⚠️This fact has been debunked
This is a widely circulated myth. Food actually takes 6-8 seconds to travel through the esophagus, but total transit to stomach varies. The '7 seconds' claim oversimplifies and the myth-busting is interesting because most people believe this 'fact'.
It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.
The 7-Second Food Myth Your Body Debunks
You've probably heard it at a dinner party or seen it shared online: food takes exactly seven seconds to travel from your mouth to your stomach. It sounds so specific, so scientific. It's also not quite right.
The truth is messier—and far more interesting.
What Actually Happens When You Swallow
When food leaves your mouth, it enters the esophagus, a muscular tube about 10 inches long. Peristalsis—rhythmic muscle contractions—pushes the food downward. This part does take roughly 6 to 8 seconds for most solid foods.
But here's where the myth falls apart: that's just the esophageal transit time. The journey isn't a straight shot on a timer.
The Variables Nobody Mentions
Your swallowing speed depends on:
- What you're eating — Liquids can reach your stomach in just 1-2 seconds. A dry cracker? Much longer.
- Your position — Gravity helps when you're upright, but peristalsis works even if you're upside down.
- How well you chew — Larger chunks move more slowly.
- Your age and health — Esophageal motility changes over time.
Some foods barely pause before hitting your stomach. Others get temporarily stuck at the lower esophageal sphincter, waiting for it to relax and let them through.
Where Did Seven Seconds Come From?
The origin of this specific number is murky. It likely emerged from a game of telephone—someone cited an average esophageal transit time, someone else rounded it, and the internet did what the internet does.
The appeal is obvious. Seven seconds sounds authoritative. It gives people a neat factoid to share. But digestion doesn't care about neat factoids.
The Real Timeline
If you want actual numbers, here's a rough breakdown:
- Mouth to stomach: 2-8 seconds (depending on food type)
- Stomach processing: 2-5 hours
- Small intestine: 3-5 hours
- Large intestine: 12-36 hours
Total transit time from mouth to exit? Anywhere from 24 to 72 hours. Seven seconds is just the opening act.
So the next time someone drops this fact at dinner, you can smile and say, "Well, actually..." Your fellow guests may groan, but your digestive system will thank you for the accuracy.