Which Foods and Drinks Help You Stay Warm in Extreme Cold?

The most effective foods and drinks for staying warm in extreme cold are those that trigger thermogenesis—your body’s natural heat production process. Root vegetables like sweet potatoes and butternut squash, protein-rich foods including red meat and eggs, iron-rich options such as spinach and beans, warming spices like ginger and cinnamon, hot broths and soups, caffeinated beverages, and adequate water intake all contribute to maintaining body warmth. These foods work by taking longer to digest, boosting metabolism, improving circulation, and supporting the body’s temperature regulation systems.

Understanding How Your Body Stays Warm

Your body is constantly working to maintain a core temperature around 98.6°F, even when the mercury drops well below freezing. This remarkable process is called thermoregulation, and it involves your hypothalamus (your body’s built-in thermostat), circulatory system, and metabolic processes working together.

When temperatures plummet, your body kicks into gear through several mechanisms. Shivering generates heat through rapid muscle contractions. Blood vessels constrict to keep warmth around vital organs. Your metabolism ramps up to produce more internal heat. But here’s what many people don’t realize: what you eat and drink directly influences how effectively your body can execute these warming strategies.

The body’s thermoregulation system includes the hypothalamus in the brain, sweat glands, skin and circulatory system, and extreme conditions can lead to hyperthermia or hypothermia which can be life threatening.

The Science of Thermogenesis: Why Some Foods Make You Warmer

Foods that take longer to digest can help raise your body temperature through a process called thermogenesis, which is the process of your body producing heat caused by food metabolizing. Think of it as your internal furnace burning different types of fuel at different rates.

Not all foods create heat equally. Complex carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats require more energy to break down, and that energy conversion produces warmth as a byproduct. This isn’t just folk wisdom—it’s backed by solid science.

Shivering and non-shivering thermogenesis are the main ways we produce heat and stay warm during cold exposure, and both processes require energy, essentially costing us more in calories to stay warm than if we were indoors or in a less frigid climate.

Your body is burning extra calories just to keep you from freezing. That means proper nutrition becomes even more critical when facing extreme cold.

Root Vegetables: Underground Heat Generators

When winter arrives, there’s good reason why our ancestors relied heavily on root vegetables. These underground powerhouses are among the best foods for generating lasting warmth.

Root vegetables like radishes, turnips and sweet potatoes are essential winter foods because thermogenesis means foods that take longer to digest can help raise your body temperature. Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, and beets are packed with complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, making them slow-burning fuel for your body’s furnace.

Sweet potatoes, butternut pumpkin and cauliflower are a source of fiber, meaning you take longer to digest them, feeling fuller and warmed up, and these vegetables are also sources of vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.

The beauty of root vegetables is their versatility. Roast them for a simple side dish, add them to stews and soups, or mash them as a hearty base for meals. As they bake, they’ll warm your kitchen, and as you digest them, they’ll continue warming your body for hours.

Protein Power: The High-Heat Fuel

If you want to maximize your body’s heat production, protein is your best friend in cold weather.

The thermic effect of feeding for protein is higher than that for both carbohydrates and fat, resulting in an increase in body warmth for the 5 to 6 hours following ingestion of a high protein meal.

Red meat stands out as particularly effective. Beef, lamb, and pork not only provide substantial protein but also contain essential iron—more on that in a moment. Poultry, eggs, fish, beans, lentils, and chickpeas all contribute to this warming effect as well.

If you consume a high protein diet or simply choose a protein-rich snack, you’ll temporarily ramp up your body temperature, helping you keep warm.

For vegetarians and vegans, combining plant proteins with warming spices creates an effective cold-weather meal. Black bean soup with cayenne, lentil curry with ginger, or chickpea stew with turmeric all deliver protein-powered warmth.

The Iron Connection: Why Deficiency Makes You Colder

If you’re constantly cold no matter what you eat, iron deficiency might be the hidden culprit. This mineral plays a surprisingly important role in temperature regulation.

Iron deficiency may exert its effects on thermoregulation through two distinct mechanisms—iron-deficiency anemia results in decreased oxygen transport from the lungs to tissues, and this reduction in oxygen availability inhibits physiological responses to cold, including peripheral vasoconstriction and increased metabolic rate.

