If you can manage to type with mittens on, you’ve probably tried to Google just about every thing in a feeble attempt to try and keep warm. Well, today’s your lucky day because this list of foods and beverages will actually raise your body temperature. Let it snow!

Ice Water

Photo: How it Works

Seems counterintuitive, don’t it? Your whole life you’ve been raised to believe that warm drinks like hot chocolate are perfect winter beverages. But your base body temperature will actually fluctuate to try and counteract the effects of hot liquid, meaning your body temperature will drop from drinking even one cup of cocoa. Cold water has the opposite effect, raising your core temperature to counteract the chilly liquid.

Coffee

Photo: Eater Chicago

As a subsection of the last paragraph, it’s important to note that coffee will actually help you heat up, but it has nothing to do with the warmth of the beverage. As a matter of fact, you’d actually be better drinking iced coffee. It’s the high amounts of caffeine in coffee which stimulate your metabolism, encouraging your body to burn fuel. I works best black, since cream and sugar will just break down instantly and produce a sugar crash.

Peanuts

Photo: Flipboard

Good grief! Peanuts are high in vitamin B-3, which promotes blood flow and kick starts your metabolism — two key components in fending off the cold. With healthy fats and plenty of protein, they’re a smart snack any time of year, but will definitely help you combat dropping temperatures.

Brown Rice

Photo: Livestrong

Refined rices and flours turn into simple carbs almost instantly, leading to sugar crashes like the ones mentioned above. Brown rice, on the other hand, is a complex carbohydrate that your body will breakdown slowly over time, resulting in prolonged release of energy and (you guessed it) heat.

Fresh Ginger

Photo: Nature and Nutrition

Ginger is another way to get your blood flowing, which will help warm your extremities and keep away the chills. While you might be tempted to throw this spice into a dish or soup, you’ll maximize your benefits if you eat the root raw. You’ll also get similar (but less noticeable effects) from other roots like carrots and beets.

Cayenne Pepper

Photo: Savory Spice Shop

Finally, a spicy food on this list. While any spicy pepper will help you break into a quick sweat, you’ll also notice the prolonged effect of digesting the fiery fruits. This is due to the chemical called capsaicin that is found in all peppers, meaning you’ll experience similar results with jalapenos and habaneros as well.

Coconut Oil

Photo: Coconut Oil

Much like peanuts, coconut oil is full of healthy fats, which turn into fuel instead of spare tires. Again, essentially, you’re promoting your metabolism to do what it does: generate energy that makes you feel warm. Not to mention other benefits of coconut oil, like its antiviral and blood sugar-stabilizing properties.

NOT Alcohol

Photo: Dennis Heppner

Despite rumors to the contrary, alcohol is actually a horrible way to stay warm. The rush of heat that drinkers feel is actually the warm, fresh blood leaving their core and heading to their extremities. Though you might feel warm in the short term, it will actually make it harder to stay warm over time and increase your risk of hypothermia.