The Dark Side to Celebrating Eating Competition

How many hot dogs can you eat in 10 minutes? What capacity does the stomach have to digest burgers?

Food competitions in the United States are a phenomenon that is also well received in several countries around the world. It seems absurd and incongruous in a hungry world, but the contests of the “most eating” are many and enormously popular.

The famous binge fairs drag behind them a long list of deceased. Unperceived contestants with organisms that end up failing after enduring excessive gastronomic burdens. Ferrous stomachs and fulminating mouths are probably the two characteristics that the brave must have every year they venture towards the -more than sure- gastric sacrifice that the binge-eating competitions suppose. The rules seem simple, huge amounts of food and very little time to consume them.

In Spain, Galicia has a privileged place in these conventions, since a restaurant of A Estrada – Argentinos Burguer – is the only place that performs this type of contests in an official manner and with the rules set before a notary. A Rubine restaurant has been the last to join a trend that seems to win followers over time.

But for those reckless eaters who think that this swallowing is a simple task, beware of the audacity because the feasts have cost the lives of more than one.

You may

The danger of Food Contests

The Sin of Gluttony

“God, this cake is very spicy.” Those were the last words of Bruce Holland, a 64 year old Australian who died in a tavern after having eaten several meat pies. During his participation in a large feast contest, Holland began to cough and sat down to drink a glass of water after the man suffered a faint. Finally a heart attack ended his life.

Gluttony also came face to face with Samuel Gallego Sanchez who, in the middle of a food contest -consisting of consuming the largest number of burgers in 10 minutes- passed away in the restaurant when he tried to swallow a piece of the food.

Not Suitable for Sensitive Stomachs

A man from Florida threw his stomach towards what was probably one of the most horrible food tortures . And after winning a contest whose goal was basically to eat live cockroaches, worms and larvae, Edward Archbold, 32, died after a severe episode of vomiting.

Drink in Moderation

Drinking responsibly is a wise advice that Joaquín Alcaraz García ignored and for which he had to pay dearly. This Murcia died after becoming the fleeting winner of the Great Beer Contest that was held in Murcia on the occasion of the patron festivities of Our Lady of Carmen de la Tercia.

Alcaraz, who was 45 years old and was overweight, died after having ingested six liters of beer in 20 minutes.

Put Spicy to Life

Those who know that you have to spice up life, say it, but the truth is that it must be done in moderation. That same thought two brave Edinburgh who ingested the curry «Kismot killer», nicknamed «the hottest in the world»

Two of the participants in this complicated challenge had to be admitted urgently after a call from the local that organized the gastronomic battle. “It was very painful. I felt as if a mechanical saw was going through my stomach with the edge impregnated with chili peppers. I think I learned the lesson and I will never do it again. In fact, I have decided to definitively suppress the spiciness of my diet, “declared Curie Kim, 21 years old and second classified in the contest.

The truth is that the stomach death was more than announced, as the winner of the contest managed to eat a whole plate of curry in four seconds.