How Long Does It Take to Digest Food: What Happen in It and What Effect on The Process

How Long Does It Take for Food to Digest?

The entire digestive system is composed of many complex key moving parts. This is what you need to know about what happens during digestion and how long does it take to digest food.

How Long Does It Take to Digest Food and Poop It Out?

How Long Does It Take to Digest Food? - Photo by bodymybody from Pixabay

The digestion time varies depending on many reasons, including the food we consume and our body condition. Some foods need to break down different enzymes from different organs. This explanation about the digestion process in our body may help you to answer how long does it take to digest food exactly:

1. Mouth
Digestion starts in your mouth. When you chew food into small pieces, you start to salivate. Enzymes in saliva break down starch.

2. Esophagus
After swallowing, the digestive system will drive automatically. The food moves down the esophagus and begins to personalize. This is when the involuntary muscles help push food to the next destination.

3. Lower esophageal sphincter
This muscle is located at the end of the esophagus. It functions to relax, allow food to enter your stomach, and then tighten to prevent food reflux.

4. Stomach
Stomach acid feeds on food and converts it into chyme—a part of the term that is partially digested and a paste food of gastric juice.

5. Small intestine
Chyme then enters your small intestine. The wall of the small intestine begins to absorb nutrients and water.

6. Large intestine
The small intestine absorbs good things, and the large intestine disposes of waste. It absorbs water and converts all waste liquid into feces.

7. Rectum
The small intestine absorbs only the good things, and the large intestine disposes of waste. It absorbs water and converts all waste liquid into feces.

How Long Does It Take to Fully Digest Food Normally?

How Long Does It Take to Digest Food? - Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

The time required to digest food (from the time it takes to put the food in the mouth to the time it is excreted) depends on many factors. (FYI: According to MedlinePlus from the National Library of Medicine, this process is sometimes referred to as your bowel time.) “In general, it takes two to five days for people to digest food.” NYU Lang Dr. Rabia De Latour, a gastroenterologist at the Roots Campus, told Health. She added: "Everyone's situation is different."

Many factors may affect the time difference of the digestion process. The type of food you eat is very important. Dr. De Latour said that high-fiber foods can speed up digestion. She added that simpler foods (think: non-processed foods) are easier to digest because your body has a harder time breaking down the complex chemicals in processed foods. "Complex sugar, high-fat (food), and high-protein foods will take longer," Dr. Christine Lee, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic told Health. It is also worth noting that as you age, your digestive system will slow down.

How Long Does It Take for Food to Digest When You Have Diarrhea

How long does it take for diarrhea to digest food? Digestion is important to your health because your body needs to get the proper nutrients from the food you eat in order to work properly and stay healthy. When your digestive system is at a normal rhythm, food and fluids enter the small intestine from the stomach. However, when it detects bad food, your body may immediately try to expel it. It may cause diarrhea or vomiting within a few minutes after eating contaminated food.

Diarrhea occurs from time to time. This is usually not a serious problem. When you have diarrhea, the food you eat and the food you avoid is essential to help you recover faster. Find your doctor if it's not getting better anytime soon.