Why picking your nose may actually be good for you

to pick one's nose (iStock)

New research has revealed eating boogers may be good for your health.

Scientists at a number of prestigious universities including Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) now say parents should not actively discourage their kids from picking their noses.

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They claim ingesting boogers can be good for teeth, as well as overall health as they are packed with a “rich reservoir of good bacteria.”

According to the research, published in the journal of the American Society for Microbiology, not only can snot keep bacteria from sticking to teeth – it may also help the immune system fight back against respiratory infections, stomach ulcers and HIV.

The scientists are now in the process of creating a synthetic mucus toothpaste and chewing gum, in a bid to recreate the unbelievable benefits of snot.

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Writing in the journal, co-author Scott Napper, who is a professor of biochemistry at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, said: “Nature pushes us to do different things because it is to our advantage to have certain behaviors, to consume different types of foods.

“So maybe when you have an urge to pick your nose and eat it, you should just go with nature.

“From an evolutionary perspective, we evolved under very dirty conditions and maybe this desire to keep our environment and our behaviors sterile isn’t actually working to our advantage.”

And Austrian lung specialist Professor Friedrich Bischinger, who also helped author the report, said the study found people who pick their noses and eat what they find tend to be happier and healthier.

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He explained: “Eating the dry remains of what you pull out is a great way of strengthening the body’s immune system.

“Medically it makes great sense and is a perfectly natural thing to do.

“In terms of the immune system, the nose is a filter in which a great deal of bacteria are collected, and when this mixture arrives in the intestines it works just like a medicine.”

First published on The Sun