Does drinking Cold Water in the morning cause cancer?

Posted by benjaminion @benjaminion, Sep 12, 2020

I've been told that drinking cold water in the morning during meals causes cancer because doing so will solidify the oily foods we consume, which will then react with stomach acids and convert it into fats that are more readily absorbed into the intestines, and the sludge would cause stomach cancer. Is this true?

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Ellen | @helenfrances | Sep 12, 2020

I do not know.
Waiting to hear from....a gastroenterologist?

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Sep 13, 2020

@benjaminion, this is a myth about cancer that has been circulating through social media. Drinking cold water does not cause cancer.

"Firstly, when you drink cold or warm beverages, they don't remain hot or cold for very long. As soon as consumed, the liquids will quickly stabilize to the same temperature as your body (as does everything else you eat). Moreover, while clumping of fat does occur, it does so more in the blood vessels than the digestive tract.
Secondly, there is a highly acidic environment in the stomach. Stomach acid breaks down almost everything you eat into a thick, liquid consistency before it travels into the small intestine. So no solid foods really "survive" in stomach acid as the reports suggest (with the exception of those that contain cellulose, like corn and lettuce).
Finally, the conversion of oils to fats is particularly suspect given that oils are fats. In the end, stomach acids do not convert them to anything but what they already are."

This article explains in more detail:
- Can Drinking Cold Water Cause Cancer? https://www.verywellhealth.com/does-drinking-cold-water-cause-cancer-513631