Some people swear by drinking hot water first thing in the morning – but does it really have health benefits?
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There’s a new wellness trend on the social media block, and this time it’s a really simple premise – drinking hot water first thing in the morning.
The viral trend stems from the common Chinese practice of drinking hot or warm water daily. In Chinese traditional medicine, hot water is believed to balance yin-yang energy in the body.
Those who have recently picked up the ancient habit, which is practised by millions in Chinese and East Asian communities across the world, claim that drinking hot water in the morning has helped improve their gut health, get rid of toxins in their body, and even aided weight loss.
But are there any real benefits to knocking back a glass of hot water each day – or have wellness influencers and social media users simply exaggerated the claims? We asked a nutritionist for his thoughts on the latest trend.
Does drinking hot water actually have benefits?
The latest trend stems from a common Chinese practice of drinking hot water.
(Dmytro Betsenko via Getty Images)
According to nutritionist Rob Hobson, drinking hot water has quickly become a wellness habit that sounds powerful, but the reality is much more modest.
“There’s no strong evidence to suggest that hot water itself has any unique or direct benefits for the gut microbiome,” he tells Yahoo UK.
“It also doesn’t ‘cleanse’ the gut, ‘detoxify’ the body, or selectively feed beneficial bacteria in the way it’s often talked about on social media.”
But that doesn’t mean there are absolutely zero benefits, Hobson adds. Hydrating yourself first thing in the morning is undoubtedly a good thing, particularly after hours of sleep with no fluids.
Rehydrating the body after waking up may also help support bowel regularity and improve overall gut comfort, he explains, particularly for people prone to constipation.
“For some people, warm or hot water may feel gentler on the stomach, and there is some evidence that warm foods or drinks may slightly increase gastric motility, helping the digestive system get moving,” he explains.
“However, this is more about comfort and basic digestive physiology than any direct effect on the microbiome.”
While some people who have jumped on the hot water trend may claim that it improves their gut health, Hobson says that temperature is not the “key driver” in improving gut bacteria. Instead, what you eat is a lot more important.
“The microbiome is shaped far more by what you eat consistently (especially fibre-rich plant foods, fermented foods and overall dietary quality), rather than whether your morning drink is hot, warm, or cold.
“If someone enjoys hot water and it helps them hydrate more consistently, then it’s still a positive habit, but it may not be a magic bullet for gut health,” he adds.
Four things you should eat or drink after waking up
Fluids
Hydration is important first thing in the morning, but hot water is just one way of getting your fluids in after a night of sleep. It can come from water, tea, herbal teas, and even coffee.
Fibre-rich foods
“Adding food reasonably soon after waking can also stimulate digestion, especially meals that include fibre such as oats, fruit, seeds, or wholegrains, which provide fuel for beneficial gut bacteria,” Hobson advises.
Fermented foods
Hobson recommends eating kefir if you can tolerate dairy or fermented foods, as it contains live cultures and is easy to include at breakfast.
“One simple option I often suggest is drinkable kefir with chia seeds soaked in juice, such as pineapple, to create little ‘pearls’,” he says.
“The chia provides fibre to feed gut bacteria, while the kefir supplies live microbes, making this a far more meaningful microbiome-friendly choice than hot water alone. Chia seeds also work well stirred into yoghurt or added to soaked oats or porridge.”
Protein-rich foods
Protein is another food group that’s often overlooked in the morning. Hobson likes including foods like eggs, yoghurt, nuts, seeds or beans at breakfast. This can help stabilise blood sugar and appetite later in the day, which indirectly benefits gut health.
But not all proteins are equal. “On the flip side, regularly starting the day with processed meats like bacon or sausages isn’t ideal, as these are consistently linked with poorer gut and metabolic health over time.”