# Why do I always get the hiccups after eating a meal with a lot of bread or pasta? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-always-get-the-hiccups-after-eating-a-meal-with-a-lot-of-bread-or-pasta/354851 "2006-04-30T17:29:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-always-get-the-hiccups-after-eating-a-meal-with-a-lot-of-bread-or-pasta/354851/1 "2006-04-30T17:29:30Z")
I always hiccup after eating a lot of bread or pasta. My mom does too. Why is that? ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-always-get-the-hiccups-after-eating-a-meal-with-a-lot-of-bread-or-pasta/354851/2 "2006-04-30T19:13:09Z")
It could be that you’re swallowing a lot of air along with those items. Do you not chew either one very much before you swallow? I tend to get hiccups when I eat fried rice for the same reason. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-always-get-the-hiccups-after-eating-a-meal-with-a-lot-of-bread-or-pasta/354851/3 "2006-05-01T04:59:25Z")
Notice that these are all foods high in carbs. Do you experience any heartburn (a discomfort in you chest)? This happens to me when I eat starchy foods too fast. ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-always-get-the-hiccups-after-eating-a-meal-with-a-lot-of-bread-or-pasta/354851/4 "2006-05-01T08:25:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Do you experience any heartburn (a discomfort in you chest)? Nope…just hiccups. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-always-get-the-hiccups-after-eating-a-meal-with-a-lot-of-bread-or-pasta/354851/5 "2006-05-01T12:06:42Z")
Bread will swab up fluids as you eat it, and if you eat it too fast, it will become progressively more difficult to swallow. Hiccoughs are a reflex in which the diaphragm moves to promote the expulsion of objects that are not moving through the esophagus as fast as peristalsis. Take smaller bites, chew more, and drink in sips **before** eating a bite. Sit up straight, and lift your chin while you are not actively eating. (Chin tuck is a reflex to protect the trachea, so don’t defeat that.) ## Tris “The road to truth is long, and lined the entire way with annoying bastards.” ~ Alexander Jablokov ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-always-get-the-hiccups-after-eating-a-meal-with-a-lot-of-bread-or-pasta/354851/6 "2006-05-02T11:26:30Z")
I think this has more to do with the carbs as I’ve noticed it both with bread & beer (but not so much other alcoholic beverages). ---
**Author:** ![gitfiddle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-always-get-the-hiccups-after-eating-a-meal-with-a-lot-of-bread-or-pasta/354851/7 "2006-05-02T16:29:28Z")
> [@Crandolph](#): > > I think this has more to do with the carbs as I’ve noticed it both with bread & beer (but not so much other alcoholic beverages). In fact, I forgot to mention this. I had always tied hiccups to carbs as well, because of the beer. I failed to mention it, because I haven’t had the money for beer in a long time… :mad: