Extreme cold burns calories, increases brown fat, and absorbs excess glucose.

When it’s cold, our bodies work harder to maintain their core temperature. This process burns calories as it takes a considerable amount of energy to fight against the cold. Cold also activates our brown fat cells—a special type of fat in our bodies used to produce heat. As a result of stimulating brown fat to heat up the body, excess glucose in our blood is absorbed. Repeated exposure to cold temperatures leads to improved insulin sensitivity, even for people who aren’t diabetic.