How to Use Our Coffee Essentials for Summer: Is It Okay to Drink Hot Coffee When the Weather is Hot?News

    Summer is a magical time when most of us take time to relax, go to the beach, and meet up with friends. During this season, you also have more chances to spend quality time alone or with your loved ones and go to new places and enjoy new experiences.

    However, we all know how hot summers can be, especially here in the Philippines. That’s why most of us take advantage of this to get our favorite cold drinks as often as possible. After all, cold drinks help you keep cool and refreshed even when the sun’s shining bright outside, right?

    But what if you’re an avid hot drip coffee drinker? Don’t you have any other choice but to compromise and switch to iced coffee instead? Well, good news! Science says that’s not really necessary.

    Hot Coffee in the Summer?

    Although it might seem counterintuitive, hot coffee is actually a great drink for hot days! How, you ask?

    Drinking coffee when the weather is hot makes you sweat more and, as you might know, sweat is considered your body’s main way of exhausting heat. This means that when you sweat, your body cools down more—which is also why working out can help you keep your body cool.

    This has been supported by the research done by Ollie Jay, a researcher at the University of Ottawa’s School of Human Kinetics. According to a study he’s done, drinking hot coffee during the summer can only cool your body down when the sweat caused by the hot beverage can evaporate.

    If your sweat can evaporate almost immediately after drinking hot drip coffee, the additional heat provided by the beverage can be easily compensated for. Therefore, with the right conditions, you can still enjoy your favorite hot drink in the summer without sacrificing your comfort.

    Get an Energy Boost

    Aside from the cooling effects hot coffee may bring you, it can give you the energy boost you need to accomplish your tasks throughout the day. It is much more effective than drinking iced coffee because hot coffee contains more caffeine than its cold counterpart.

    This happens because hot water does a better job of extracting caffeine from coffee beans. So, if you need a boost during a summer day, hot coffee is the way to go!

    What About Dehydration?

    Although you already know that hot coffee can keep you cool during the summer and give you an energy boost, you must be still quite hesitant to drink it because of dehydration. After all, coffee is still a diuretic and can cause your body to lose water. This becomes a problem, especially during hot days when you need extra fluids to stay hydrated and healthy.

    But with a study done in 2014, you won’t have to worry too much about dehydration. The research shows that not all people experience a diuretic effect even when they drink several cups of coffee.

    In fact, there is almost no difference in hydration levels between people who drank 800ml of coffee in a day and those who drank the same volume of water. The study also revealed that moderate coffee drinking offered the same level of hydration as water did.

    However, the study was conducted on people who regularly drank coffee. So, if you’re not used to drinking coffee, you might still experience a diuretic effect.

    There you go! Now that you know that coffee won’t cause dehydration, you can enjoy having a cup of coffee during summer guiltlessly. But you still need to remember to drink enough water during the day. Don’t rely on coffee solely no matter how good it is.

    Hot Coffee Recipes You Should Try This Summer!

    Add a twist to your favorite hot beverage by following the recipes below:

    Milk and Honey Hot Coffee

    Make your hot coffee taste sweeter and creamier with this recipe. To start, take out your electric blade coffee grinder and start grinding your preferred coffee bean. Then, brew two cups of coffee and set them aside.

    If you’re wondering what grind setting you should have for your drip coffee, you can start with a medium grind size and tweak your setting based on your preferences. Meanwhile, if you’re using a French press to brew your coffee, you should go for a coarser grind.

    In a small bowl or jar, mix ½ cup of whole milk and ¼ cup of honey. Stir them together until well incorporated.

    Then, pour the mixture you made into your cups of hot coffee. To improve the taste, you can sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon on top of your drink.

    Irish Cream Hot Coffee

    Another way you can add a twist to drip coffee is by mixing it with Irish cream liqueur. All you need to do is add a splash of Irish cream liqueur to your cup of coffee, stir it, and enjoy your improved hot drink.

    Caramel Coffee

    You need two cups of your favorite hot coffee to make this drink. While you’re brewing your coffee, take a pot and pour milk, caramel sauce, and a bit of brown sugar into it. Heat the mixture on the stove until steaming.

    Then, once all the components are ready, mix them in a mug. Top your hot drink with a bit of whipped cream and add a drizzle of caramel sauce.

    Enjoy a Cup of Hot Coffee Even on Hot Days

    Don’t stop yourself from enjoying your favorite hot beverage even during the summer! Now, you won’t have to worry about feeling too hot or getting dehydrated when you drink hot coffee. You can even get an extra boost of energy to complete your day!