Why do you burp; or belch; or release mouth gas? Whatever you call it, we all do it. So, why?

Here's the lowdown: When you chew and swallow that delicious dessert; or guzzle down that second Mountain Dew, you're also swallowing air. While air may be the healthiest of those options, it's the one that causes your gross burps. The air we breathe contains nitrogen, and that gas needs to get out. So, you can consider a burp as a greeting from that friendly gas, nitrogen — although, keep in mind, your lunch neighbors may not appreciate how your nitrogen says hello. 

If you think soda is the gift for being able to burp the alphabet like a pro. Well, you're kind of right. The gas that makes drinks fizzy is carbon dioxide — another gas that can bring on big burps.