According to Healthline, this hack may have something to do with what’s really in soda — the carbon dioxide gas. It could help break down the food that’s stuck in your esophagus.
Speaking of the esophagus, this trick will only work in cases when the food is stuck there, says E.R. physician, Dr. Troy Madsen (via University of Utah Health). “Now when we talk about food stuck in the throat, I’m not talking about stuck in your airway. That’s a big deal. I’m talking about, let’s say you have a big piece of steak, gets stuck in your esophagus, in the food tube that’s taking the food down to your stomach,” clarified Dr. Masden.
Dr. Jason Singh also added that it helps if you can, “stand on your tip toes and forcibly land on your heels” after drinking the Coke. Any extra help to dissolve the pesky food item helps. Other tricks you can try include taking a few sips of water, eating a piece of banana (soft food), having some butter, or simply waiting it out, added Healthline. But when does food stuck in your chest become a serious problem?