- How the food changes consistency and form
As we put the food in our mouth, the enzymes from the saliva chemically breaks down the food. Our teeth and jaw break down the food (bolus) into smaller pieces. Through peristalsis, the bolus goes down to our stomach that churns bolus into thick liquid (chyme), mixed with strong acid and digest proteins. Bile from liver is used to digest fats and some vitamins. In the small intestine is where most digestion and nutrient absorption takes place before it goes to the large intestine to absorb water in undigested remains of food. The rectum will then pass the leftover waste out in the form of feces.
2. How the body was able to absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat.
Digestion starts right after the first bite. Teeth tear up food into manageable chunks. amylase break down the food’s chemical structure. In the stomach, where strong acid breaks down food even more, digestion continues. The food you eat is combined and churned as it gets ready to enter the small intestine with the aid of peristaltic motion (rhythmic digestive movement). The small intestine’s role is complex but simply does nutrient absorption. and your circulatory system distributes them to various body regions for storage or consumption. A special type of cell helps nutrients pass through the intestinal lining and into the bloodstream.
References:
Mischa. (2017, February 20). Infographic: Where does my food go after I eat it? Curious. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://www.science.org.au/curious/where-does-my-food-go
Sydney Sprouse. (2022, July 20). Your guide to how nutrients are absorbed by the body. Ask The Scientists. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://askthescientists.com/nutrient-absorption/