Can you get sick from eating cold food? (+5 side effects)

In this brief study, we will answer the question, “can you get sick from eating cold food?” and we will also discuss the side effects of eating cold food leftovers. Moreover, we will look at the benefits of hot food.

Can you get sick from eating cold food?

Yes, you can get sick from eating cold food. We all consume cold food mostly daily to save our time wasted on heating or cooking something fresh, and our systems already have a habit to adapt rapidly to this environment. While it is usually advised to have warm meals, eating cold food sometimes would not be extremely harmful to the body’s overall health but may cause small discomforts.

Digestion

It is recommended, according to ancient Ayurveda, to eat warm meals since our digestive system reacts and performs better when exposed to hot food. Although warm food is more rapidly digested, cold food is equally effective since the digestive system converts cold food to body temperature in a short period. To digest food effectively, your body will work just as hard whether you consume it hot, warm, or cold (or any combination thereof).

Intestinal health

Several gut-related issues, including bloating, puffiness, and cramps, have been linked to cold meals in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), especially in women. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the stomach is very heat sensitive, and eating cold meals shocks the body, resulting in additional issues such as digestive sensitivity, fatigue, and sinus infections, among others.

Throat inflammation

Some people have sensitive throats, which may cause discomfort, irritation, and even pain when they eat cold foods, especially whether they are young or elderly. Similar to people suffering from a cold, individuals with sensitive throats should avoid eating cold food since they become particularly vulnerable to lower temperatures.

Lower body temperature

The consumption of cold food affects the body’s internal temperature. The practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that excessive cold in the body hinders fluid movement and circulation, resulting in a condition known as blood stasis, which means that the blood is not flowing at its optimal pace, as described above. Excessive stagnation in the female reproductive system may develop into serious problems such as cysts, endometriosis, and fibroids.

Raw and unprocessed fruits and vegetables

Raw fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and radishes, are eaten in large quantities. We cannot control how fruits are consumed; nevertheless, it is usually a good idea to cook vegetables before eating them. In this case, the temperature of the vegetable has more to do with the presence of germs in the vegetable than it does with its direct impact on the body. Raw vegetables may contain harmful bacteria that are eliminated by cooking. As a consequence, raw or undercooked cold vegetables may be harmful.

What are the benefits of consuming hot food?

When food is served hot, it is more easily absorbed by the body. Our digestive systems are very sensitive to a variety of factors, including meals and drinks, but most crucially, the temperature of the foods we consume.

It is possible that eating or drinking cold foods, especially drinks, may shock your whole body and force your digestive system to work harder to break them down and absorb the nutrients. Because cold food is difficult to digest, you may have bloating or wind after eating a cold meal, and you may also experience digestive sensitivities throughout the day.

Generally, hot meals take longer to eat, which aids digestion by slowing the pace at which you consume food and giving your body more time and less effort to digest and absorb the nutrients they contain. 

The last point to mention is that cooking (roasting, steaming, etc.) helps to break down nutrients in meals, making it easier for the body to absorb the nutrients and thus increasing the nutritional value of the meal.

Food that has been served hot has a greater flavor.

Increasing the temperature of food or drink seems to enhance the sense of flavor, according to some research. Because food is heated, it is believed that the TRPM5 taste receptor, which detects sweet and bitter tastes, sends a stronger signal to the brain, explaining the phenomenon. However, this is not an absolute rule; not everything tastes better when served hot, and more investigation into this topic is required.

It can prevent allergies

According to recent researches, it has been found that a significant percentage (at least 70%) of individuals allergic to milk and eggs may be able to tolerate them after they have been cooked since the cooking process changes the structure of the proteins, which may trigger allergic reactions in certain people.

Conclusion

In this brief study, we answered the question, “can you get sick from eating cold food?” and we also discussed the side effects of eating cold food leftovers. Moreover, we looked at the benefits of hot food.

Reference

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/is-eating-cold-food-unhealthy/photostory/70658663.cms?picid=70658720
https://www.freeletics.com/en/blog/posts/should-you-eat-a-hot-meal-every-day/

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