Snow: can we eat it safely?

Whether out of curiosity, out of a desire to rediscover your inner child or out of thirst… It is sometimes tempting, when faced with a large expanse of fresh snow, to grab a handful for “eat”.

But be careful, as a caregiver from the Cleveland Clinic explains on the establishment websitesnowflakes are not just frozen water. Before swallowing snow, you need to pay attention to several things to protect your health.

Eating snow: what you need to know

Although the snowflakes are immaculate white, their composition is far from pure. In addition to frozen water, they also contain microscopic particles such as pieces of dust, sand or pollen. And that’s not all… numerous analyzes have shown that snow also harbors atmospheric pollutants.

Researchers from McGill University and the École de Technologie Supérieure de Montréal have notably demonstrated in a study published in 2017 that the snow contains “a toxic cocktail of air pollutants from automobile exhaust”. For example, they discovered polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, known to be carcinogenic.

Questioned by the Cleveland ClinicHowever, caregiver Max Huddleston is reassuring. Absorbed in small quantities, snow is not really problematic for healthy people. However, in addition to avoiding swallowing flakes that have fallen in urbanized or polluted areas, you must also restrict yourself:

• If the snow has been disturbed: if people have walked on it or if it has been shoveled. “Oil or gas from cars can spill onto the snow”recalls the specialist. It can also be contaminated by bacteria, germs and dirt on the floor. Which is likely to cause gastric problems.
• If these are the very first flakes of the snowy episode: if the first hours are the most magical, it is preferable not to choose this moment to “taste” the snow. The first falls are those containing the most pollutants, according to experts.
• If the snow is yellow or black: “The first thing you think of is urine,” adds Max Huddleston. “But you also don’t know what someone can throw on the snow to make it change color.”

The rules to follow for eating snow safely are to only take that which is intact and immaculately white, that of the upper layer… and in small quantities.

Is drinking snow a good way to hydrate?

During a ski descent or a walk in the forest, putting a handful of snow in your mouth to quench your thirst may seem like a good idea. And while it feels good in the moment, it’s not really something to repeat. Indeed, snow, although composed of water, is not an interesting source of hydration.

“You’re using energy to melt that snow into a drinkable form. You’re using more energy to melt it with your own body heat,” says Max Huddleston. “The hydration you get from eating or drinking of snow is only as important as the energy you use to melt it. So over time, if you consume a large amount of snow, in theory, it can dehydrate you.”

Furthermore, using snow as a source of hydration can accelerate hypothermia. Indeed, when consumed in large quantities, the flakes reduce the overall body temperature. Another danger for slush drinkers is that snow water does not contain minerals and trace elements. Which could lead to deficiencies and their complications if consumption is really very regular.