To laugh with your children or simply out of curiosity, have you ever tasted snow? You are not alone in this situation! An unusual image also made the rounds on the web in January 2024, that of Reese Witherspoon using snow to prepare a “Chococinno with snow salt”. In the video, available on the Chinese social network TikTok, we see the famous actress using two cups to collect snow that has just fallen on her car, then adding salted caramel, chocolate and coffee as a topping.
Having snow for dessert would not be an isolated phenomenon. On the social network, there are also numerous videos of “snowcream”, desserts made from snow, which have thousands of views. Of the “recipes” which did not fail to provoke a reaction from Internet users, but also from specialists, who pointed out health risks.
Can we eat snow?
First of all, it should be remembered that snow is essentially made up of water. The latter, falling from the sky, is therefore not drinkable. Rainwater “may present microbiological and chemical contamination. In addition, its quality is not monitored” explained to Current Woman Anne Novelli, deputy head of the water-related risk assessment unit at ANSES. Furthermore, the French administration website reminds us that it is “Strictly forbidden to consume rainwater”.
On the social network Instagram, Dr Laure Geisler, also known under the pseudonym @lecoeurnet.info, reminded us that “the apparent purity of freshly fallen snow hides known risks!”. Indeed, a study published in 2016 and published in the journal Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts recalled that in urban areas, snow can absorb aerosols from exhaust gases in particular. A study carried out a year later estimated that “snow absorbs certain toxic and carcinogenic organic pollutants called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons”.
In addition, Dr. Laure Geisler added on the social network Instagram that “Snow can also harbor a variety of microbes, including bacteria and viruses. Although many are harmless, there is a risk of encountering pathogens, particularly in areas with animal or human activity.” and the specialist to cite urine in particular.
Eating snow: what are the health risks?
Eating snow therefore means taking the risk of directly exposing yourself to substances that are toxic to the body. Among the health risks, highlighted by Dr. Jennifer Johnson of Mayo Clinic Health toAccuweather, “a person with immune problems is more susceptible to infections and may have fever, chills, vomitingdiarrhea or unexplained weight loss”.
Furthermore, Dr Philippe Beaulieu, health quality manager of the Water Information Center, estimated 20 minutes what “the body is not made to absorb something so cold, it can create a thermal shock and cause transit disorders or even diarrhea”.
How to react if snow is consumed?
Should we be worried about snow consumption? In the media columns ParadeDiane Calello, doctor of medicine and director of an American poison control center, was reassuring: “Snow is safe in small amounts”she explains. Asked by Popsugar, Dr. Laura Purdy, a board-certified family physician, adds that “Most of our immune systems should help us prevent disease, but there is always a risk of toxic exposure”. In the event of intense abdominal pain, excessive diarrhea, extreme nausea or fever, you should therefore consult a doctor quickly.
Sources :
- Instagram video by Dr. Laura Geisler (01/24/2024)
- Is eating snow dangerous? – Accuweather
- Role of snow and cold environment in the fate and effects of nanoparticles and select organic pollutants from gasoline engine exhaust† – Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts (2016)
- Melting snow contains a toxic cocktail of pollutants – McGill University (2017)
- Why we must stop Bernard from eating snow – 20 minutes (01/16/2024)
- Rainwater recovery – French Administration
- Eating Too Much Snow Could Have Unpleasant Side Effects, According to Doctors (01/01/2021)
- Reese Witherspoon’s Chococinno Sparks a TikTok Debate: Is It Safe to Eat Snow? – Popsugar (25/01/2024)
