Effect of soup temperature on body thermal sensation, body temperature and heart rate

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of soup temperature on body thermal sensation, body temperature and heart rate. A randomized crossover study was performed in 13 healthy female university students (22.2 ± 3.2 years). After overnight fasting, the subjects ate hot soup (87 kcal, 70°C), cold soup (87 kcal, 10°C), or drank hot water (0kcal, 70°C) in the morning on different days. Body thermal sensation, tympanic membrane temperature, oral temperature and heart rate were evaluated over a 60-min period after soup or water intake. The changes in body thermal sensation and oral temperature just after the intake of hot soup and hot water were significantly higher than those after the intake of cold soup. The change in tympanic membrane temperature after the intake of soup or water was not significantly different among all three samples tested. The change in heart rate just after hot soup intake was significantly higher than that with cold soup or hot water. The oral temperature just after soup or water intake is thought to represent a regional temperature, whereas tympanic membrane temperature is thought to represent the systemic temperature. Therefore, it was suggested that the change in body thermal sensation just after the intake of soup or water was not based on the systemic temperature, but on the regional temperature. Since the only distinguishing factor of the hot soup was a higher palatability, it was suggested that the change in heart rate after hot soup intake is related to palatable taste stimulation.