Iced drinks always harm you?

TCM holds that lots of iced drinks can burden digestion, especially if you feel the cold or have a weaker stomach. In a Hong Kong summer, staying hydrated matters most.

Why does TCM say go easy on iced drinks?

TCM says the stomach and spleen "like warmth and dislike cold". Digestion is pictured like cooking, which needs a certain amount of heat. Pouring in a large iced drink in one go is like tipping cold water onto the stove: digestion runs less smoothly. Over time some people notice a poor appetite, bloating, loose stools or colder hands and feet.

That is a traditional way of seeing it, and the key words are "lots" and "over time". One iced lemon tea is not going to harm you.

Hong Kong summers: hydration comes first

Hong Kong summers are hot and humid. On days when the Observatory issues a Very Hot Weather Warning, working or exercising outdoors drains a lot of fluid. What matters most then is drinking enough to avoid heatstroke; whether the drink is cold or warm comes second.

After a long walk in the blazing sun, a cool glass of water helps your body cool down and is more practical than insisting on hot water. Signs of heatstroke include dizziness, headache, nausea, hot skin without sweating and confusion. If they appear, move somewhere cool and rest straight away, and call 999 if it is serious.

Who should take more care?

If you feel the cold, have cold hands and feet, get loose stools or have a sensitive stomach, you are more likely to feel the effects of iced drinks, so lean towards room-temperature or warm drinks. Women who get abdominal discomfort around their period are traditionally advised to cut back on iced food at that time. Children's digestion is more delicate, so keep iced drinks and ice cream moderate for them too.

On the other hand, if iced drinks never bother you and your appetite and digestion are fine, there is no need to worry; just keep it moderate.

A middle path

Choose room temperature or less ice, sip slowly, and skip iced drinks around meals.

At the cha chaan teng, ask for "less ice" or a hot drink. When you step out of air-conditioning or finish exercising, give your body a moment before drinking, then sip. Spread a large iced drink over several small sips rather than gulping it down. If your stomach feels chilled afterwards, a cup of warm water with a slice of fresh ginger or a piece of aged tangerine peel is traditionally used to warm the stomach and settle it.

For acupressure, Zhongwan (CV12) above the navel is traditionally rubbed gently clockwise with a warm palm to ease bloating. It is on the belly, so skip it in pregnancy and within an hour of a meal; Zusanli (ST36) below the knee is an alternative then. Ginger and tangerine peel are warming and drying, so use them moderately if you run hot. For more on each one, see the Related acupoints and Related ingredients sections below.

A common misunderstanding: iced drinks after a meal make fat solidify in your stomach?

A popular claim online says that iced water after a meal makes the fat in your food "solidify" in your stomach, causing weight gain or indigestion. In fact a drink is quickly warmed to body temperature, and the stomach and gut release digestive juices to handle fat, so no "solid fat" forms.

What deserves attention is the sugar in iced drinks and how your own stomach reacts to cold. For severe stomach pain, non-stop vomiting or black stools, seek medical care straight away.