Ice the Same as Water?

[Gnarly]

This is probably a really dumb question... Go ahead, laugh me out of town... Go on... Laugh.

Anyway, you know how you're supposed to drink however much water a day?
If you "drink" that in ice is it just the same effects and everything?
I presume it would be, but... i thought it prudent to confirm my suspicions before I did anything rash ;)

[1vegan]

Ice: what is Ice to you ?

are we talking Ice as "does icecream count as a drink"

but if you mean do ice cubes in the soda count as water, then the answer is yes.

[kerouac]

If you can "drink" 8 glasses worth of ice a day, more power to you.

But yeah, it should be the same. You just have to figure out the ratio of ice to .oz (I believe a "glass" is 8oz)

[blinkered]

I don't know how true this is, but I was once told that 'eating' ice cubes was a good way to get water, when I worked in hotels I used to pick an ice cube to suck everytime I went past the ice machine!

[V3gan]

ice is just frozen water. when you ingest the ice, your stomach will melt the ice. and then it will be liquid again. thats why they say not to eat snow when your lost in the boonies, it lowers your internal temperature becuase your body has to melt it.

[MollyGoat]

No! No no no! It is not the same!

Another reason they tell you not to eat snow is it dehydrates you. You have to melt it before your body can use it as water. The process your body goes through to melt ice and snow uses more water than is in the ice cube (or snowball, as it were.)

The best way to hydrate yourself is with water that is already body temperature. Of course, nobody wants to do that, 'cause cold water is so good...

So nope...those ice cubes in the soda totally do not count. Unless you wait for them to melt.

[Thalia]

No! No no no! It is not the same!

Another reason they tell you not to eat snow is it dehydrates you. You have to melt it before your body can use it as water. The process your body goes through to melt ice and snow uses more water than is in the ice cube (or snowball, as it were.)

The best way to hydrate yourself is with water that is already body temperature. Of course, nobody wants to do that, 'cause cold water is so good...

So nope...those ice cubes in the soda totally do not count. Unless you wait for them to melt.
Do you really think there is a net loss in hydration? I doubt it. Otherwise wouldn't athletes, etc. only drink warm water in the Olypics, etc?

[Blue Plastic Straw]

Another reason they tell you not to eat snow is it dehydrates you. You have to melt it before your body can use it as water. The process your body goes through to melt ice and snow uses more water than is in the ice cube (or snowball, as it were.).

This is a myth, and frankly doesn't make any sense if you think about it for very long. How would using the heat of your body to melt ice use water?

[MollyGoat]

Thalia, a lot of the athletes I know do drink lukewarm water rather than cold during and after workouts.

Your body uses water for basically all of its processes...if it's a myth, I'm surprised to have heard it from my Outward Bound instructor friends. But I'll admit I didn't read it in a science textbook. I guess we could try eating only ice for a few days and see :)

[mushroom]

If you only had ice and no water, you wouldn't die of dehydration...so that shows that ice "counts" (people have survived long periods while just eating snow)

Yet, I think it has been shown that eating/drinking everything at close to body tempuratures is best. Unless that's another myth?!

I have known people who never drink plain water. My mother lived on coffee, cigs and a little bit of food for decades.

[eggplant]

The best way to hydrate yourself is with water that is already body temperature. Of course, nobody wants to do that, 'cause cold water is so good...

I've always prefered drinking my water at room temperature to drinking it with ice. When I lived in France I was happy because everyone drinks their "cold" beverages at room temperature there. Sorry, I have nothing else to add to this discussion...

[Nando]

If you can "drink" 8 glasses worth of ice a day, more power to you.

But yeah, it should be the same. You just have to figure out the ratio of ice to .oz (I believe a "glass" is 8oz)
I would guess that "ice" in a large voulme would have negitive effects. Ice would lower internal body temp, and slow metabolisim, and could be bad, i would think. that is one reason when hiking you dont eat snow, it will speed up hyothermia. Now one glas of Ice and hour....may not be bad in an office, but rember to account for expansion...on glass of Ice is only about 1/4 glass of water.

[Gnarly]

Okay, thanks everyone.
I guess I won't be drinking my whole H2O intake in ice (not that I really intended to anyway :D ) but it's good to know that say, maybe a quarter of my total water can be ice with no ill effects. it's just that when I'm bored and feel like eating, i eat ice!

[FafaFrappy]

Athletes drink lukewarm water, I believe, because 1) your body absorbs warmer liquids faster, and 2) dramatic decreases in temperature in the body are bad for you.

Ice does contribute to hydration. But, since it is expanded water, you would need (probably not much) more than normal water.

Of course it wouldn't be logical to have your only source of hydration as ice, unless you're stranded in a snowy area without actual water. :p But, adding it to other drinks does contribute to water intake. :)

[borealis]

it's just that when I'm bored and feel like eating, i eat ice!

My mom always said not to eat ice because it will chip your teeth. I used to worry a lot about this because I chewed on ice all the time. :worried:

People have also told me that Freud said eating ice was a sign of repressed sexuality. I s'pose most of us are repressed in some way, though... :p

The point of this reply? There really isn't one

[bluegrrrl79]

My mom always said not to eat ice because it will chip your teeth. I used to worry a lot about this because I chewed on ice all the time. :worried:

People have also told me that Freud said eating ice was a sign of repressed sexuality. I s'pose most of us are repressed in some way, though... :p

The point of this reply? There really isn't one

Actually I believe chewing ice is a sign of anemia.

[borealis]

Actually I believe chewing ice is a sign of anemia.

I've never heard that one before. :) How would that work? You'd think craving iron-rich foods would be a better sign of anemia.