9 Ridiculous Urban Legends We All Believed

9. Chewing Gum Stays In Your Stomach For Seven Years

We have all been there. You need to spit out your gum, but there's nowhere responsible to put it. What else can you do but swallow it and hope for the best. Sometimes, it's not even done on purpose. A poorly timed hiccup could mean the gum takes a one-way trip to your stomach. No matter what the reason, the brain goes into hyperdrive, screaming, "THAT'S GOING TO STAY IN YOUR STOMACH FOR SEVEN YEARS".

But, does it really?

It's a myth we have heard all our lives, some still believe it to this day, yet the science just doesn't support it. Considering the plethora of objects that humans have swallowed over the years that they shouldn't have, it's very rare that anything would get stuck for that long. For instance, it would be pretty surprising to see a wedding ring or coin pass through and a small piece of gum stick around.

The origins of this longstanding rumour are unknown, but it's easy to see how people could believe it. While some of the ingredients can pass through the digestive system with no issues, the main component is completely resistant. It also passes through much slower than most other foodstuffs, but not nearly as long as the legend may say.