Loraine May S. Gamis
BS-Nursing
1. How does the food change in consistency and form?
- As the food is ingested in the mouth, chewing and chemical breakdown assisted by saliva containing enzymes turns it into a bolus. The bolus is then transported by esophagus towards the stomach where it is churned and chemically broken down forming the chyme, a watery liquid substance. Afterwards, the chyme is passed into the small intestine for nutrient absorption and will go through the large intestine where water and other ions are absorbed transforming it to a more solid material called feces. The feces go to the rectum where it is stored and is expelled through the anus.
2. How could the body absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat?
- The body absorbs the nutrients from the food we eat through the small intestine, where nutrient absorption happens in the body. This is made possible through the finger-like projections called villi and microvilli. Each has their respective network of blood capillaries and lymphatic vessels. The nutrients that go through these pathways end up in liver where they are further processed and are distributed the rest of the body.