Puke Parade

Your parents might call it "tossing your cookies" but it's also known as hurling, puking, upchucking and barfing. Of course, these are only some of the names for vomiting. Medically speaking, when you vomit, it's also called emesis. The word is Greek for "to vomit." So why do we barf and why is it sometimes that puke-green color? Check it out...

What is Puke?

Vomit is half-digested, soggy food from your stomach, slimy stomach mucus, saliva, stomach acids and other chemicals that help you digest food.

Why We Puke

There are several things that can cause you to puke. Food poisoning, illness, nervousness and eating too much are some reasons you may throw up. Your stomach holds less than two ounces when it's empty but it will expand to hold a quart (about four juice boxes) or more. If you try and fill it more than that, your stomach will send it back up. Drinking too much fluid or the opposite, known as dehydration, can also cause vomiting.

How We Puke

When we overeat or there's something upsetting our stomach (like funky food), our body knows we have to get rid of it right away. A button is pushed in our brain called the emetic center, which reverses the way our food goes down. The food from our stomach shoots to our mouth and we vomit.

What About the Color of Puke?

That puke green color comes from a chemical called bile. It's not in your stomach - it comes from further down in your digestive system. When you puke, mashed up food in your intestines comes up, past the stomach and out again - it can bring bile along with it. That nasty smell can also be blamed on bile and stomach acids.

Have any horrific puke stories? We want to hear them, so email 'em to us.

When I was younger I was looking for some cute pajamas and I did not feel good. I picked out some pajamas, then I puked over the store floor. I was stared at it for a long time. At least I felt beter!
Kidz Submit by:
Nickname: LetsDance
Age: 13

I was feeling really funky all day. My stomach was hurting sooooo badly! Well, the dance was coming up, and I needed to get a new outfit at the mall. So I was looking around and I had this feeling in my stomach like, "Ohh, I'm gonna hurl," So I ran to the bathroom. It was broken. Holding my mouth I ran to the bathroom on the other side of the mall. Once I got there, there was a HUGE line! I screamed, "I'm gonna throw up, get out of my way," but nobody took me seriously, and I puked all over the sales clerk that came in because I was causing an "uproar!"
Kidz Submit by:
Nickname: irla911
Age: 14

When I was about five, we lived in this house that had a really light blue carpet. Well just before bed I snuck like three pieces of licorice. So I came out of my room with a stomachache. I was also wearing my favorite PJs in the world, so my mom asked me what was wrong, and I puked all down the front of myself, on her and the ice-blue carpet.
Kidz Submit by:
Nickname: Cutechick89
Age: 14

When I was younger whenever I got nervous I would throw up. I remember one time I was feeling really bad and then I went in the bathroom because I was about to puke and then as soon as I went over the toilet I doo-dooed in my faovrite PJs. It was funny but I threw up, in the toilet, afterward.
Kidz Submit by:
Nickname: BwoyLova
Age: 12

A couple months ago our family went to San Diego. When we were coming home I hurled sooooo badly it came out my nose.
Kidz Submit by:
Nickname: geeper44
Age: 16

Ok, I was in school and I ate the school lunch, which I never do. We had a school dance that night and I was going. I didn't feel too well when I got there but I thought I was just nervous. About after an hour of dancing I said I really don't feel good. So I went to the bathroom and my friend followed. She said 'What's wrong?' and I said I'm gonna puke! So I ran into the stall and puked my brains out! Then I went back to dancing cuz I felt better. I was wrong - I went out and danced for about 5 minutes and puked all over my boyfriend! I ended up having food poisoning and puking all over the gym floor trying to go to the bathroom!
Kidz Submit by:
Nickname: iluvu12
Age: 15

When I was little I sucked on my thunb. I scratched at somthing and before I washed my hands I sucked on my thunb and we went to the store with my brother for back-to-school and before I could do anything I felt bad and like that I upchucked all over the floor!
Kidz Submit by:
Nickname: Tommygirl520
Age: 16

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