Why does food take so long to digest?

Answer 1

Protein. Protein needs to be broken down into amino acid chains, and those chains need to be broken down in order to be absorbed by the body. Carbs are basically simple sugars used for energy.

Answer 2

The digestive process takes so long because there are many components to the digestive system and your body is very thorough.

The actual act of eating your food doesn't take long. Swallowing doesn't take long. The food traveling down your esophagus via peristalsis doesn't take long. However, then the food enters the stomach. Here the food sits while it is digested by stomach acids. After this, it goes through the small intestine, which is over 30 feet long. Then it goes through the large intestine, which isn't nearly as long, but is still quite... large. Then the food sits in the rectum until it can be expelled in the wonderful process of defecation!

Your food doesn't just zip through the digestive tract. If it did, life for humans, and every other creature with a similar digestive system, would be extremely different. The body absorbs nutrients from the food, filters out toxins, expels the toxins, and takes the nutrients to the other parts of your body. It's a long process, and there is a lot of gas involved. Often times this gas comes out of your body. Often times it is unwelcome, but it is always necessary!

Answer 3

It takes red meat a long time to digest because red meat is a very complex food. These meats are made up of the same complexity as human meat.

Answer 4

Protein food takes longer to digest than acid food, because protein food has more complex molecules

Answer 5

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