TikTok users are passing around a new dessert: freezing honey in the freezer. However, health experts warn that this method can easily lead to diarrhea and food poisoning.
In early July, a TikToker named Dave Ramirez uploaded a short clip for the first time, showing himself squeezing a frozen honey bottle with both hands. The golden honey flowed out, and Dave tasted it.
“I won’t lie. It tastes pretty amazing,” he said.
This clip sparked a new trend among young people on TikTok called #FrozenHoneyChallenge. As of now, this content has garnered around 900 million views, according to the New York Times.
#FrozenHoneyChallenge has garnered over 900 million views on TikTok. (Photo: Insider).
A New Dessert
To “join the trend,” participants need to pour honey into an empty bottle, place it in the freezer for a few hours. The result is a block of honey that solidifies, resembling jelly. At this point, the user will taste it and record their reaction to share with everyone.
To make the dish more appealing, some people even add food coloring or candy. Some have even added hot sauce or bubble tea.
Eloise Fouladgar, who has about 3.6 million followers on TikTok, said she enjoyed the cold sweetness from the very first bite.
“I guess the dish I created received a lot of attention because everyone has honey at home and wants to try it,” Dave shared. Initially, he wanted to try a new dessert.
Dave Ramirez (left) is the initiator of the frozen honey challenge on TikTok. (Photo: Insider).
When he discovered that honey could create the desired thick texture, he decided to try freezing a bit and enjoyed the sweet flavor when tasting it. Dave then shared his discovery on his personal page, which has 5.5 million followers.
Quickly, many people began to imitate him.
Some TikTok users, including Dave, did not miss the opportunity to make money by collaborating with candy companies, promoting their products by mixing them into the frozen honey dish.
Daniella Shaba (20 years old) described her first tasting experience, from the initial cold sensation to the honey melting in her mouth. Shaba, who sells candy, quickly leveraged the trend to boost her sales.
“I really love it. You can make countless other videos with this trend,” she excitedly said.
Risks of Poisoning and Diarrhea
However, like many previous challenges on TikTok, this dessert has been warned to pose health risks to consumers.
Eating frozen honey at low temperatures can easily lead to diarrhea and stomach pain. (Photo: Metro).
Sarah Rueven, a nutritionist in New York, stated that consuming a large amount of honey can easily lead to stomach pain and diarrhea. This consequence has been confirmed by some TikTokers who have experienced it themselves when tasting frozen honey.
“Most challenges that go viral on TikTok are trendy, not very valuable, and quite silly. People can benefit from honey better than this,” Sarah noted.
According to the nutritionist, consuming large amounts of honey over an extended period can lead to weight gain, eating disorders, dental issues, bloating, and stomach pain due to excessive sugar that the body does not need.
Professor Dana Hunnes from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health (USA) warned against putting pure honey in the fridge for direct consumption due to the high risk of poisoning.
Over the years, Professor Hunnes has witnessed many food trends on social media directly causing health issues for young people. For example, the cinnamon challenge – a spice that can cause lung and throat damage when inhaled.
“I sincerely advise teenagers not to participate in any food challenges or trends on the Internet. We have plenty of reasons to avoid overconsuming any particular food,” she expressed.
