Hot Meal Vs Cold Meal

The debate continues on whether food is better hot or cold. But they all have varying nutrient values and it may be difficult to rule one against the other. The rate of absorption of nutrients, digestion and the amount of certain vitamins and minerals in the food all are affected by whether you are consuming your food hot or cold.

The general idea is that hot foods are easily digestible whereas cold meals could lead to experiences of bloating and indigestion. Some foods do have a better taste and texture when cold and they need to be consumed cold because of better absorption of nutrients. Let’s discuss this in detail.

Hot Meals

Hot food is easily digestible.
- Nutrients are better absorbed by the body.
- Some foods are resistant to breaking down when eating raw and are much better consumed and digested when cooked properly.
Helps in increased metabolism.
- Cold meals do not get digested easily and thereby slows down metabolism, which considerably hinders weight loss.
- Eating warmer foods is said to help send out a feeling of satiety and give a comfort feeling while eating the meal.
They help to avoid allergens
- Foods like milk, eggs, fish, shellfish etc. are associated with allergies and a lot of it gets minimized when cooked properly before consuming and having them warm.

If you think about it, after a long hard day of work, all your mind and body craves is warm, or piping hot food. Warm and hot foods produce the smells while cooking and that plays with your taste buds, and together it plays a big role in attracting you towards what is cooking near where you are. Along with the aroma of food that increases the cravings and appetite for eating a fuller meal, what also happens is cooking releases the nutrients and increases calories of the food being cooked, both of which are essential for an empty stomach.

Hot foods are generally associated with memories, tastes and smells that you have grown with in your mother’s kitchen or food that you grew up with. It is basically a culmination of all of that along with that hunger pang that makes hot or warm meals more exciting and appealing.

Cold Meals

There are some foods that just need to be eaten cold for better absorption of nutrients. Salads for example. Our bodies are equipped to deal with different temperatures of food and it would not be completely right to say that only hot foods are good for our health.

However, some discomforts do occur if you have cold foods regularly.

Gut Related Problems
- The human gut is an extremely sensitive environment. Too hot or too cold can both disturb it. Bloating, puffiness and cramps are common complaints in people consuming cold meals ever so often.
Alters Body Temperatures
- According to traditional Chinese medicine, eating cold foods regularly can cause issues in blood circulation.
- Cold foods can lead to instances of cysts, fibroids, endometriosis.
Chances of Food Poisoning
- The primary danger of eating cold foods is food poisoning. The rule of thumb to eating salads or making salads at home is rinsing the vegetables and the greens well.
- Cooking, or even stir frying for that matter, would kill any bacteria present in the veggies or meat.

Cooking vegetables such as tomatoes increases the amount of lycopene in them. Lycopene is found in foods such as water melon, red peppers, papaya etc. and aid in lowering the risk of cancer and heart attacks.

Reading all this, you’re probably thinking, “Wow, maybe eating cold foods isn’t good for me after all.” But before you decide to give up on your favorite cold foods, hold up! There are some foods that are best eaten cold. The most notable fact is that if you cook veggies that are rich in Vitamin C, it’ll actually lose a huge percentage of it. You don’t want to miss out on that Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that helps boost the immune system. Cold foods indeed make your body work harder to digest them. If you’re planning to eat healthy and don’t prefer hot or warm food, get to the middle ground by having raw fruits and veggies, particularly green leafy ones.

Too often than not, people who shift to diets of various kinds end up planning their meals around salads, smoothies, protein shakes and the likes, but far too often also end up with bloating, indigestion etc. Warm cooked foods help to keep your metabolism active and revved up that helps in better digestion. Cold foods are harder to digest and slow down the metabolism and utilization of energy, although sometimes they are eaten because they are high in fiber.

Verdict

Now you want to know who emerges victorious in the hot meal vs cold meal standoff. It’s the hot meals! Cold meals also have their share of advantages, as you’ve just read, but in the grander scheme of things, you’ll be healthier by having a plate of hot cooked food!