The human body is a fascinating, and oftentimes disgusting, thing to study.
While everyone has their own unique way of going about things, certain elements of the human condition are universal: we eat when we're hungry, drink when we're thirsty, sleep when we're tired, and — if no one is around and there's no Kleenex in sight — we eat our own boogers.
Turns out we shouldn't, and not just because it's gross.
Yeah, it's gross, but that's kind of where we're going with this story. You might not pick your nose and then eat it, but statistically speaking, you probably do: a 1995 study found that more than 90% of participants did just that.
It's nothing too wild, just stuff that comes from your body. Your average booger is composed of water and proteins that help ward off infection. These proteins take the physical form of a gooey or gel-like consistency.
It all comes down to the germ-fighting proteins, which help ensnare bad germs and just kind of hold them there rather than letting them enter the body and cause chaos. If you think about it this way, it starts to make sense.
Your snot contains not just water and proteins, but also the germs that it helped ensnare. That means that removing it from your body, only to have it re-enter your body through swallowing, introduces those germs into your body.
There's nothing wrong with blowing your nose if things are getting too snotty. Your snot will regenerate and help fight off infection. The point is that once your snot has successfully captured germs, you really don't want to ingest it.
It's kind of gross, but it's better than eating your snot. That said, it isn't totally safe — you run the risk of scratching up the inside of your nose, with can lead to staph infections. A 2006 study found that those who pick their nose are more susceptible to staph infections.
Let's be real here: picking your nose isn't going to automatically cause a staph infection, and picking your nose and eating it isn't going to automatically make you sick. But you do run the risk of these things happening, even if it is a small risk.
Most of us probably don't want to spend too much time thinking about snot (in that case, congrats on making it this far into the article). But it's worth reflecting on the ways that your snot can trap germs before they have a chance to infect you.
Again, if statistics are any indication, most people have eaten their boogers before. If you're part of this silent majority, how do you feel about what you've just read? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section.
