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What Are the Four Main Stages of Food Processing?

Food processing begins with chewing and swallowing food and ends with the elimination of waste that the body has no use for. The process enables the body to transform food into fuel to be able to function effectively. It is important to eat a balanced diet to ensure you get all the nutritional content you need to be healthy.

  1. Ingestion

    • Ingestion is the act of eating. Eating involves breaking food down by biting, chewing and sucking. Human beings and most animals do this with the help of teeth and the tongue. Single-cell organisms usually have an area that functions as a mouth and draws food in, thanks to the presence of tiny hairs.

    Digestion

    • During digestion, food is transformed so that the body can absorb its nutrients. Food travels through the esophagus, stomach and intestines and these organs produce juices that act as a lubricant and break down food molecules into smaller nutrient molecules. The movement of the stomach walls helps with this. Food can remain in the stomach for up to five hours, which is why it is not advisable to exercise until at least two hours have passed after eating.

    Absorption

    • There are various types of nutrients including carbohydrates, vitamins, protein and fat among others. The nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream and carried around the body. Cells absorb the nutrients in the intestine, mostly in the small intestine where the absorption of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and protein takes place. This happens thanks to hair-like particles that are connected to blood capillaries. The small intestine is around six meters long, meaning food travels a long distance during this part of the process. Each of the nutrients has a different function, among them are tissue growth and repair for instance. Stress and illness can have a negative effect on nutrient absorption.

    Elimination

    • Certain molecules cannot be absorbed by the body and are therefore waste. Fiber for example, passes through the body pretty much unchanged, but is essential for healthy bowel movement. Waste travels through the big intestine, which is filled with bacteria. This bacteria aids the decomposition of the waste and prepares it to be eliminated.

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