Cold and Bubbly: The Sensory Qualities that Best Quench Thirst

New research from the Monell Center and collaborators finds that oral perceptions of coldness and carbonation help to reduce thirst, the uncomfortable sensation caused by the need to drink fluids. Because thirst and its cessation contribute to how much fluid a person drinks, the current findings could help guide sensory approaches to increase fluid intake in populations at risk for dehydration, including the elderly, soldiers, and athletes.

While it is commonly believed that rehydration alleviates thirst, in actuality thirst is relieved, and the act of drinking ceases, long before a consumed liquid is absorbed by the body. Sensory cues in the mouth appear to play a role in thirst quenching, but the specific signals that the body uses to determine the amount of liquid consumed and when to stop drinking remain largely unknown.

Read the complete article from the Monell Center here: Cold and Bubbly: The Sensory Qualities that Best Quench Thirst

The full text journal article from PLOS ONE can be found here: Oral Cooling and Carbonation Increase the Perception of Drinking and Thirst Quenching in Thirsty Adults