The glorious, tasty AF pocket of air that rolls out of your mouth after you’ve finished a hearty meal (yes, I’m talking about the burp) is a physiological phenomenon that has never been given quite the attention and appreciation it deserves. Well, we’re here to correct that. Behold, 12 crazy facts about belching that’re bound to amaze.
1. Burping releases gas that has built up in your body from swallowing air. You might not know it, but you swallow air all the time – especially when you eat or talk quickly, chew gum, or drink through a straw.
6. The longest burp ever recorded is 1 minute 13 seconds and 57 milliseconds long and was achieved by Michele Forgione in Reggiolo, Italy, on June 16, 2009.
7. The loudest burp ever recorded was 109.9 decibels and was achieved by Paul Hunn in Bognor Regis, United Kingdom, on August 23, 2009. That’s louder than the roar of a motorcycle or chainsaw!
9. Every year, cows in the U.S.A. burp about 50 million tons of gas into the atmosphere, majorly contributing to the greenhouse effect. The burps of ten cows could heat a small house for a year.
11. It’s true! The more you burp, the less you fart!
12. You can avoid/reduce burping (or farting) by lowering your dairy, legume and cruciferous vegetable intake, and trying to reduce stress levels.
We hope that you’ll celebrate your now superior understanding of the universe of belching with the most uproarious discharge of gas from your mouth you can manage. If not, it most certainly will find a way out through the back-door!