How the food changes consistency and form
Whenever food is ingested, they do not emulate a form that the body can use as nourishment. Fragmentation of food into smaller pieces must first be achieved before nutrients can be absorbed into the circulation and transported to the body's cells–both chemically and physically (Temple Health, n.d.).
Transformation begins with the mouth. Mastication mows large chunks of particles into small pieces. The masticated food is mixed with saliva, turning it into a bolus that is easier to swallow. By acting on starch, salivary amylase identifies chemical food digestion. Many foods are hydrated and partially dissolved by water which also makes the meal easier to swallow. When food reaches the stomach after traveling down the esophagus, the churning action in the stomach proceeds to physically shred the bolus into even smaller pieces. Food is chemically altered by the stomach's acid and enzymes, which break down complex compounds into their more basic forms. These procedures change the bolus into the chyme, a more fluid-like state. Chyme is then transported down to the small intestine at the start of such a procedure. With a variety of enzymes working on the chyme, the duodenum is where the majority of chemical digestion occurs. As a denouement to the change of food in form and consistency, small molecules are then released eventually. All of these nutrient molecules produced from the meal are absorbed due to the constant backlash motions along the microvilli on the intestinal lumen (Young et al., n.d.).
In other words, the form and consistency of food is basically governed by the six basic processes of digestion namely: (1) Ingestion, (2) Propulsion, (3) Mechanical or Physical Digestion, (4) Chemical Digestion, (5) Absorption, and (6) Defecation (Hostos Library, 2013).
How the body was able to absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat.
Morsels of a gastronomic journey begets survival. Food is the body’s fuel and the nutrients it contains provide cells with the chemicals and energy they need to function (Hirsch, 2019). Digestion begins when the sense of seeing, smelling, touching, or tasting are activated. The neural and hormonal systems alert the digestive tract that food is approaching. As digestive secretions flow, muscles contract. Processes such as digestion are orchestrated by collaborating organs including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder. Attainment of the absorption of nutrients facilitates the body to execute energy, growth, and cell repair (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, n.d.).
From the mouth to the anus, there is a lengthy, musculature-filled tube called the gastrointestinal tract. Food must successfully pass through the tract to deliver the nutrition needed by the body. Its arrival on the aforesaid pathway mixes it with digestive juices, which break down large molecules into smaller pieces. Foods include macronutrients, which are broken into smaller units during the digestive process and absorbed by the cells lining the small intestine. Ultimately, nutrients pass through cells that can absorb them before being released into the circulation or lymphatic system and delivered all throughout the body (University Libraries, n.d.).