Diet is not the same as nutrition. Nutrition is the end result of digestion. digestion is where the fodd you eat becomes a part of you. We do not all process food and its taste the same. Eating is only ½ of the equation. Healthy is based the food choices we make. The time it takes to digest food can vary among individuals. It takes from 10 to 73 hours for food to full transit from the mouth all the way through the digestive system for excretion from the large intestine. Much of this is determined by how well the digestive system is functioning, the type and quality of food ingested & lifestyle factors such physical activity or medical condition Digestion happens in 5 steps-
Step 1- Ingestion
Mechanical digestion starts as soon as food enters your mouth — this is called ingestion. Chewing and grinding food with your teeth breaks it down physically, and enzymes in your saliva also contribute to some chemical digestion while the food is still in your mouth. This is an important step in the digesative process. The more the food is broken down via chewing the easier it is for the stomach to start the next step in digestion.
Step 2- Chemical Digestion
The bulk of chemical digestion is in the stomach. This is where food is broken down into simpler chemical compunds or elements (catabolized) for use in the body. The hydrochloric acid of the stomach starts this process. Proteins start to become amino acids, vitamins and minerals are broken down into simpler chemical elements the body uses to make enzymes, catalysts, hormones, antioxidants and more.
Step 3- Absorption
Happens in the small intestine. This is where the fats, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, & antioxidants are transferred from the digestive system to your bloodstream. Absorption allows the body access to the nutrients required from the food to produce energy, build new cells, tissues, enzymes, and hormones all of which impact the cells, systems and organs. The intelligence of each cell selects what nutrients are required to perform the actions that are demanded of it.
Step 4- Assimilation
Is governed by how our body’s DNA interacts with the nutrients found in the food’s DNA. This is the result of epigenetics which influences the way your genes are expressed. While epigenetic changes do not alter the sequence of a person’s genetic code, they can play an important role in development. The epigenome is susceptible to influence by exposure to environmental factors, food quality, & lifestyles choices. It focuses on physical changes that affect how the genes are “expressed”—whether, for example, a particular gene is activated or not, determines whether particular proteins are produced or not. Certain epigenetic modifications may be passed on from parent cell to daughter cell during cell division or from one generation to the next.
Step 5- Detoxification
Is achieved by bulk waste removal. Any unabsorbed foods and nutrients pass to the large intestine, also known as the colon. From the large intestine, the body absorbs water and electrolytes. What is now known as feces travels slowly through the colon to allow the body to reabsorb water from what’s left after absorption has occurred. Trillions of gut bacteria break down any undigested food. The longer feces stay in the colon, the more water the body will absorb. This can lead to dry, hard feces, constipation, and possibly impaction. Elimination in a healthy body should happen within 1-2 hours after each meal. However, one bowel movement per is considered normal. A person should seek medical advice if they are unable to defecate for about 3 days or if they have abdominal or rectal pain or bleeding.
Ways of maintaining healthy digestion are increased by:
- Drinking plenty of water
- Following a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, fiber, and whole foods
- Avoiding delays when using the bathroom when possible
- Exercising regularly
- Following food hygiene rules, such as handwashing and cooking meat, eggs, and fish well before eating them
- Seeking medical help if a person’s usual digestive or toilet habits change
The gut microbiome controls the interaction between the nutrients & other chemical compounds in our food and our genes. See the related article- Food interactions at the genetic level.