Do hot beverages cool you down better than cold drinks during the heatwave?

WITH temperatures soaring for weeks now in many parts of the country, Brits are trying all sorts to try to keep cool.

But have you thought about popping the kettle on? It may just cool you down...

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What is this theory?

It may be an old wives' tale, but there's a popular stream of thought that suggests sipping a hot drink on a warm day will actually cool you down better than a cold one.

A cup of tea or coffee may sound like the last thing you fancy on a scorching hot afternoon, but it's commonly believed that this is the best way to lower your body's temperature and kickstart your sweat glands.

Is there any scientific evidence to back it up?

A 2012 study from the University of Ottawa’s School of Human Kinetics states: “If you drink a hot drink, it does result in a lower amount of heat stored inside your body, provided the additional sweat that’s produced when you drink the hot drink can evaporate."

Researcher Ollie Jay told : "What we found is that when you ingest a hot drink, you actually have a disproportionate increase in the amount that you sweat.

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"Yes, the hot drink is hotter than your body temperature, so you are adding heat to the body, but the amount that you increase your sweating by — if that can all evaporate — more than compensates for the the added heat to the body from the fluid."

The body sweats in order to cool itself down, so the more you do it, the cooler you end up - despite the fact a hot drink initially may make you feel warmer.

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Does it work every time?

The only way this trick will work though is if the sweat can evaporate off the skin.

Jay said: "On a very hot and humid day, if you’re wearing a lot of clothing, or if you’re having so much sweat that it starts to drip on the ground and doesn’t evaporate from the skin’s surface, then drinking a hot drink is a bad thing."

So, perhaps a steaming cup of tea isn't the best solution if you're working during this heatwave and can't strip down to your bikini.

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What should I drink during a heatwave?

According to Public Health England, people should steer clear of drinking too much caffeine or alcohol in the hot weather as this raises body temperature and can make you feel hotter.

Eating too much has the same effect.

The NHS guidelines also state: "Drink cold drinks regularly, such as water and diluted fruit juice. Avoid excess alcohol, caffeine - tea, coffee and cola - or drinks high in sugar."