Stages of food breakdown
Food taken into the body goes through 5 different stages during its passage through the alimentary canal (the gut):
Ingestion - the taking of substances, e.g. food and drink, into the body through the mouth.
Mechanical digestion - the breakdown of food into smaller pieces without chemical change to the food molecules.
Chemical digestion - the breakdown of large, insoluble molecules into small, soluble molecules.
Absorption - the movement of small food molecules and ions through the wall of the intestine into the blood.
Assimilation - the movement of digested food molecules into the cells of the body where they are used, becoming part of the cells.
Egestion - the passing out of food that has not been digested or absorbed, as faeces, through the anus.
The role of chemical digestion is to produce small soluble molecules that can be absorbed.
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Where does chemical digestion begin in the digestive system?
Which enzymes are involved in the chemical digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats?
How are nutrients absorbed in the small intestine after food is broken down?
What is the significance of the large intestine in the final stages of food breakdown?
How does the body regulate the production of digestive enzymes?
What are some common disorders that affect the breakdown of food?