Midday, as heat shimmered above the asphalt and shirts clung to backs, an elderly vendor at a small Bangkok street eatery poured a rich tom yum into a bowl. Thick steam rose in a cloud, mingling with the pungent aroma of lime, lemongrass, and chili.
The customer took a first sip, and within a minute, beads of sweat glistened on their forehead.
This seemingly peculiar ritual is familiar to millions in the hottest corners of the globe. When temperatures soar, they don't instinctively reach for something cold; instead, they opt for hot. They do this not against logic, but precisely because of it.
The warmth of the soup prompts the body to sweat more profusely, and the evaporation of perspiration from the skin dissipates heat far more effectively than any air conditioner or iced drink.
In Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and India, hot soups and broths remain a part of daily life, even during the most sweltering seasons.
This method proves particularly effective in places where the air is heavy with humidity and thermometers have long surpassed 35 degrees Celsius. The climate itself has taught people a valuable lesson: sometimes, to truly cool down, you first need to properly warm up.
Behind the counter of that Bangkok eatery stands 68-year-old Mali. She has been preparing tom yum for forty years, using her mother's and grandmother's recipe. Stirring her pot, she offers a simple explanation:
"Cold soup tricks the body," she says. "It doesn't realize it's hot outside. But hot soup makes you sweat, and afterward, you immediately feel lighter."
We’ve always been told to drink something #cold to beat the #heat, but is that necessarily true? Actually, drinking a hot #beverage or having #soup has been shown to keep you cooled down because it makes you sweat out the inner heat!
Every morning, Mali buys fresh herbs at the market, where temperatures easily reach forty degrees Celsius under the awning. Her hands recall the exact pressure needed to crush a lemongrass stalk, ensuring its aroma fully releases only in boiling water.
Today, this age-old technique faces new challenges. Summers are growing hotter, cities are expanding, and younger generations increasingly seek refuge in air-conditioned cafes with cold beverages.
Nevertheless, interest in traditional methods has not waned. This is particularly true among those looking to reduce their reliance on electricity.
In some regions of India and Thailand, doctors and nutritionists are once again emphasizing that a hot dish can be more beneficial than an iced one during heatwaves.
To truly experience this effect, it's best to visit a typical street eatery or a home kitchen at the height of the day, rather than an air-conditioned tourist restaurant.
Ideally, this should be done during the season when local herbs and spices are at their most potent.
Crucially, after finishing the meal, avoid rushing to drink cold water. Allow the perspiration to evaporate naturally.
Hot soup in the heat serves as a reminder of a simple yet crucial truth: the body and the surrounding world are more intricately connected than we often perceive. And sometimes, to genuinely cool down, you must first allow yourself to warm up.
