Slurpee, Slushy, and ICEE? What’s the difference between these icy drinks that are available at every gas station and convenience store in America?
Who owns Slurpee, ICEE, and Slushy?
Slurpee is a trademarked name originally owned by 7-Eleven. ICEE is a product of The ICEE Company. Slushy is also a product of The ICEE Company. Slushies are ice cream based while Slurpees and ICEEs are typically made with flavored syrup or juice plus carbonated water. All these beverages can be sold over crushed ice for an extra frosty treat.
Taste and appearance
Slurpee is a type of frozen beverage that comes in many different flavors. An ICEE is also a frozen beverage, but it has less sugar than Slurpee and usually contains more carbonated water. Slushies are popular with kids because they contain fruit juice or other ingredients like honey mixed in with ice cubes to make them sweet and tasty.
The Slurpee, ICEE, and Slushy all have one thing in common: they are icy drinks that you can get from a soda machine. Slurpees and Slushies come from machines that dispense crushed ice and syrups together, while ICEEs come from machines with just crushed ice. Despite the difference in ingredients and process for making each drink, there is still some confusion about what makes them different.
What’s in them?
I would say the biggest difference between the three drinks is what’s in them. A Slurpee contains carbonated water, flavoring, and a type of sugar syrup. An ICEE contains carbonated water, flavoring, sugars or sweeteners, and food coloring. A Slushy contains water with a high concentration of sugars/sweeteners and food colors.
Slurpee vs. ICEE vs. Slushy
Slurpees are the OG icy drinks, but have you ever wondered how they got their name? Slurpee was originally called ICEE when it first became available. Slushie was added to the names when Slurpees were introduced into Canada because there is no “sh” sound in Canadian English.
The invention of the ICEE machine began with a group of friends who wanted to create drinks that would stay frozen longer than soft serve ice cream at convenience stores and gas stations. These machines work by forcing liquid between two refrigerated metal plates, which freeze the beverage as it passes through, making for a thicker and more flavorful drink.
Similar to Slurpees and ICEEs, Slushies are made by combining crushed ice with syrup in a machine that churns the mixture together until it is slush-like in texture.
Which one do I choose?
Each drink has its own unique advantages, depending on what you’re looking for. Slurpees have many flavors paired with syrups or add-ins like candy, fruit pieces, chocolate chips, coffee beans, etc. This allows people to make their favorite flavor combos at home whenever they want without having to worry about going out or waiting in line just to get a Slurpee. Slushies are a great option for people who aren’t into adding tons of extra flavors to their drinks. ICEEs tend to be more expensive than Slurpees and Slushies, but they do have the benefit of being able to add things like flavored syrups or fruit pieces because there is room inside the machine.
Verdict
The best choice depends on what you are looking for to drink. If you don’t want all the added flavorings, then go with an ICEE. If you love lots of variety and add-ins, then get yourself a Slurpee. However, if nothing works for you, try a slushy.
FAQs
What are the health impacts of Slushies?
Slushy can be bad for your health as it contains lots of sugar or sweetener to give it a flavor and has ice flakes in it. Excessive amount of sugar is not good for health. Slushy has more than 60% of recommended daily intake of sugars (RDI).
- Slushy is unhealthy for adults as it surpasses the recommended amount of daily sugar intake that is 6 teaspoons, according to the World Health Organization.
- Slushy should not be given to children because it has lots of sugars and may cause tooth decay.
- Ice slush drinks are known to cause dental caries, which is the main cause of cavities.
- Many slushy drinks contain artificial syrup that contains high fructose corn syrup. It is known to disrupt hormones, hamper brain activity and cause insulin resistance which causes diabetes.
- Also, consuming slush can lead to weight gain, obesity, high blood pressure, and kidney problems.
What are the health impacts of Slurpees?
Slurpees are also bad for your health as they contain a significant amount of sugar and carbohydrates. Even some of the Slurpee drinks are so loaded with sugar that they help you complete the quota of almost an entire week’s worth of sugar. That is really dangerous. Also, food coloring and preservatives are toxic to health.
- Due to the excessive amount of sugar, Slurpees can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- Slurpees are also responsible for increasing blood glucose levels. Also, they expand our capacity to bear gigantic volumes of sugar.
- Other health risks include obesity, stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, cancer, and more.
- Also, consuming Slurpees on a regular basis can cause tooth decay.
What are the health impacts of consuming ICEE?
ICEE has less sugar as compared to Slurpee and slushy. But still, consuming it on a regular basis can affect your health in a negative way.
- Most of the ICEE flavors contain high fructose corn syrup. This artificial sugar can cause diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, and weight gain when consumed on a regular basis and in large amounts.
- Fructose reaches directly to your liver and starts producing fats. It is responsible to increase the production of triglycerides and cholesterol.
- The Blue Vanilla flavor of ICEE has 60 grams of sugar. The recommended amount of sugar to consume daily is 36 grams for men and 24 grams for women. Consuming this high amount of sugar in a single sitting is really not healthy.
How cold are Slurpees and Slushies?
We all know that the freezing point of water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slushies are served at 26 to 27 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The temperature of a Slurpee is 28 degrees Fahrenheit.
How many ICEE flavors are there?
ICEE has more than 30 flavors to offer.
Does ICEE include gluten?
No! ICEE drinks are free from gluten.
Are ICEEs and Slurpees vegan?
Yes! All the ICEE products are vegan, and vegans can surely enjoy ICEEs without any hesitation. On the other hand, Slurpees are also vegan in general, but their creamy flavors have cream. So, if you are a vegan, avoid the creamy flavors of Slurpee.
