An empty stomach can hold approximately 192 to 296 milliliters of fluid. It’s even less than a full can of Coca-Cola.
As soon as we start eating or even thinking about food, our stomach volume can double. It expands when the brain sends nerve impulses about the “approach of food.” When we overeat, the nerve cells that cover the walls of the stomach tell the brain, “Enough to eat.”
The amount of food that a person’s stomach can hold depends on many factors – age, health, eating habits, and hormones. Food lingers in the stomach for only 10-15 minutes and then continues its journey through the gastrointestinal tract. For many people, overeating occurs after 473-1478 milliliters of fluid enter the stomach. Over time, due to constant overeating, the stomach may stretch. But it can’t burst like a balloon. The stomach expands rapidly and prevents the development of critical food pressure. Therefore, there are only six cases of gastric rupture in the world.
