- How the food changes consistency and form
- How the body was able to absorb the nutrients from the food we eat
Food contains nutrients that serve as fuel to keep the body functions running. As food passes along the different organs of the digestive system through motility, it needs to undergo adequate mechanical and chemical digestion in order to maximize the absorption of nutrients. Food begins its journey along the gastrointestinal tract with ingestion as it enters the mouth. In the mouth, food is mechanically sheared and broken down through the process of “mastication” or chewing and is assisted by chemical secretions to be made into bolus. After the semi-solid paste is swallowed, it is then propelled from the mouth to the stomach by the esophagus. In the stomach, the bolus is mixed with acid and enzymes break down further the food molecules, forming a fluid-like substance or chyme. Chyme moves into the duodenum, a part of the small intestine, where major chemical digestion occurs through a host of enzymes acting on the chyme. In the small intestine, small molecules or nutrients (glucose, fatty acids and glycerols, amino acids, and nucleic acids) are released from the food and are absorbed in the intestinal walls. These nutrients are transported throughout the body through the blood and lymph to be used by body cells for growth, maintenance, and repair. From what’s left of the substance, water is absorbed in the large intestine; solidifying the substance which forms the feces. Finally, feces leave the body through the anus in a process called defecation.
References:
Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. H. (2015). Principles of anatomy and physiology. Wiley Global Education
Why is it so important to chew your food? - Intestinal Labs. (2022). Intestinal.com.au. https://www.intestinal.com.au/chewing-food#:~:text=Food%20particles%20that%20are%20not,bloating%2C%20increased%20gas%20and%20constipation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh_Pt_UrtEE