I have never met someone raised outside of Asia that has ordered a glass of hot water to drink as-is. I have no idea why this habit is so wide spread among people raised in Asia and it baffles me.
Before sanitation rules, very broadly: Europe made alcohol to make potable water whereas Asia boiled it and made tea. When there’s no tea available or fitting your tastes, the water still needs to be purified, so drinking hot water was still a common practice which has stayed around as an aspect of culture.
I have never met someone raised outside of Asia that has ordered a glass of hot water to drink as-is. I have no idea why this habit is so wide spread among people raised in Asia and it baffles me.
Hold on for some Jared Diamond-ass reasoning.
Before sanitation rules, very broadly: Europe made alcohol to make potable water whereas Asia boiled it and made tea. When there’s no tea available or fitting your tastes, the water still needs to be purified, so drinking hot water was still a common practice which has stayed around as an aspect of culture.