Watch: Episode 3: Why doesn’t your stomach digest itself?

The human stomach is in a constant, epic battle not to eat itself.

The inside of the stomach is full of acid to mash up your meals — but there are intricate forces at play to make sure that when stomach acid is done with your dinner, it doesn’t move on to eating your gut itself.

There’s a protective layer of mucus in the stomach that keeps the two warring factions apart with a special neutralizing agent. But when that mucus fails to protect the outer edge of the stomach, it begins to digest itself. You’re probably familiar with the process — it’s what creates ulcers.

In the newest episode of our video series, Boddities, we explore how cheeseburgers, candy, and even salads can throw your gut into limbo.