If you always have cold hands and feet, you may have an iron deficiency or anemia, as iron is really important in carrying oxygen to all parts of your body.

Iron-rich foods become particularly important during winter months. Red meat, poultry and eggs contain haem iron, which is more readily absorbed by our bodies, while vegetarians and vegans can still consume plenty of iron rich foods from nuts, greens and grains, though they should be mindful of absorption inhibitors such as phytates.

Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale, beans, lentils, iron-fortified cereals, and organ meats all help maintain healthy iron levels. Pair them with vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits or bell peppers to enhance absorption.

Warming Spices: Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science

Cultures from India to Korea have used warming spices for thousands of years, and contemporary research is confirming what traditional medicine has long known.

Ginger: The Circulation Booster

Ginger is known to be good for digestive health and can stimulate thermogenesis, and it’s also a diaphoretic which means it will help your body warm from the inside out.

Research found that people who drank a hot ginger beverage had a higher body temperature than people who only drank hot water, and people who ate gingerbread also saw a boost in body temperature compared to people who ate bread that didn’t contain ginger.

Fresh ginger tea has become a winter staple for good reason. Slice fresh ginger, steep it in hot water with honey and lemon, and you’ve created a powerful warming drink that also supports immune function.

Cinnamon: The Metabolism Booster

Cinnamon raises your body temperature by increasing your metabolism, and it pairs really well with warm drinks like hot chocolate and lattes, or can be added to soup.

Sprinkle cinnamon on your morning oatmeal, add it to coffee, or incorporate it into savory dishes like Moroccan tagines. Its subtle sweetness makes it one of the most versatile warming spices.

Cayenne and Hot Peppers: Intense Heat Generators

Research shows that a compound in cayenne called capsaicin can hijack the energy typically used for muscle contraction and relaxation and use it to ramp up body heat, and researchers even believe this compound may have the potential to treat hypothermia in high doses.

Start with small amounts if you’re not used to spicy foods. A pinch in chili, hot chocolate, or even sprinkled between your socks and shoes can provide surprising warmth.

Other Warming Spices

Black pepper, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, cloves, and garlic all possess thermogenic properties. These spices improve circulation, speed metabolism, and create a warming sensation throughout your body. The beauty of spices is that even tiny amounts make a difference.

Hot Liquids: Comfort and Hydration Combined

The Truth About Warm Drinks

Here’s something that might surprise you: water-based drinks or soups will stop the symptoms of cold but not actually raise your body temperature—drinking hot water causes your shivering to reduce and your metabolic rate to reduce, but your core temperature isn’t affected as core temperature rarely changes.

So why do warm drinks feel so effective? They provide immediate comfort by warming your hands and face, reducing shivering, and delivering much-needed hydration. That combination makes you feel warmer even if your core temperature stays constant.

Soups and Broths: The Perfect Winter Food

Hot soup, particularly with chicken, is superior to other hot or cold liquids in the management of fluids in upper respiratory tract infections, and the nutrition-filled broth boosts immunity, rehydrates your body, and promotes digestion.

Bone broths deserve special mention. The slow-cooked collagen, gelatin, and minerals provide anti-inflammatory benefits while delivering warmth and hydration. Add protein, vegetables, and warming spices, and you’ve created a complete cold-weather meal.

Coffee and Tea: The Caffeine Factor

Both coffee and tea contain caffeine, which increases your metabolism which in turn may help raise your body temperature, though tea has less caffeine content.

Green tea offers an additional benefit through catechins, compounds that may enhance thermogenesis. Herbal teas with ginger, cinnamon, or cayenne combine hydration with warming spices for double the effect.

Water: The Overlooked Winter Essential

This might seem counterintuitive, but staying hydrated in cold weather is just as critical as staying hydrated in summer heat.

A simple way to help your body stay warm this winter is to drink water—water keeps your body functioning at its best and helps regulate your internal temperature, and dehydration causes your core temperature to drop which may lead to hypothermia.

A person’s thirst response diminishes up to 40% in cold weather, as blood vessels constrict to prevent blood from flowing freely to the extremities, directing blood flow to the body’s core to protect vital organs which tricks the body into thinking it’s properly hydrated.

