Tag: Digestion stages

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the gastrointestinal tract is approximately 30 feet long, a complex system where food undergoes a remarkable transformation. To understand this journey, it is essential to explore what are the 4 stages of eating, a process that begins even before the first bite.

Ingestion, the act of consuming substances, begins the moment food or liquid enters the mouth. This initial phase is the foundation of the entire nutritional process, setting off a complex series of events that convert food into the energy and building blocks your body needs to thrive.

The small intestine is remarkably efficient, absorbing nearly 90% of all nutrients from the food we consume. To maximize this process, the body progresses through distinct steps, which can be broadly understood as three stages of nutrient absorption. Understanding these stages is key to appreciating how a proper nutrition diet fuels your body and supports overall health.