Drinking a hot beverage can potentially help cool the body, but only under specific environmental conditions, according to Professor John Tregoning, author of Live Forever? A Curious Scientist’s Guide to Wellness, Ageing and Death. He references the work of Australian scientist Professor Ollie Jay, who researches heat balance in the body.
When a warm drink is consumed, its temperature causes the body's internal temperature to rise, which in turn triggers increased sweating. The cooling effect occurs when this sweat evaporates from the skin, removing heat energy.
However, this process is only effective in airy spaces where sweat can evaporate efficiently. In environments with high humidity or poor ventilation, sweat tends to run off the body rather than evaporate, making the cooling mechanism inefficient. In such conditions, drinking a hot beverage could lead to feeling hotter, not cooler.
Professor Tregoning advises that the key in hot weather is to consume fluids, regardless of their temperature, as there is no significant advantage between hot or cold drinks; it ultimately comes down to personal preference.