If you can’t find a snack, you might decide to eat sand instead. It looks like food and is made of the same basic ingredients – so why not? It sounds ridiculous, but people do sometimes end up eating things they probably shouldn’t. Eating sand is one example of this phenomenon. But what happens if you eat sand? Is it bad for you? Let’s take a look.
What Happens If You Eat Sand?
Sand is a very common element on earth and is very unlikely to have negative effects on your body. However, it can get stuck in your throat or stomach, causing intestinal blockage. Additionally, sand can cause injuries by scratching your skin.
Why You Should Never Eat Sand?
Sand Is Full Of Harmful Bacteria
When you eat sand, you may ingest harmful bacteria from the ground. Not all sand is sanitary and can contain bacteria, parasites, and other harmful substances. If you don’t properly wash your hands before eating, you may be putting yourself at risk for ingesting sand with these harmful substances. Sand can be contaminated with fecal matter, which can cause intestinal infections, vomiting, and diarrhea. Ingesting contaminated sand is especially dangerous for children and the elderly because their immune systems are not as strong. In addition, sand can also contain traces of lead, mercury, and other heavy metals. These metals may cause damage to the kidneys and nervous system if ingested.
Sand Can Cause A Choking Hazard
If you have ever tried to eat sand, then you know that it can be very difficult to swallow it. That’s because sand is extremely rough and grainy in texture. When you attempt to swallow sand, it can get stuck in your throat and cause a choking hazard. If you are eating sand, either intentionally or unintentionally, and it gets stuck in your throat, then you may experience a choking sensation. The best way to avoid this is to not eat sand in the first place.
Sand Can Lead To Constipation Or Diarrhea
Sand is not a balanced food, so it can lead to a variety of issues within your digestive system. Eating sand can cause constipation, diarrhea, or both. If you eat sand that’s rich in minerals, it can lead to constipation. Eating too much sand with traces of minerals, however, can lead to diarrhea. If you’re experiencing constipation after eating sand, you can try drinking water with lemon and/or fiber supplements. If you suffer from diarrhea, try replacing your diet with fiber, probiotics, and electrolyte drinks.
Sand May Cause An Irritation In Your Mouth And Stomach
Eating sand can lead to irritation in your mouth and stomach. Eating sand, especially sand that’s not clean, can cause irritation in your mouth and stomach. The grit from the sand can irritate your gums and cause your stomach to secrete more acid, which can lead to heartburn. If you eat sand, try rinsing your mouth with water and brushing your teeth as soon as possible. Sand that’s lodged in your teeth can cause cavities and gum disease if left untreated.
Eating Too Much Sand Can Be Fatal
Eating too much sand can lead to a whole host of health issues. If you eat too much sand, it can lead to a mineral imbalance. When consuming too many minerals, such as silicon and iron, your organs can become overloaded. If you eat too much sand that’s rich in silicon, it can cause an imbalance in your calcium levels. This may lead to osteoporosis, a condition in which your bones become brittle and weak. If you eat too much iron, it can lead to an iron overload, which can lead to organ failure and even death.
What Happens When You Eat Sand?
- Eating sand doesn’t have any actual nutritional value, so you’re not getting any calories or vitamins from it. And eating a lot of sand can actually make you sick.
- Sand can get stuck in your teeth and gums, leading to cavities and infections.
- sand can build up in your stomach and digestive tract, which can lead to a painful blockage.
What Dangers Of Eating Sand?
Drowning Risk
Eating sand might not seem like an extreme sport, but it can lead to drowning. If your body sees sand in the stomach as a foreign object, it will try to digest it. Since sand doesn’t break down easily, it’s likely that you’ll become nauseous and throw it up. But if you don’t throw up the sand, you’ll end up trying to push it out of your body in other ways. Eating sand can lead to drowning as you try to push it out through your throat.
Digestive Problems
When you swallow sand, you’ll have trouble digesting it. And if you’re eating sand because you think it will help with stomach issues, it might actually make your issues worse. Eating sand won’t help you with indigestion, heartburn, constipation, or diarrhea.
Lead Contamination
Many sandboxes have been found to have dangerous levels of lead. If you’re eating sand from a sandbox, you might end up with lead poisoning. Eating sand from the beach could also lead to lead poisoning. The sand could have been contaminated with lead from gas and oil that has been piped into the ocean.
Respiratory Problems
Eating sand can lead to respiratory issues. You could develop pneumonia or bronchitis. If you’ve been eating sand for a long time, you might even end up with silicosis. This is a serious and long-lasting lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust.
Psychological Issues
If you eat sand regularly, you may develop mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. Eating sand can cause you to experience hallucinations and delusions. If you think eating sand will help you with your mental health issues, it will probably make them worse.
How Can You Tell If Something Is Actually Made Of Sand?
- If you’re in a situation where you don’t have enough food, you may be tempted to grab whatever is nearby and eat it. If you’re in a desert, for example, is there anything nearby that you can eat? Sand is everywhere, but does that mean you should eat it?
- Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell what is and isn’t food. And unless you have a very specific diet, you don’t have to eat sand to survive. If you don’t have enough food, your best bet is to find more food. If there isn’t anything nearby to eat, try to get help. If you’re alone and can’t find help, try to ration the food you have.
Tips To Avoid Eating Sand
Eat reasonably: When you’re hungry, it’s easy to think you need to eat as much as you can get your hands on. But you don’t need an absurd amount of food; you just need enough.
- Know your options: If you don’t have any food, what can you eat? You can probably find something to eat almost anywhere, but you want to make sure it’s edible and safe to eat.
- Stay hydrated: You don’t want to wait until you’re thirsty to drink water. Try to drink water regularly and get enough to avoid dehydration.
- Try to ration food: If there’s not enough food for everyone, it’s better to ration it and make it last as long as possible.
- Try to find help: If there’s not enough food, it’s better to beg for help than to eat sand.
Bottom Line
Eating sand is bad for you. It can lead to cavities and infections in your teeth, digestive blockages, and can cause you to starve to death if you don’t find more food. If you don’t have enough food, you should try to find more food. If you can’t find food, try to ration the food you have, stay hydrated, and try not to eat sand.
