- Colorful slushy drinks loved by children, ubiquitous in resorts, harbor a serious threat, as experts warn.
- Glycerol, an ingredient especially in the “sugar-free” version, can be toxic to children, causing poisoning, neurological symptoms and hospitalization.
- Urgent warning: Find out from what age the Food Standards Agency strictly bans these drinks for children!
The colorful drink is conquering holiday resorts. Children love it and enjoy drinking it
Probably every parent knows this colorful drink, which tempts almost every step in many holiday resorts. It’s about slushy, also called granita. A refreshing, chilled drink with a semi-liquid consistency, reminiscent of crushed ice or wet snow, won the hearts of Poles years ago, especially the youngest ones, who can’t take their eyes off the machines filled with colorful liquid. Slushy is not ice cream or smoothie. The drink has a crystalline, grainy, but at the same time smooth and easy-to-drink consistency that melts in the mouth. It is much colder than a regular drink, but is not fully frozen. How are the famous slushy made? Sweetened flavored syrup is added to the water. It gives flavor and color. These syrups come in a wide range of flavors, most often fruit ones. They are usually very sweet. Often, these drinks are also intensely colored, which adds visual attractiveness. Despite its undeniable popularity, slushy has a bad reputation among dietitians. It turns out that drinking this drink by small children can be extremely dangerous and toxic.
Dietitian warns against slushy. “Toxic. Children end up in hospital after this.”
It turns out that slushy drinks are often sweetened with glycerol. The substance itself is generally considered safe for humans. However, it turns out that if children consume too much, it may cause poisoning. This mainly applies to drinks sold as “sugar-free” products. According to the Food Standard Agency, slush ice drinks pose a particular risk because they contain more glycerol than other products. Its increased amount is related to the thawed snow effect caused by this substance in iced drinks. The same opinion is expressed by the famous dietitian, Anna Mizerska, who on social media warns parents against buying slushy for their children.
A team of scientists from Ireland and Great Britain published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood an analysis of 21 cases of children who were hospitalized after consuming slushes containing glycerol. (…) The study described cases of children who showed serious neurological and metabolic symptoms after drinking an ice drink. The most common symptoms were: drowsiness or even loss of consciousness, very low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia), increased levels of lactic acid (lactic acidosis), and detectable amounts of glycerol in the urine.
– writes the dietitian in her post on Instagram.
These drinks can make children seriously ill. Colorful, icy and loved by the youngest – slushy, i.e. drinks with crushed ice, have become an inseparable element of children’s parties, holidays and days spent in shopping malls. However, new research shows that behind their attractive appearance there is a real health hazard. It’s worth being aware of this, because the slushy season is just about to start
– he adds. The Food Standards Agency has published guidance on slushy drinks and says they should not be sold to children under 4 years of age.
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