Is Putting Ice In Your Drink A Bad Idea?

With the arrival of summer or after a sweaty workout, we want to cool off and get rid of the heat in any way we can. One of these ways is to enjoy an ice cold drink. If there are no drinks left in the fridge, we decide to put ice in our drink. Problem solved! Did you know that this is not a good idea? In this article, we’ll tell you why putting ice on a drink isn’t necessarily a good idea. 

Why isn’t putting ice in a drink a good idea?

Dirty ice means contaminated beverage

Several studies have been done to determine if ice cubes, which are popular especially in summer, are good for our health.

The results were chilling: in most fast food places and cafes, the water used to make the ice cubes was full of bacteria  (to the same extent as the toilets in those places).

Do we compare Vesso water to ice served in chain restaurant drinks? Yes. And worst of all, toilets are cleaned more often than ice machines. 

The leaders of these multinational chains have suggested that the possible discovery of these bacteria is due to human contamination.

This means that the people who use the machines and the ice cubes are the same workers who also clean the toilets. These workers are also in contact with money and cleaning the floor, but do not wash their hands.

Laboratory tests did not show serious infections in the drinks of these restaurants. However, the truth is that bacterial levels were higher than what is considered normal. 

It is good to keep in mind that the problem is not in the water from which the ice is made, which is drinkable in all cases. Instead, it is the spread of bacteria in the device  or in the hands of those serving drinks.

Perhaps the bacteria that enter the body through soft drinks are not a problem for a healthy person. However, it can be a problem for certain groups of people, such as children, the elderly, and those with weak defenses.

Another problem you should consider is trips to countries or cities where the water is not drinkable.

There is no proper sanitation in exotic destinations in Africa, Asia and South America. Therefore, water is likely to come from contaminated rivers, lakes, streams, or artificial lakes.

In this particular case, we recommend that you do not enjoy ice cubes at all. It is better to drink a warm drink than to spend several days locked in your hotel because you have diarrhea, stomach cramps and vomiting.

What if I make ice?

We can rely on scientific research into what is happening in cafes and restaurants. But what if we don’t eat in those places? Instead, we can put ice in our glass that comes from our own freezer.

What would be the problem in this case?

It is almost the same as in eateries.  When you put water in an ice cube mold, did you wash your hands? And were your hands clean when you put the cubes in the glass? Believe it or not, the situation is quite similar.

And that’s not all. If you have not cleaned the ice feeder in the refrigerator or your ice cube mold, it is likely that mold has grown on it. This then goes to a piece of ice, from your drink, and eventually into your body.

It is important to make sure that the ice cube mold is as clean as your hand before pouring water into it. Wash your hands to avoid the transfer of pimples and bacteria when making ice cubes and before serving them.

If you meet all the hygiene requirements when making ice and putting it in glass, you are less likely to get microorganisms that are harmful to your health.

However, there is something else worth considering when it comes to consuming too cold drinks: irritation in the throat and vocal cords. 

If the first thing you do is drink lemonade, juice or a glass of cold water (from the fridge or ice cubes) when you get home and feel hot, you may later suffer from a sore throat or even a loss of sound. 

Cold drinks vs. hot drinks: which one wins?

It has been confirmed that drinking water on ice or drinking almost icy water during meals causes indigestion. That’s why East Asians drink warm green tea instead of cold juice or lemonade.

Blood vessels constrict when you ingest cold fluids. This increases the production of mucus in the body, which prevents proper hydration. This is another point against the use of ice cubes.

Instead,  by drinking warm fluids like tea, the intestines move better, digestion is completed faster, the blood is cleared, and the kidneys cleanse the body.

In the end, you should know that eating something warm or hot while you eat will help your body digest the fat you eat better. This prevents them from solidifying on the abdominal walls.

We advise you to drink tea when the food contains vegetable or animal fats such as oils, nuts, meat, egg yolk or butter.

Now that you know that putting ice in a drink can be detrimental to your health, you can think about it better and think about whether to put ice in your drink next time.