Here's why you should never, ever, order drinks with ice

Be it a cup of cola or a glass of alcohol that you are sipping on, more often than not, you ask for a few ice cubes to be added to your drink.

Do you know ordering drinks with ice can be harmful for your health?

According to an article by HuffPost, ice machines is restaurants tend to be contaminated with bacteria, mold or the germs on one's hands.

These contaminants can come from various places. Mold, for instance can build up in ice machines. On the other hand, if one uses an ice scoop without washing the hand and then drops the schoop back into the ice, the cubes become contaminated with the germs on the hands or on the scoop.

In the article, Dr Pritish Tosh, an infectious diseases physician and researcher at the Mayo Clinic, had also mentioned that the main issue was the threat of ice being cross contaminated if it touches the other foods being served.

How to avoid ice contamination

Martin Bucknavage, senior food safety extension associate at the Department of Food Science at Pennsylvania State University, suggested that ice contamination could be avoided with the same safety measures undertaken to treat food.

Cleaning and sanitising ice machines is also extremely important to avoid contamination.

One should always use a clean scoop and even wash one's hands before using it.

So, the next time you visit a bar or a restaurant, make sure to carefully evaluate the place's cleanliness before ordering your drink. The best way would be to avoid consuming ice completely.