Temperature of Food and Drink Intake Matters

The U.S. Government determines the guidelines for daily diet of humans in their various life stages. The current guidelines for caloric intake are about 2800 cal daily for the adult male, and about 600 cal less for the adult female. This work brings up the point that with the growing diversity of the population, these caloric intake guidelines need to consider the effect of temperature at the time the food is consumed. The motivation of this study is diversity; it is recognized that the Chinese and South Korean cuisines typically have high temperatures when served, whereas much of standard American food is consumed at room temperature. The thermal capacity of the food consumed has not been taken into consideration. It is likely that the “empty” calories related to consumption of hot foods are helpful, in keeping the body warm without the risk of weight gain. They may also be used judiciously to lose weight.