# Taste and temperature?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taste-and-temperature/184281>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 25, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taste-and-temperature/184281 "2003-06-25T13:20:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![snooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@snooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snooch)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taste-and-temperature/184281/1 "2003-06-25T13:20:24Z")

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Why does cold water taste better than room temperature water? Why does some food taste better hot, and some better cold? All I could find using the resources in the Mod Notes was a Yale study on “Thermal Taste”, which I don’t think is the same thing, and some specific food examples (such as warmth releasing aromas in wine). None of it really seems to answer why, in general, most foods seem to taste better warm, and why plain water tastes better cold.

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taste-and-temperature/184281/2 "2003-06-25T13:25:28Z")

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I do not think water has any taste, hot or cold. I think it _feels_ better cold mainly because it is more refreshing and because you are used to that. The Chinese like to drink hot water and so do I.

Food is another matter though. Heat makes volatile compounds evaporate and feed your sense of smell as well as taste. Cold food has little taste or smell to it.