The problem? Cold, dry air increases fluid loss through breathing. Indoor heating pulls even more moisture from the air. Layered clothing makes you sweat without noticing. Soldiers conducting cold-weather operations are often dehydrated by 3 to 8 percent of their body weight, similar in magnitude to those reported for persons in hot climates.

To stay hydrated, aim to drink between half and one cup of fluid for each hour you’re awake. If cold water feels unappealing, warm water, herbal teas, and broths all count toward your hydration goals.

Foods to Avoid When Fighting Cold

Not everything that seems warming actually helps. Some popular choices can work against you.

Alcohol: The Deceptive Warmer

Whisky and other kinds of alcohol actually lower your body’s core temperature—you may feel warm at first but it will be hard to stay warm over time, and alcohol also impairs your ability to shiver which is a natural response to raise your body temperature.

Alcohol acts as a vasodilator which makes the skin feel warm, but it drops the temperature of vital organs and can reduce a person’s core body temperature, and alcohol should not be counted as part of a person’s fluid intake for optimal health.

Save the celebratory drinks for when you’re safely indoors with reliable heating.

Excess Sugar

While sweet treats might seem comforting, simple sugars burn quickly without providing sustained warmth. They can cause energy crashes that leave you feeling colder than before.

Building Your Cold-Weather Eating Strategy

Understanding individual foods is just the beginning. The real magic happens when you combine these elements strategically.

Morning Routine

Start your day with warm water or ginger tea to jumpstart your metabolism. Follow with a protein-rich breakfast incorporating warming spices—think scrambled eggs with black pepper, oatmeal with cinnamon and nuts, or a savory grain bowl with vegetables and turmeric.

Throughout the Day

Keep a water bottle handy and sip regularly, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Snack on nuts, dried fruits, or protein-rich options. If you’re heading outdoors, eat a substantial meal beforehand—your body will convert that fuel into heat.

Make a concerted effort to consistently snack and sip throughout the day, as insufficient energy intake and dehydration increase your risk of injury and impair cognitive processes important to decision making and safety.

Evening Meals

This is where soups, stews, and hearty dishes shine. Combine root vegetables, protein, warming spices, and healthy fats. The complex combination takes hours to digest, keeping your internal furnace burning through the night.

Special Considerations for Extreme Cold

When facing truly brutal conditions—whether you’re winter camping, working outdoors, or dealing with emergency power outages—nutrition becomes even more critical.

Your body burns significantly more calories in extreme cold. In terms of caloric density, fat provides more than twice the amount of energy per unit mass compared to carbohydrate or protein, so a ration providing a specific level of calories but higher in fat would be lighter and easier to transport.

Choose calorie-dense options that won’t freeze: nuts, nut butters, dried fruits, cheese, and chocolate. Foods with lower water content are less likely to freeze and therefore less likely to break your teeth—trail mixes, homemade energy bites, crackers and nut butter, fruit leathers or string cheese sticks work well.

Keep a thermos filled with hot liquid. One of the best ways to keep warm is by drinking your calories in hot liquid form, as it warms your core and provides energy while preventing dehydration in cold, dry climates.

Traditional Cold-Weather Foods Around the World

Different cultures have developed their own warming traditions, and there’s wisdom in diversity.

Korean samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), Vietnamese pho, Mexican menudo, Japanese miso soup, Indian chai, and Scandinavian gravlax all represent time-tested approaches to cold-weather eating. These dishes typically combine protein, warming spices, hot liquids, and slowly-digested carbohydrates—all the elements we’ve discussed.

Putting It All Together

Staying warm in extreme cold isn’t about one magical food or drink. It’s about understanding how your body generates heat and supporting those processes through smart nutritional choices.

Focus on foods that take time to digest—root vegetables, whole grains, and protein. Include iron-rich options to support oxygen transport and heat generation. Add warming spices to boost circulation and metabolism. Stay hydrated even when you don’t feel thirsty. Choose hot liquids for immediate comfort and sustained energy.

Your body is remarkably resilient, capable of maintaining function in conditions that would have seemed impossible to earlier generations. But that resilience depends on proper fuel. Feed your internal fire wisely, and you’ll be amazed at how much easier it becomes to face the coldest days with confidence and comfort.

The next time temperatures drop and that icy wind starts to bite, you’ll know exactly what to reach for—not just because it feels warming, but because science confirms it actually works.