Drinking cold smoothies has become an increasingly popular way to get a nutritious breakfast or snack on the go. However, some people wonder if drinking something icy cold is bad for your health. Here is a quick overview of the potential benefits and drawbacks of drinking cold smoothies to help you decide if it’s OK for you.
Potential benefits of drinking cold smoothies
- Cold temperature can be refreshing on a hot day
- Chilled blends may be easier to drink quickly
- Some nutrients like vitamin C may be better preserved in cold blends
- Coldness can help mask strong flavors from green veggies or superfoods
Potential drawbacks of drinking cold smoothies
- Very cold drinks can potentially irritate sensitive teeth
- Some claim cold drinks impair proper digestion
- Drinking something very chilled may cause brain freeze or headaches in sensitive people
- Coldness may reduce perception of flavors compared to room temperature
So in moderation, drinking cold smoothies is generally considered safe and reasonable for most people. Those with sensitive digestion may want to avoid large amounts of icy drinks with meals. People prone to brain freeze or headaches may prefer slightly warmer smoothies too. But for the average person, cold smoothies should not pose any major health risks.
How Cold Do Smoothies Need to Be?
Smoothies can be enjoyed at a wide range of temperatures. Here are some guidelines for different smoothie serving temperatures:
- Icy Cold – Straight from the refrigerator or freezer, around 35-40°F
- Chilled – Allowed to sit out briefly, around 45-55°F
- Cool – Stored at room temperature for 30+ minutes, around 60-65°F
- Warm – Briefly microwaved or left out for hours, above 70°F
Most people prefer smoothies chilled or icy cold. But cooler temperatures aren’t necessary for nutrition. The blender helps break down ingredients for absorption and provides all the “cooking” a smoothie really needs. So if you dislike very cold drinks, serving your smoothie cool or at room temperature is fine too. Just be aware that warmth promotes faster oxidation and degradation of nutrients.
Tips for Adjusting Smoothie Temperature
Here are some tips for modifying smoothie temperature:
- Add ice to chill it down
- Use frozen fruit instead of ice
- Leave at room temperature for 30+ minutes before serving
- Quickly microwave for 20-30 seconds to gently warm it up
- Store in the refrigerator overnight to become completely cold
- Fill blender jar with hot water to preheat before blending
Experiment to see what temperature you enjoy smoothies at the most. Just keep in mind that extremely hot or cold temperatures can dull flavor. And microwave only until lukewarm, as excessive heat can degrade nutrients.
Does Drinking Cold Smoothies Cause Digestive Issues?
Some people claim that drinking very cold liquids with meals can negatively impact digestion. There are a few aspects behind this concern:
Cold Temperature Effects on Stomach
Drinking a frosty smoothie may briefly cool your stomach. Some believe this impacts digestion by:
- Slowing stomach emptying
- Constricting blood vessels
- Altering gut motility
- Limiting enzyme and acid secretion
However, human bodies are very good at regulating core temperature. Any cooling effects are minor and short-lived.
Impaired Nutrient Absorption
There are claims that cold temperatures impair the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. However, this is not supported by research.
In fact, one study found drinking cold vs hot tomato juice actually increased antioxidant absorption.
Blending and mastication seem to matter more for absorption than drink temperature. Overall, cold is unlikely to impair smoothie nutrient absorption.
Discomfort from Temperature Change
Some people may experience discomfort from alternating hot food and cold drinks at meals. This can occur when the rapid temperature changes potentially alter gut motility.
However, smoothies by themselves without hot foods generally do not seem to cause this issue. Drinking a cold smoothie when your body is already cold from external temperature would also be less jarring.
So for most people drinking chilled smoothies, there does not appear to be convincing evidence of harm to digestion or nutrient absorption. But those prone to intestinal issues may want to exercise caution.
Can Cold Smoothies Cause Headaches or Brain Freeze?
Another common concern with icy drinks is they can sometimes cause headaches or brain freeze. So what causes this unpleasant phenomenon?
Mechanism of Brain Freeze
Brain freeze is thought to occur from:
- Rapid constriction of blood vessels in the sinuses and throat
- This triggers temporary nerve pain in those areas
- Pain sensation is believed to originate from the trigeminal nerve
The speed of drinking something cold, not just the temperature itself, seems to trigger this response.
Individual Sensitivity to Brain Freeze
Some people are more prone to strong brain freeze than others. Contributing factors may include:
- Hypersensitivity of trigeminal nerve
- Rapid drinking behaviors
- Dehydration
- Migraine disorders
- Sinus problems
- Smaller body size of children
If you’re sensitive to brain freeze, try sipping cold smoothies slowly through a straw instead of gulping them. Or drink smoothies chilled instead of ice cold.
