No, you absolutely cannot safely drink liquid nitrogen, and doing so can be life‑threatening.

What liquid nitrogen actually is

  • Liquid nitrogen is nitrogen gas cooled to about ‑196°C , far colder than dry ice.
  • It rapidly boils into gas at room temperature, expanding in volume many times over inside any enclosed space, like your stomach.

What happens if you drink it

If liquid nitrogen is swallowed before it has completely boiled off, two major things can happen:

  • Severe internal freezing burns
    • It can instantly freeze and kill tissue in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, similar to a deep thermal burn but from extreme cold.
* This can lead to tissue death, bleeding, and the need for emergency surgery.
  • Dangerous gas expansion inside the stomach
    • As it warms, the liquid turns to gas and rapidly expands, creating very high pressure.
* Case reports describe stomachs tearing (gastric perforation) after liquid nitrogen ingestion, which is a surgical emergency and can be fatal.

But what about “dragon’s breath” and LN2 cocktails?

You may have seen:

  • “Dragon’s Breath” cereal snacks
  • Smoking cocktails or desserts made with liquid nitrogen

Key safety point:

  • Health agencies warn people to avoid food or drinks where liquid nitrogen is added right before serving and may still be present when consumed.
  • These products are only considered relatively safer when all the liquid nitrogen has fully evaporated before you eat or drink them; there should be no visible liquid left and the item should not be painfully cold to touch.

Real incidents and medical warnings

  • Regulators and poison centers report severe and sometimes life‑threatening injuries from liquid‑nitrogen‑treated foods and drinks, including breathing problems and internal organ damage.
  • Emergency medicine case reports describe children and adults who developed sudden severe abdominal pain and were found to have stomach perforations after ingesting liquid nitrogen, even in small quantities.

Practical safety takeaway

  • Never drink liquid nitrogen directly, even as a “dare” or for a video. The risk is catastrophic injury, not just discomfort.
  • Avoid any drink or snack if:
    • You can still see liquid nitrogen sloshing, or
    • It is so cold it causes intense pain on contact.
  • If someone swallows liquid nitrogen or extremely cold LN2‑treated food and then develops chest or belly pain, difficulty breathing, vomiting, or swelling, seek emergency medical care immediately.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.