Eli5: Food vs finger – feeling of vomit in throat

Question

Hi,

Can you please eli5: why do you feel like vomiting when you push your finger down your throat yet when you gulp down food/water, there is no such feeling? What triggers this effect for non food items?

Thanks

In: Biology

Answer 1

If you shove a banana down your throat, I am pretty sure that it would activate your gag reflex. So, not necesarily food vs non-food, but more like solid vs non solid. Like if you drink something toxic it would probably not activate your gag reflex (until you get poisoned ofc), but the point is its more about the texture/consistency itself. a finger is solid and will activate the gag reflex because it pushes against the uvula, same with a wooden stick. but food can have that effect too! a pretzel, or something like that, can activate the gag reflex if you shove it down your throat.