The digestion and metabolism of the foods we eat are the keys to success in maintaining good nutrition and normal body weight. Because "we are what we eat," this is an important article for the proper understanding of our diet concept. It will provide you with a basic understanding of these processes so that you can maximize your gains in achieving these goals.
Digestion; Digestion encompasses the entire process from the time food is eaten until is finally absorbed by the intestinal cells and sent on its way to the liver for metabolism. The most important aspect of digestion is the breakdown of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into successively smaller units that can then be absorbed into the bloodstream and lymphatic's to be used by the body in different ways. Before any of this can happen, an integral part of the digestive process is the mixing and the churning that occurs in the stomach. This process allows foods to be softened and mixed with fluid and be subjected to the initial phases of digestion. This mixing finally culminates in the gradual emptying of material from the stomach into the small intestine. Liquids empty from the stomach fairly quickly, within minutes, but solids empty much more slowly. The time that it takes for half of the stomach's solid contents to empty is somewhere between thirty and sixty minutes. Stomach emptying can be delayed by many external factors, including the types of foods eaten. A meal containing a large amount of fat can significantly delay stomach emptying, as can the drinking of large amounts of alcohol prior to, or with, the meal. Slow or delayed stomach emptying can then lead to the reflux of stomach contents-by this time usually very acidic-into the lower esophagus, causing heartburn, chest discomfort, fullness, and even nausea and vomiting. Many of us can recall these problems after a late evening of dining and drinking and going to bed with a full stomach!
Metabolism; To metabolize essentially means "to change" and it entails the many processes that transform the nutrients in food to chemical substances that can be used by our bodies. The entire process is obviously quite complex. Metabolic rates often vary from person to person. This means that weight gain or loss for two people on the identical diet can vary considerably. Although the process is complex, you should know that the liver plays the central role in the metabolism of foods, including alcohol, and in the metabolism of the majority of medications. So it is easy to see the importance of the liver in our nutritional well-being, and it behooves us all to take very good care of it because medical science cannot yet duplicate its functions. Now let's talk about what types of food get metabolized for use by our bodies. Everything we eat is either carbohydrates, which are broken down to simple sugar, 80 percent glucose and the rest fructose or galactose depending on whether we have had fruit or dairy products; proteins, which are broken down to amino acids; fats, which are broken down to triglycerides; and fiber, which is cellulose and cannot be broken down further. Of these four substances, only three are absorbed from our digestive tracts: sugars, amino acids, and triglycerides.
Author: Tony J P
The Author Tony J. P. grew up in Macon GA, and later join the U.S. Army at the age of 19 in which he served 20 years before retiring in 1998. He has been working in Security field mostly since retiring from the service. Tony is earning his Associate Degree in Marketing from Everest University schedule to graduate in March 2012. Tony has developed numerous online business which has become his passion, please visit them at
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