A female patient who drank iced coffee daily began suffering from gastrointestinal discomfort—including abdominal pain, bloating, occasional diarrhea, and skin issues such as eczema and rashes—and sought out treatment at a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic in Taiwan.

“I advised her to avoid cold foods and beverages and prescribed TCM to warm her digestive system,” Dr. Li Ying-da, a TCM practitioner at Cihang TCM Clinic in Taiwan, told The Epoch Times.

Following the treatment plan, the patient recovered.

In TCM, the body’s energy is classified into “yin” (cold) and “yang” (warm). Dr. Grace Zhang, a TCM practitioner at Northern Medical Center in New York, told The Epoch Times that yang energy represents the body’s internal warmth, vitality, and immune function. When a person frequently drinks iced beverages, the body must use its own energy to warm them for digestion, gradually depleting its yang energy. Over time, this can weaken digestion, cause respiratory symptoms, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, lower immunity, and make the body more susceptible to fatigue and illness.

Cold-Hot Balance in Diet

In TCM, foods and beverages are categorized not just by temperature but by their energetic properties—how they affect the body after digestion. For example, cold or cool foods such as green tea can lower the body’s temperature, exerting a cooling effect even when the weather outside is hot. Conversely, warm or hot foods, such as black tea or spices like pepper and cinnamon, have warming properties that support the body’s heat.

Zhang, who has studied both Eastern and Western dietary patterns, noted that each culture’s cuisine achieves a natural balance essential for its long-term sustainability. Eastern cuisines often emphasize warm, cooked foods to support digestion and balance, especially in humid or cold climates. Raw vegetables, which are considered “cold,” are used less frequently and often paired with warming ingredients to counteract their cooling effect.

By contrast, Western diets tend to feature heat-producing proteins such as meat, eggs, and cheese, commonly paired with iced water or cold beverages—a combination many Westerners find refreshing. To balance this cooling element, Western cuisines frequently incorporate warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger, pepper, and turmeric, which help stimulate digestion and circulation.

Zhang noted that many Westerners adapt physiologically to this pattern over time. Their digestive systems often become more tolerant of cold foods and drinks, allowing them to maintain balance despite regular exposure to iced beverages.

However, Zhang cautioned that eating and drinking excessive cold foods and iced beverages over time may lead to subtle, cumulative harm, disrupting the body’s balance. This subtle imbalance may not produce immediate symptoms but can accumulate over time, setting the stage for health issues later in life.

Adverse Health Effects of Iced Beverages

Drinking iced beverages may temporarily relieve physical heat, but in the long term, it can affect the digestive and respiratory systems and raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the effect varies depending on personal constitutions.

Weakened Digestion

In TCM, the spleen and stomach govern digestion and absorption, converting food into vital energy or “qi” and blood to provide energy for the body. The spleen in TCM differs from the spleen in Western medicine, as it is part of a system that includes the pancreas and duodenum (upper intestine). The spleen and stomach prefer warmth and are sensitive to cold.

Drinking iced beverages can cool the spleen and stomach, leading to reduced digestive function and symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and indigestion. Moreover, the spleen regulates the body’s metabolism, and spleen deficiency may lead to edema or obesity. For those who are in good health and have normal digestive function, occasionally drinking iced beverages generally doesn’t cause significant issues.

Cardiovascular Diseases

A study in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology in August found that more than half of 101 atrial fibrillation patients experienced episodes within a minute of eating or drinking cold drinks or foods—a phenomenon sometimes called “cold drink heart.” The likely trigger is vagus nerve stimulation from the esophagus. Most participants prevented episodes by avoiding cold items.

TCM practitioners recommend that patients with coronary heart disease or a history of heart attack avoid iced beverages. Zhang noted that ice water can cause vasoconstriction—when muscles around the blood vessels tighten, narrowing the space inside—potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular events and worsening existing conditions.

Respiratory Symptoms

For those with sensitive airways, iced beverages may irritate the trachea, triggering coughing or asthma attacks. Studies have found that, compared to room-temperature drinks, hot beverages are more effective at relieving cold or flu symptoms such as a runny nose, coughing, sore throat, and sneezing.

Urethra Conditions

Dr. Chu Hsin-Cheng, director of Taiwan’s Minquan Jingrui Urology Clinic, told The Epoch Times that some people battle with urinary issues—such as difficulty urinating or a burning sensation—after drinking iced beverages, which may indicate urinary tract inflammation.

He noted that while eating ice does not directly cause urinary tract inflammation, it can lead to blood vessel constriction, particularly around the urethra, reducing blood circulation. For people with sensitive or inflammation-prone urethras, this may trigger symptoms.

Individual tolerance varies. Chu advises that if symptoms such as difficulty urinating, burning, or itching occur after drinking iced beverages, people should reduce or stop drinking, maintain adequate hydration, and practice good personal hygiene to keep the urethra clear and dry.

