Cracker-eating record

[snopes]

Comment: Well, this rumor isn't new but it has resurfaced recently.
Apparently, it is impossible, or it is some sort of "Record" that no one
has ever eaten more than 7 or 8 crackers in under a minute. You can't
take a drink, and you have to eat them one at a time. If you haven't
heard this one, go try it. Eat a cracker, swallow, eat another, swallow,
etc. Bet you won't get past 5 and the record is supposed to be 8 in under
60 seconds.

I wonder about this one, some truth would be swell to find. Several "friends" claim this as truth often. From personal experience, I know I've only been able to handle five regular saltines in a minute without drink.

The other two things I hear along side this are no more than a teaspoon of pure cinnamon without drink just like the crackers, and that the stomach can't handle a gallon of milk at once because the amount of lactose overwhelms it.

I know these things are difficult to do, but impossible? And are these even the correct reasons?

I used to work as a Mr. Wizard's Assistant (sort of a santa's helper for the science set) traveling the country and putting on science shows for kids.

One of the demonstrations we did was a pretzel eating contest, where we showed kids that you can't eat a great deal of pretzels in a short order of time (one very competative kid nearly choked).

The issue with the pretzels as with the crakers (or slices of bread or any dry food really) is that you body can't swallow unless it has saliva, dry up the saliva (by soaking it into dry substances) faster than your body can produce more and eventually you loose the ability to swallow.

It's always possible that if your body produced a great deal of saliva on a regular basis you may be able to eat more than the average person, but even then probably not a great deal more.

You can beat the game by dipping your crakers in water first (you can win a bar bet this way if you are good natured enough) but it's really all about the saliva.

The milk issue, is a little more complex, as I understand it. The problem with milk is that it expands once it hits your stomach and reacts with your stomach acid. The expansion means that the volume of a gallon of milk in your stomach is larger than your stomach and attempting to drink more will cause you to vomit.

I'm actually a fan of competetive eating, so I am sure there is a guy out there somehwere who has trained and strained and can keep a gallon of milk down, but like having over active saliva glands, it's the rareity not the rule.

[carter108]

matches I am impressed. Mr. Wizard was a favorite of mine.

Originally Posted by carter108

matches I am impressed. Mr. Wizard was a favorite of mine.

Yeah it was a great gig I had shortly after highschool I got to see a huge amount of the country between the mississippi and the atlantic. Unfortunatly the company that produced the show under license from the real Mr. Wizard nolonger does as such. I think a lot of local science museums decided to start performing at local schools themselves at a reduced cost to the schools which put the business model in jeopardy. At least that's what happened in New Jersey. I actually nearly got a job with the Liberty Science Center doing the same thing when I first moved out to New Jersey, but because their HR director was out when I applied, other opportunities came up and I had to pass on the position. Que sera sera, still it was a fun way to blend my love of science and acting.

[Ali Infree]

I just heard Joe and Terry Graydon from the People's Pharmacy on public radio this morning and they gave a warning about eating cinnamon, at least in this county. Commercial cinnamon also contains a substance, coumrinm which can cause liver failure. Cinnamon is taken by some to control diabetes, but it can be used in other ways than just spooning it out and eating it.

Ali "mama's little baby love short'ned bread" Infree

Originally Posted by Shortsord

The other two things I hear along side this are no more than a teaspoon of pure cinnamon without drink just like the crackers, and that the stomach can't handle a gallon of milk at once because the amount of lactose overwhelms it.

I know these things are difficult to do, but impossible? And are these even the correct reasons?

A local radio station took a crack at the milk legend recently. One of the "on air celebrities" took the challenge to drink one gallon of milk in less than sixty minutes, and without throwing up within thirty minutes afterward. He managed to drink the entire gallon of milk, and kept it down for thirty-five minutes afterward, thus winning the challenge. He said afterward that his stomach felt like it was expanding and was going to pop. I don't know the physics of it, but I would guess that his mouth was writting a check that his a$$ couldn't cash.

I grew up on a small farm, and we sometimes had 10 or more gallons of milk in the refrigerator. I have never really tried the "gallon in an hour" scenario, but I routinely drank two quarts at a meal. I'd imagine I could finish a gallon in an hour without too much trouble. Perhaps I'll give it a try.

I have won a fair amount of money in my life on the cracker bet. People have started to catch on. I usually start the bet quite simply. "How many crackers do you think you can eat in 30 seconds without anything to drink?"

Some of the responses I get are hysterical.

"Wow. Without any water? Hmm.... I should still be able to eat a dozen."

I actually had one guy stuff 20 crackers into his mouth, chew for 29 seconds, and then blow out all of the crumbs in frustration (that was a mess).

One guy got me good, though. I should have known, too. The guy was pretty confident that he could do 15 crackers in 30 seconds, and he was pretty mathematically precise in how he came up with that formula. Plus, he kept clarifying the "without any water" rule. He decided to mix the crackers with olive oil. Instead of watching him consume that bloody mess (I would have puked), I just made a compromise. "Are you sure you want to eat that?" I asked.

"Hell no, but I know I can do it for $100." he responded.

"How about if I just give you $50 to call the bet off?" I asked.

And he agreed. But what little face I was trying to save was subsequantly lost when he ate it anyway.

"Just to see the reaction on your face," he quipped, "that was the best $50 I ever spent."

b "I don't make that wager anymore" john13

[Not_Done_Living]

I know this is an ancient thread.. (reward for zombie thread starter?) but these challanges were just mentioend on a show the wife was watching..

Question.. would accomplishing BOTH of these at the same time be a super feat, or a super cheat?

[Casey]

I've done the cracker challenge- record is 12, if they're fresh. It's doable, just hard.