Summertime, the season for frozen popsicles, sipping smooth cold brew, and guzzling gallons of refreshing iced tea...right? Think again! If you’re trying to cool down while having fun in the sun, experts say that what you should actually be drinking is a cozy cup of hot tea.
If a hot tea summer isn’t what you had in mind, we’re here to convince you that ditching the ice and drinking hot cups of tea may be exactly what you need to cool down on sunny summer afternoons!
Learn the simple science behind drinking hot tea in the summer, plus one important catch to this unlikely phenomenon.
Sips by is a personalized tea discovery subscription. Each month, we match tea drinkers across the U.S. with delicious teas from over 150 global tea brands that we’re sure they’ll love. Members receive 4 teas chosen just for them in every box. Learn more about our tea subscription service.
SUMMER TEA SHOP
The sun is shining, birds are singing, and you're ready to spend summer days lounging in your backyard. And what's a better accessory to summer lounging than a cool glass of iced tea? Sips by has the summer iced teas, teaware, and tea accessories to make your own personal tea oasis. So whether you're looking for delicious fruity teas to cold brew, convenient iced tea pitchers to make sun tea, or kits to take your summer tea options to the next level, Sips by's Summer Tea Shop has the tools you need to have a refreshing summer.
HOW DOES HOT TEA COOL YOU DOWN?
Here’s the science behind this seemingly counterintuitive strategy for keeping cool.
Your body has a natural system in place for regulating heat. It stores up heat, then releases it when there’s an overabundance. This overabundance of heat triggers your body’s sweat glands to the surface, which then evaporates on your skin and cools you down.
A 2012 study from the University of Ottowa discovered that when sipping on a hot drink, like a cup of hot tea, the receptors in your mouth and tongue signal an overreaction of heat in the body. Your body then begins to increase the release of stored heat through sweat at a faster rate, effectively cooling you down more quickly than a cold drink. This is why drinking hot tea in hot climates such as Asia, India or South America is so popular all year-round!
HOT TEA TIPS
However, there’s a crucial caveat for making sure hot tea will cool you down, so here are some tips for getting the most out of your hot tea summer!
Sweat needs to be able to evaporate to be cooling, so the type of clothes you wear can determine if drinking hot tea will actually produce a cooling effect on the body. Thin and lightweight clothing that allows sweat to evaporate quickly are best. If you're wearing restricting clothing and drinking hot tea in the heat, you'll likely end up feeling worse. Similarly, drinking hot tea on a hot day will only cool you down if it's dry outside because it's difficult for your body heat to regulate normally in extremely humid climates.
BEST HOT TEAS FOR SUMMERTIME
As much as we love reaching for a cool glass of iced tea or cold brew in the summer, cold drinks may end up making you feel hotter. If a drink is really cold or icy it shuts down your body’s natural cooling effect so you end up storing the heat instead of releasing it through sweat. Next time the temperatures rise, try reaching for a classic cup of hot tea instead! Check out these hot tea blends perfect for summertime sippin'.
TROPICAL ESCAPE TEA BOX
Longing for an island escape? Let our Tropical Escape Tea Box transport you to paradise, with teas that taste like summer vacations. Escape into a tropical wonderland with this curated box of passionfruit, hibiscus and tropical fruit-flavored teas. These teas all smell as delicious as they taste and will leave you feeling like you’re sitting by the beach on a tropical vacation. Enjoy in a warm cuppa or in a refreshing iced tea.
Interested in trying these teas and others? Subscribers receive 4 teas chosen just for them in every box. Learn more about our tea subscription box or explore the loose leaf tea shop.
About Sips by: We’re a female-founded and led startup that makes discovering tea fun, personalized, and affordable. The Sips by Box is the only multi-brand, personalized tea subscription box. Each month, we match tea drinkers across the U.S. with delicious teas from over 150 global tea brands that we’re sure they’ll love. Based out of Austin, Texas, we are adept at savoring a hot mug even when it’s seasonally inappropriate.
1 comment
I love the Sips By tea box I receive every month. Once in a while I get something that’s not my favorite but overall I really enjoy the different teas. Some I drink hot and some I make iced tea with. It’s like Christmas and my birthday rolled into one the day the box arrives. Thank you for sparking my interest in tea and all that they have to offer. And today is a hot humid day here and I will be brewing a cup of hot tea. Can’t wait.