Other Cold-Induced Headaches
Besides temporary brain freeze, a few people report getting longer headaches from cold drinks.
Causes may potentially include:
- Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia (ice cream headaches)
- Temple headaches from cooling sinuses
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Rebound vasodilation aftervasoconstriction
These headaches normally resolve within an hour. But if you’re prone to longer cold-induced headaches, you may want to avoid large amounts of icy drinks.
Do Cold Smoothies Hurt Your Teeth?
Sensitivity to cold foods and drinks is one of the most common triggers for dental discomfort. So what is it about temperature that affects teeth?
Temperature and Dentin Hypersensitivity
Dentin hypersensitivity is estimated to impact 10-30% of adults worldwide to some degree. It causes sharp temporary tooth pain triggered by hot, cold, sweet, or acidic foods.
Sensitive teeth are linked to:
- Exposed dentin due to enamel loss
- Opened dentinal tubules allowing fluid shifts
Rapid temperature changes cause fluid movement in the open tubules that activate nerve pain. So icy drinks like smoothies can provoke hypersensitivity discomfort.
Effect of Cold on Dental Work
Cold sensitivity is also common with dental treatments like crowns, fillings, and veneers if surrounding areas weren’t properly insulated. Metal materials additionally amplify temperature conduction.
Clenching from the cold may also put pressure on damaged teeth.
Oral Pain Prevention Tips
If cold smoothies hurt your teeth, try these modifications:
- Use a straw to bypass front teeth
- Allow smoothie to warm up slightly before drinking
- Take small sips and hold in mouth to warm before swallowing
- Avoid ice and frozen ingredients
- Get dentin hypersensitivity treated by your dentist
Proper oral hygiene plus dental work can also help reduce sensitivity long-term.
Do Cold Smoothies Ever Cause Harm?
For most people, drinking cold smoothies seems reasonably safe with few risks. But a few special cases may want to exercise caution:
- People prone to chronic headaches could exacerbate symptoms
- Those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may potentially worsen digestion
- People with severe dentin hypersensitivity or dental issues like cracks need to minimize cold irritation
- Anyone with chronic sinus congestion or infection could aggravate symptoms
- Those with sensitive throats or coughs may find cold irritating
- Anyone recovering from illness should avoid taxing body with extreme temperatures
In these situations, drinking smoothies completely frozen or icy may not be advisable. Letting smoothies warm up closer to room temperature before consuming would be gentler.
Additionally, anyone with active mouth or dental infections should avoid smoothies until healed, as the suction motion of drinking can displace healing clots. But once recovered, smoothies at moderate temperatures should not cause problems.
What About Cold Water with Meals?
Some people extrapolate concerns about chilled smoothies to drinking any cold beverages with meals. So does drinking ice water with your food actually impair digestion?
Hypothesized Mechanisms
The hypothesis behind avoiding cold liquid with meals involves a few potential mechanisms:
- Thermal shock to the stomach slowing motility
- Constricted blood flow impairing secretion and absorption
- Altered enzymatic activity at low temperatures
- Impeded protein and lipid digestion from thickening
However, evidence supporting these theories is limited.
Study on Cold Water with Meals
One study had participants drink either cold or room temperature water with a meal. Gastric emptying rates were calculated based on electrogastrography signals.
No significant differences were found in gastric motility between cold and room temperature water with meals. This casts doubt on the concept that cold beverages impair digestion.
Cost-Benefit Considerations
Based on the evidence, avoiding water during meals to prevent reducing digestive efficiency seems unnecessary for most people.
The benefits of proper hydration for health outweigh any minor slowing of gastric emptying from cold liquids. So there does not appear to be compelling reason to restrict water intake with meals.
But as always, people with diagnosed gastrointestinal conditions should follow professional advice when appropriate.
Conclusion
For the majority of people, drinking cold smoothies in moderation does not seem to pose any serious health risks. They are unlikely to cause major disruptions to digestion or nutrient absorption for most individuals.
Potential issues like brain freeze, headaches, and dental sensitivity seem to depend more on individual predisposition. They can often be mitigated by allowing smoothies to warm up closer to room temperature before consuming.
People with chronic headaches, dental pain, irritable bowels, or reflux should take care not to overdo icy smoothies. But otherwise, cold smoothies can be safely enjoyed as long as you don’t gulp them down too quickly. Allowing smoothies to rest and chill slightly after blending can prevent issues for more sensitive people.
Overall, smoothies provide an array of beneficial vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber and protein. The health gains of increasing your smoothie intake likely outweigh any minor drawbacks from cooler serving temperatures. So feel comfortable blending up refreshing smoothies to enjoy all year round while taking careful note of your body’s responses.
