During this cold period, the snow may have covered your town with a light white coat. This is the case of Sandrine, from Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine), who wonders: “Is it dangerous to eat snow that falls from the sky? Is it polluted? » West France answers you.
Rainwater is polluted, so is snow
As explained by our colleagues from the evening editionit is strongly recommended not to drink rainwater “because it is probably polluted. Blame it on eternal chemicals »which can be found in many everyday products: technical clothing, fire foam, food packaging, etc.
For snow, it's the same thing, or even worse, because when it forms, it catches more pollution particles, dust and bacteria than rain. According to researchers from Stockholm University (Sweden) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (Switzerland) in a study published on August 2, 2022 in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology, water, and therefore snow, is not consumable, even in the most isolated regions.
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Demineralized water
The reason we are hydrated after drinking water is the presence of minerals in the liquid. The problem with snow is that when it falls, the rain does not mineralize and, when it freezes, it keeps this demineralized form. Eating snow is therefore like drinking demineralized water.
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Although in small quantities it is not dangerous, the absence of mineral salts risks, if you only drink this type of water, creating a deficiency in your body and becoming really harmful to your health. In addition, as this water does not dehydrate, it even increases the need to drink.
Since the body is also not adapted to consuming a product as cold as snow, the temperature shock may also give you some stomach aches if you eat too much. In short, although it may look appetizing or hydrating, it is better to snowball it than to eat it.
