogens. For this reason, it is recommended to cook the most sensitive foods (meat, eggs or fish) very well.
We must also make sure that no portion of food has been raw or undercooked. Once cooked, we should consume them in the shortest possible time or keep them above 65 degrees.
If we want to eat them cold, it is important to maintain proper cooking and cold storage standards.
Hot food tends to taste better
The taste of food is perceived on the tongue thanks to the taste buds. A food temperature between 20 and 37 degrees favors the perception of flavors. And, on many occasions, softer and smoother textures are achieved.
On the contrary, when we eat very cold food we have to savor it for a while to end up appreciating its flavor. However, be careful with very hot foods.
On the one hand, we tend to reject them to avoid burning our tongues. And on the other hand, the continued ingestion of too hot foods can favor the appearance of problems in the esophagus and stomach, according to a study published in the journal “Medicine”.
As the Agency for Cancer Research indicates, “very hot beverages (above 65 degrees) are classified as possible carcinogens . ” They came to this conclusion after reviewing around 1,000 studies investigating hot beverage intake and its possible connection to cancer.
Although we may think that the taste of food will not make them more or less healthy options, it is very important to know how to enjoy food. Beyond quantities, nutrients or their absorption, diet also has a lot to do with emotions and well-being.
Enjoying each bite with tasty foods will turn our meals into an act of pleasure and enjoyment. And this, although it may not seem relevant, is also a good bet for health.
Recommendations to choose the best option
Of all the advantages and disadvantages of hot or cold food, we can elaborate the following keys for a better choice.
It is convenient to combine hot and cold dishes at each meal throughout the year. Steamed, baked or sautéed vegetables for a short time also works well to minimize vitamin loss and improve nutrient availability.
In the case of proteins, it is important to cook meat, fish and eggs well and eat them freshly cooked or reheated.
Some foods need cooking to better absorb their nutrients. This does not mean that we cannot eat them cold. Of course, always respecting the optimal storage conditions and remembering that warm or hot foods always taste better.
