- How does the food change in consistency and form?
- As food moves through our GI system, it undergoes several stages of consistency and form changes. Initially, salivary enzymes in the mouth break down food into smaller pieces. After that, it travels to the stomach. The stomach muscles churn and mix the food with the help of acids and enzymes, breaking it into much smaller, digestible pieces. Food is then transformed into chyme. Chyme stays in the stomach until it has the proper consistency to be passed into the small intestine by the pylorus. After that, chyme is forced down into the small intestine, where food digestion proceeds and nutrients are absorbed by the body and circulated into the bloodstream.
- How could the body absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat?
- The majority of nutrients from food are absorbed in the small intestine, and the large intestine will absorb any excess nutrients that the small intestine is unable to fully absorb. Moreover, the body's circulatory system carries them to different parts for storage or utilization. Special cells facilitate the passage of nutrients from the intestinal lining into the bloodstream. Simple sugars, amino acids, glycerol, and a few vitamins and salts are transported to the liver by the blood. When required, the liver stores, breaks down, and distributes nutrients to the rest of the body.
References:
- NIH. (2017, December). Your Digestive System & How it Works | NIDDK. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works#:~:text=The%20small%20intestine%20absorbs%20most
- Science Learning Hub. (n.d.). Digestion of food. Www.sciencelearn.org.nz. https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/videos/814-digestion-of-food