Sipping a steaming cuppa when it’s scorching outside might seem counterintuitive, but in some of the world’s hottest regions, it’s simply tradition. From the teahouses of Morocco to the stoeps of South Africa, hot tea has long been the drink of choice, even under the heat of the blistering sun. But does drinking tea during summer actually cool you down, or is it just a ritual that’s stood the test of time?
There might be a method to the madness, but only if consumed under the right conditions.
The Science Behind the Steam
Here’s where things get interesting. When you drink something hot, your body notices a rise in temperature and reacts by producing more sweat. This triggers a built-in cooling mechanism: sweating. As the glands perspire and sweat evaporates, it draws heat away from your skin, helping to lower your overall body temperature. In other words, the act of sweating is what cools you down – not the drink itself.
This isn’t just a folk tale passed down through generations; it’s been put to the test. A study from the University of Ottawa found that when sweat can fully evaporate – like in dry, breezy conditions – people who drank hot beverages actually stored less body heat than those who drank cold ones. How? Well, under the right conditions, tea can help your body cool down.
It’s Not All About Temperature
So, do hot drinks actually cool you down during summer? Not quite. You only benefit from drinking hot beverages when your sweat can evaporate properly. In dry heat with a bit of airflow, you’ll benefit from increased sweating and feel cooler as a result. But if you’re sitting in humid, windless air, all that sweat has nowhere to go. Without evaporation, there’s no cooling effect, and you’ll just end up feeling sticky, overheated and, ultimately, gross.
Black and green teas contain caffeine, which can have a mild diuretic effect and may increase fluid loss.
Clothing also plays a part. Lightweight, breathable fabrics let sweat escape, whereas heavy or non-porous, tight materials like thick polyester trap moisture against the skin, cancelling out any cooling benefit your cuppa might bring. So yes, a pot of hot rooibos could help on a dry afternoon in the Karoo, but maybe skip it if you’re already melting by the coast.
Does Tea Actually Cool You Down?
There’s also the psychological side to consider. Menthol – found naturally in peppermint and spearmint teas – activates cold receptors in your mouth and throat, tricking your brain into feeling cooler without changing your core temperature. That’s why peppermint tea feels instantly refreshing, even when served hot – chewing gum has the same effect. Athletes sometimes use menthol mouth rinses for this very reason, relying on the cooling sensation to improve comfort during exercise.
But before you go boiling the kettle in the midst of a heatwave, there are a few points worth noting…
Black and green teas contain caffeine, which can have a mild diuretic effect and may increase fluid loss in some people. That’s not ideal when you’re already sweating more, so make sure to balance your tea intake with plenty of water. Also, let your tea cool slightly before sipping. Regularly drinking liquids hotter than about 65 °C has been linked in studies to an increased risk of oesophageal/throat damage over time. Your tea should be warm, not scalding.
So, to those who claim that drinking tea cools you down during summer, there might be a method to the madness, but only when done properly.
