Ice. That’s right we’re talking about frozen water today. Hahaha! If you like ice, this post is for you! We'll go over 8 types of ice, ways to use ice as a natural solution remedy, and a fun DIY essential oil ice cubes.
While using ice or snow to chill drinks dates back to ancient times, the use of ice as we know it took root in the 1800’s, with Frederic Tudor to thank. His ambition, entrepreneurial spirit, and desire to be rich, eventually landed him the name “Ice King,” and paved the way for cold beverages, ice cream, and treatment of fevers.
I’m what you might call a bit of an ice snob. You may be too, and just not realize it yet. There are many different ice types and reasons for using them. We’ve come a long way from the home ice boxes of the 1930’s. Most refrigerators these days come with a built-in ice maker with a crushed ice feature. These are designed for quantity over quality, but they do the job and are super convenient. There are a few high-end models of refrigerators that have either dual ice makers and/or a specialty ice maker, but they’re hard to find and you’ll pay a pretty penny for them too.
8 Ice Types:
Cube Ice – common, hard, not fancy, does job
Crushed Ice – coarse, melts quickly, great to water drinks down
Crescent Ice – creates good liquid displacement, fits nicely in water bottles
Blocks/Sphere Ice – larger, slower melt rate, use for food & drink
Gourmet Ice – hard, clear, varying shapes: cylindrical, conical, octagonal
Shave Ice – lightweight, airy, powdery like snow
(FYI: true connoisseurs or those from particular regions call it shave ice, not shaved ice)
Flake Ice – soft, thin, great for food presentations
Nugget/Pellet Ice – small, soft, absorbs flavors
Your dentist will tell you gnawing on ice all day isn’t good for your teeth. Aside from the obvious, chipping a tooth, chewing on ice can hurt your enamel too. That’s why I prefer nugget ice. For years I used to buy bags of Sonic ice both for home and work. Until I saw the Opal by FirstBuild – a countertop nugget ice maker. It was brand new to the market and had a hefty price tag, but I splurged and put my name on the list to get one as soon as they were available. I don’t regret that decision in the least, I love my nugget ice!
While they’re still not cheap, they’ve come down in price and are a little more doable, like the
GE Profile Opal 2.0. If you’re not there yet, I totally get it – just pick up your bag of nugget ice at Sonic! Or there are a bunch of countertop ice machines that offer a variety of the different ice types. Pay attention to the ice type, output/capacity, and reviews. If it doesn’t function to your liking you’ll end up wasting your money on a heavy dust collector.
Now, if you know me, I’m also going to share the benefits of ice, from a natural solutions standpoint, as well as share a fun DIY that you can do with ice and your essential oils. As you may have picked up on at the beginning of this post, Frederic Tudor marketed his ice to hospitals to use with fevers. He was right, sort of. While ice won’t make a fever go away, it can reduce it a bit and make the person a little more comfortable. Use ice wrapped in a small, wet washcloth or towel and rest on the forehead or back of neck. Ice can also help with a heatstroke victim. In addition to the neck, the armpits and groin area are great places to apply ice to help quickly cool someone down.
The other two most obvious ways to use ice as a natural solution: reduce swelling and relieve pain. I don’t know how much more natural you can get than using frozen water. There are actually a bunch of other natural solution uses for ice, even to spruce up your sexy time in the bedroom, but I’ll let your imagination and a Google search support that deeper dive.
Essential Oil Ice Cubes
Ingredients
Choose your favorite fruits or herbs: raspberries, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, basil, mint leaves, strawberries, watermelon, kiwi, blueberry...
Choose your favorite consumable essential oil (examples): Lemon, Wild Orange, Lime, Grapefruit, Peppermint, Spearmint, Lavender, Basil, Ginger, Madagascar Vanilla, Cinnamon, or Tangerine
Instructions
- Cut desired fruit or herb into small pieces, and place into selected ice cube tray.
- Add 1–2 drops of essential oils per ice cube.
- Add water and place into freezer for 3-4 hours.
- Once frozen, add to beverage for a fun flavor combination.
Fruit > Essential Oil Flavor Combinations:
- Raspberry > Lemon
- Orange > Wild Orange or Tangerine
- Orange > Lemon or Lime
- Lemon > Lavender, Lime, Wild Orange
- Mint > Lavender, Vanilla, or Lime
- Lime > Peppermint or Spearmint
- Grapefruit > Basil
- Strawberry > Lemon, Wild Orange, Peppermint or Vanilla
- Watermelon > Lime or Spearmint
- Kiwi > Wild Orange or Tangerine
- Blueberry > Lavender, Ginger, Lemon, or Lime
Enjoy!
xoDanette