Mike John, Content Explorer, MCA, Los Angeles, California, USA
Answered Feb 05, 2021
Digestion is the process wherein food will mix in with different digestive juices. The food that you consume will move through the digestive tract and will be helpful in the breaking down of different food products. Digestion will normally begin in the mouth when you start to chew your food and swallow.
Take note that you are recommended to chew slowly so that you can digest the food properly. Digestion will be completed in the small intestine. By the time that it reaches the small intestine, all of the important nutrients have already been absorbed by the body and the wastes should already be removed.
Small Intestine Digestion of most foods is completed in the small intestine. Digestion is a process that occurs in the gastrointestinal system. It is the process by which food is converted into absorbable substances that can be utilized by the body. The process of digestion begins in the mouth. The salivary glands produce saliva that contains an enzyme called amylase; amylase begins the digestion of carbohydrates.
Through the process of mastication and swallowing, food is passed to the stomach through the esophagus. In the stomach, the food that is been digested is now called chyme. This partly digested food comes in contact with enzymes and acid that aids digestion. Digestion of protein starts in the stomach by the enzyme called pepsin. Food is further passed into the small intestine where digestion is completed. Most of the digested food is absorbed in the small intestine. Some absorption also takes place in the large intestine.
The digestion of food is completed in the colon. Most people assume that digestion will start in the stomach, but actually, digestion will start the moment that you place food in your mouth. The food will pass from the mouth, and it will go to the esophagus before going to the stomach.
There are different digestive enzymes that can be found in the mouth and stomach area, and these will get the nutrients from the food that you eat. In the small intestine, there will be more digestive components that will ensure that food will be broken down, and the necessary nutrients will be extracted. After the small intestine, the food will pass down the colon. At times, there are still some food particles that need to be broken down there.