Populations With Higher Risk

Zhang advised pregnant women to be cautious about drinking iced beverages, as ice cubes may be contaminated with bacteria during production, posing a risk of infection and indigestion. Pregnant women in their first trimester should also avoid cold foods to protect the digestive system and reduce stimulation to the uterus.

Dr. Chou Tsung-Han, a physician at Taiwan’s Hanmingtang TCM Clinic, has observed that most women with dysmenorrhea (painful periods) experience worsened pain after drinking iced beverages. This is because many women have a “cold uterus” constitution that refers to poor vital energy and blood circulation in the reproductive system, often accompanied by a cold lower abdomen, painful periods, and dark red menstrual blood with clots. Women with a cold uterus who eat or drink excessive ice treats or beverages may experience uterine blood vessel and muscle tightening, intensifying dysmenorrhea and potentially leading to increased discharge or difficulty conceiving.

A 2023 study found that cold drink intake was associated with dysmenorrhea in Caucasian women.

In addition to cold-induced dysmenorrhea, there is a smaller portion of women who may experience inflammation-type dysmenorrhea, such as pelvic inflammation due to endometriosis—a condition that occurs when endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus and causes pelvic pain, said Zhou. For these women, icy beverages may actually help alleviate pain.

Some menopausal women enjoy drinking ice water. In TCM, iced beverages are linked to a “yin deficiency with excessive heat” constitution, in which yin deficiency causes internal heat. Yin is a cooling and moistening energy that regulates body temperature and nourishes bodily fluids. Chou noted that drinking large amounts of ice water over the long term can exacerbate internal heat symptoms such as dry mouth, a flushed face, and excessive sweating during menopause. He suggested eating yin-nourishing foods to balance the body’s yin and yang—such as honey water—which can better alleviate hot flashes.

Meanwhile, Zhou recommended medicinal foods such as lily bulb (“Bai He”) and Ophiopogon japonicus (“Mai Men Dong”) to the diet to help reduce hot flashes. He added that it’s also important to avoid staying up late. Soaking the feet before bed can promote gentle sweating, helping the body release excess heat.

Benefits of Ice Water

For certain groups of people—such as long-distance runners, soldiers, or firefighters—drinking ice water can offer benefits, such as lowering core body temperature.

Exercising in high-temperature environments can cause excessive increases in core body temperature. Evidence shows that drinking ice-cold beverages can prevent excessive rises in core body temperature and improve endurance performance, making it an effective cooling method for those groups.

Animal studies indicate that drinking ice water can reduce taste disturbances caused by anticancer drugs. Researchers believe that oral cryotherapy using ice cubes or ice cream may help alleviate taste loss induced by chemotherapy.

3 Tips for Enjoying Iced Beverages

TCM doesn’t completely prohibit drinking ice-cold beverages, but the key lies in choosing the right time and method:

• Midday Is Ideal: At noon, the human body is in a yang or warmer state, and the external temperature is typically at its highest, making it a suitable time to drink iced or cold drinks. “At this time, a cooling treat can lower core body temperature, harmonizing yin and yang to enhance comfort and balance,” said Zhou.


• Drink Slowly: Let iced beverages linger in the mouth. To protect the digestive system, avoid gulping down iced drinks, as this can shock the stomach and intestines.


• Adjust Hand-Shaken Beverages: For drinks such as bubble tea or fruit tea, Zhou suggested choosing “no ice” and “one-third sugar.”

Alternatives to Help You Beat the Heat

In hot weather, beyond refreshing icy drinks, certain foods can help cool the body. Foods with cold or cool properties are particularly effective at reducing body heat. Zhou suggested that people sensitive to heat drink cooling herbal teas or eat watermelon, winter melon, and daikon.

Herbal Tea and Mesona Tea

Herbal tea is a common beverage in Taiwan, made by brewing various herbs, while mesona tea is made from Mesona chinensis (grass jelly herb) and has a fragrant, slightly bitter taste. These drinks help reduce internal heat and lower blood pressure.

Zhou advised drinking cooling herbal teas at noon to help reduce skin concerns such as acne. However, due to their high potassium content, those with chronic kidney disease should restrict intake of these beverages.

Melon-Based Foods

Melon-based foods typically have a cold or cool nature, such as winter melon, watermelon, and loofah.

Daikon (White Radish)

Daikon also has heat-reducing properties. In summer, daikon can be mashed with soy sauce to use as a condiment, paired with meats.

However,  Zhou cautioned that people prone to diarrhea or those with a weak spleen and stomach—as described in TCM—should temporarily limit their intake of icy or cooling foods. In such cases, consulting a TCM practitioner to regulate the body’s constitution is recommended. As the digestive system strengthens, these dietary restrictions can be gradually eased.

Mung Bean Soup

TCM views mung beans as having the properties of clearing heat, detoxifying, and relieving summer heat and irritability.

Ingredients:

• 100 grams mung beans


• 1000 milliliters water

Instructions:

1. Wash the mung beans and place them in a pot.


2. Add the water and soak for 1 hour.


3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes.


4. Turn off the heat and let the soup sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Zhang recommended drinking mung bean soup warm to better support the body’s health.