People have been hopping on a trend of filling their bowls with snow to make snow ice cream.
Snow Ice Cream Trend
Last Friday, 47-year-old Reese Witherspoon went viral after posting a TikTok video on making "snow salt Chococinno." In the short video, Witherspoon used two bigs to scoop snow before drizzling them with chocolate and salted caramel sauce. Afterwards, she added some cold brew to make the snowy desert have a coffee flavor.
While the video has gone viral, it has also garnered mixed reactions. One person reacted, expressing views that snow is dangerous to health. Similar concerns were also raised by others. This prompted Witherspoon to have three follow-up videos to address the comments.
Though several users were surprised by Witherspoon's snow recipe, making snow ice cream and other similar desserts is actually not new. There are other videos on TikTok of snow cream being made, garnering both positive and negative reactions.
Snow ice cream typically consists of just four ingredients, namely, snow, sugar, milk, and vanilla. However, the question still remains: is snow safe to eat?
Is Snow Safe To Eat?
Dr. Jennifer Johnson, a family medicine physician from Mayo Clinic Health, explains that, though snow is water in essence, people need to be cautious about snow's consumption as it might be contaminated. Dr. Johnson explains that snow may contain dirt, microbes, and pollution. Snow that has stayed in the ground for days could have chemicals from microbes from animal debris or dirt, as well as snow removal and dirt itself. The doctor explains that fresh snow has less contamination compared to snow that has been there for days.
Several individuals also have good immune systems and do not consume sufficient snow to lead to adverse effects. However, there are cases where individuals experience diarrhea or an upset stomach. These symptoms could get worse when larger quantities or contaminated snow are consumed.
Dr. Johnson explains that a person with immune issues is more vulnerable to infection and may experience chills, fevers, vomiting, unexpected weight loss, or diarrhea.
Dr. Laura T. Martin, an assistant professor of pediatrics from the College of Medicine at the Ohio State University, does not recommend eating snow that is taken right from the ground. Dr. Martin also advises against eating plowed snow even if it has a clean appearance.
The safest snow to eat is the fluffiest and whitest top layer of fallen snow that is farthest from the ground. To get bigger servings, Dr. Martin suggests placing a clean bowl on one's picnic deck, table, or other outdoor structure. This should be placed in areas that are less likely to be exposed to critters in the backyard or bird droppings. Decent snowfall could result in the collection of debris- and dirt-free snow that is likely more clean than snow on the ground.
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