CLAIM:
Eating ice cream in summer does not actually cool the body; instead, it may increase internal heat due to its high sugar and fat content. It is suggested that ice cream only provides temporary cooling, after which the body feels hotter and digestion may slow down.
FACT:
Ice cream may create a brief cooling sensation in the mouth, but it does not lower the body’s core temperature. Scientific evidence shows that the body maintains its temperature through heat-producing processes like thermogenesis, meaning ice cream neither cools the body nor makes it significantly hotter. Experts suggest focusing on hydration and a balanced diet, with water-rich and fibre-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and ingredients such as sabja seeds that help the body retain water and stay cool.
In a viral Instagram reel posted by Dr Rohit Madhav Sane, founder and managing director at Vaidya Sane Ayurved Lab Ltd, who has over 1.86 lakh followers, a claim about ice cream and body temperature during summers has caught attention online.
The reel, which has gained over 13.3k views, questions the common belief that ice cream helps cool the body.
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In the video, Dr Sane advises people to avoid ice cream in hot weather, arguing that “what you think is cold is actually heating up your body.” He explains that ice cream, being high in sugar and saturated fat, can trigger an insulin spike and slow down digestion, leading to feelings of heaviness and laziness. Drawing from Ayurvedic principles, he adds that consuming cold foods may weaken the body’s digestive “fire,” which could affect digestion and immunity.
He further states that the idea of ice cream cooling the body is a “biggest myth,” claiming it only provides temporary relief. According to him, “later, the body feels even hotter,” and suggests alternatives like buttermilk, coconut water, and seasonal fruits as better ways to stay cool in summer.
Does ice cream really keep the body cool?
Scientific evidence suggests that the “cooling” effect of ice cream is more about perception than physiology.
A 2013 review on cold ingestion and thermoregulation explains that the pleasant feeling from cold foods is largely sensory. As the authors note: “Cooling of the mouth or oropharynx by cold drinks and foods may be perceived as pleasant because the cool stimulus satiates thirst.”
The review further highlights that humans may perceive cold differently depending on where it is applied. While cold on the skin can trigger discomfort and protective responses like vasoconstriction or shivering, cold stimuli in the mouth are associated with relief, refreshment, and thirst satisfaction. In this sense, foods like ice cream feel cooling not because they lower body temperature, but because they activate oral cooling receptors and reduce the sensation of thirst.
Building on this, research on human metabolism shows that the body actively works to maintain its internal temperature. A 2016 study on thermogenesis and cold exposure found that cold conditions significantly increased cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT)—the body’s mechanism to generate heat in response to cold. However, this process operates independently of diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), which is the heat produced after eating. The findings suggest that even when exposed to cold, the body compensates by producing more heat rather than allowing its core temperature to drop.
More recent evidence continues to support this understanding. A 2026 review on cold exposure and metabolic health highlights how cold environments activate brown adipose tissue (BAT), a highly metabolically active tissue that generates heat. The review notes that cold exposure can “enhance metabolism” and trigger thermogenic pathways involving proteins like UCP1, reinforcing the idea that the body responds to cold by increasing heat production, not cooling down internally.
Expert insights: What is the ideal diet to help “cool down” the body?
Dietitian Rajeshwari Panda, HOD – Nutrition & Dietetics Department, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, explained that the cooling effect of ice cream is only superficial and short-lived.
According to her, it “just cools the surface of the mouth, not the inside of the body,” meaning the sensation fades quickly and does not impact core body temperature.
She noted that digestion itself is a heat-producing process. “Any reaction in the body produces heat, and digestion is no exception,” she said, adding that foods like ice cream - rich in sugar and fat, may actually require more energy to break down. In this process, “a small amount of heat is produced,” which means that internally, the body is not being cooled.
Panda further explained that while this heat production is normal and necessary for digestion, it does not translate into any meaningful rise in body’s core temperature either. Instead, it reinforces the idea that ice cream does not have a real cooling effect beyond the mouth. “Overall, it does not lower your core body temperature, the cooling effect fades away quickly,” she said.
She also emphasised that maintaining a “cool” body in summer is more about overall diet than specific foods. Rather than relying on sugary or fatty items, she recommended balanced nutrition with “good carbs, good fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals.”
Foods rich in fibre, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and ingredients like sabja seeds, can help the body stay hydrated by retaining water for longer periods,” she suggested.
This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS
