It may surprise you but a lot of people would go for the latter. Ice cube munching, or ice eating, is a common addiction with a lot of people that they don’t even know they are addicted to it.
At a press conference some years back, I was going crazy trying to control myself from scooping the ice cubes from my iced tea glass. After several agonizing minutes, just when I thought I was winning the battle and overcoming the temptation, I heard the familiar delightful crunch of ice cubes from the person next to me — an executive officer of a big bank in New Zealand. With a joyous smile at him I scooped the ice cubes from my glass and joined him in this delightful habit.
Glancing around, I noticed that there were actually several people in the conference who were discreetly munching ice cubes, and I see people who do the same at restaurants and other establishments every day.
Why do some people munch on ice?
It may sound strange but a lot of people are actually addicted to munching ice cubes. Some started the habit back in elementary school and carried it on to their adult years.
Everyone has his or her own reason for munching or eating ice. Some simply likes the feeling of crunching something cold in their mouth while others like the cold sensation that takes over the warmth. Some eat ice to cool off the burning sensation or the dryness they feel in their mouths, and a lot of other reasons.
Some munch on ice for the sheer satisfaction they get from it. I put opened soda cans or juice bottles, in the freezer and eagerly wait for the moment when the ice is just hard enough to spoon but soft enough to munch on, glorying in the feel of the soft ice sloshing in my mouth.
Browsing the internet for more information about ice eating led to various websites showing testimonies from hundreds of people who are addicted to munching on ice.
Name it — ice cubes, ice cones, ice slush, shaved ice and other forms of ice — the addicts will even go as far as having their own ice cube trays in the freezer at the office and at home and warning everyone else not to touch their ice trays. Just like any other form of addiction, the ice eaters make frequent trips to the refrigerator and their day or night would not just be complete without eating ice.
Side effects of eating ice
People who are addicted to ice eating may not be aware about it but there could be associated complications that are linked with this habit.
The Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life composed of doctors for all specialization on its website (www.MayoClinic.com) states that ice eating could not be as harmless as it looks like.
You may think that you are just chewing on frozen water, but the Mayo Clinic points out ice crunching could be a symptom of physical problems like stress and anxiety, nutritional deficiencies, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Researches done at the Mayo Clinic also points out that ice crunching could also be a symptom of anemia.
Dianne Esplin, a nutritionist working at the St. Jude Renal Center on Saipan said that craving non-food things like dirt, clay, paper, and other items is called “Pica.”
“Although ice is edible, nutritionists sometimes consider ice chewing pica but the connection with anemia isn’t cause and effect. Ice chewing (or craving nonfood things) is sometimes a sign of anemia,” Esplin said.
With Saipan’s hot climate, ice chewing isn’t as unusual as it might be somewhere else.
“Most ice chewers I’ve met here are not anemic, but just trying to cool down,” Esplin said.
If someone is concerned about ice chewing and anemia, they can go have a simple blood test called “hemoglobin,” the same test that they do on children at the Women, Infants and Children’s clinic up on Navy Hill.
Esplin said dentists may have different issues on ice chewing though because ice can break one’s teeth.
The Mayo Clinic researches also showed that chewing ice poses problems caused by the friction of the ice on gums. Regular ice eating can wear down the teeth and make it more susceptible to cavities.
Too much ice munching, Mayo Clinic says, can chip your teeth or cause cracks to develop and lead to more teeth problems.
If you feel that your ice eating habit is getting out of proportion, which means you go to bed carrying a bucket of ice to chew on before going to sleep, dream of eating ice, and starts eating ice as soon as you get up in the morning, this could mean something else. Check with your doctor to make sure that there are no underlying or developing conditions.
