Dealing with kids you see a lot of weird things that you probably never noticed you did growing up. It makes you think and ask, “Was I that kid?” There was always one doing this more than the others, and when he did it everyone looked, pointed and went “EEEEEEEEEW THAT’S’ GROSS”.  What is this kid doing to get such a reaction? He’s mining that nose gold and keeping it safely in his mouth. Yes I’m talking about eating boogers (mucophagy). Why do most kids do this? Do adults do it? Is it bad for you? I will answer these questions for you.

The Kids Quest for the Nose Gold

First thing you got to understand about a child is what Neil deGrasse Tyson said,

We tell [children] all the things to not do which in their native state are their own expressions of curiosity. So a full-grown scientist is a kid who has never actually grown up. [Children] are driven by an inner curiosity of everything that they don’t yet know.

This does not exclude your body. So as a child starts gaining more and more of that curiosity they explore. It could start by having a runny nose and that kid wipes it with his/her hand, then starring at it and then wondering what it is. He/She plays with it, and then realizing, “hey this comes from my nose, is there more?”, and then the exploration begins. Kids are hands on, they want to know what it feels like, what it tastes like, and you can’t tell me you don’t  know a child in your life that after you explain something they still ask “why?”

There are many possible reasons why a child picks his nose, cause it taste good probably going to be his best answer or the old famous, “I don’t know,” whatever the reason is he/she won’t stop. Is that a bad thing many studies point to no, some even say it’s good for them and help them boost their immune system.

Adults and the Conquest of the Goo

Does making you adult keep you from the booger picking and eating? The answer to this question is no, and if you deny it, I’m going to tell you why you are wrong.  Everyone produces nasal mucus, which means everyone produces boogers, the main difference between a booger and wet mucus is that a booger is dry. So that time you had a sinus infection and that time you had the flu and you took a deep breath for your runny nose, you ate boogers. There are still some adults who find it easier to just go in there and clear the passage the old fashioned way. Or just cover up that one nostril and shoot out that snot rocket, guys know what I’m talking about. So sometimes without you knowing you’re actually eating boogers, probably did it just now.

Do the Emerald Jewels Bring you Mo’Problems?

Short answer is no, the body produces it naturally. Nasal Mucus is 95% water and humans secrete 600-700 ml a day mostly from cells located in the back of your nose. There’s a possibility that eating your boogers may help your immune system. Which makes sense, in a way, because A) mucus is part of your body’s immune response; and B) most mucus winds up in your stomach naturally anyway. University of Saskatchewan biochemist Scott Napper has conducted studies showing that there may be health benefits to booger munching.

So in the end either kids or adults will continue mining, still cause of curiosity, habit, or just because you got something in your nose bothering you, and if you are one that simply likes the taste of the green nugget well, bon appétit.