Aug 5, 2024 - Food and Drink

Snoball science: Why the New Orleans treat beats the heat

Chelsea Brasted

Illustration of a sno-ball that gets eaten, and then the cup gets refilled with ice and syrup. — Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

While cycling in the Tour de France, some athletes turned to slushies to keep their core temperatures down despite incredibly hot conditions along the course.

Why it matters: The science behind that method should work just as well for a beloved New Orleans summer treat — snoballs.

How it works: Research shows that when you consume ice, your body's latent heat helps to convert it to a liquid.

That helps keep your core temperature down, even while exercising, according to a 2012 article in the Journal of Military and Veterans' Health, which reviewed slushy consumption as a way to keep service members cool.

Yes, but: The article author concluded that slushies should be considered as a military tool moving forward, but admitted "its application is limited by the availability of ice."

That's not a problem in New Orleans.

While we might be getting hotter and hotter, our snoball stands are ready to step in.
What is a snoball if not simply crushed (OK, shaved) ice and some additional liquid (OK, syrup)?

The bottom line: When you're looking to cool off this summer, look to a New Orleans snoball. The science will back you up.

Go deeper: 13 of New Orleans' best snoball stands.

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Snoball science: Why the New Orleans treat beats the heat

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