What happens to your food when it enters the stomach till reaches large intestine?

When food enters the stomach, it undergoes several processes as it moves through the digestive system until it reaches the large intestine. Here's a summary of what happens:

Stomach:

1. Mechanical Digestion: The stomach muscles contract and relax, physically breaking down the food into smaller pieces.

2. Acidic Environment: The stomach produces hydrochloric acid and enzymes such as pepsin, which begin to break down proteins and initiate chemical digestion.

3. Mixing and Churning: The stomach muscles continue to mix and churn the food, further breaking it down and mixing it with digestive juices.

4. Chyme Formation: The partially digested food, now called chyme, moves towards the small intestine.

Small Intestine:

1. Chemical Digestion: The small intestine is the primary site for chemical digestion. Enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the liver help break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into simpler molecules.

2. Nutrient Absorption: The small intestine has tiny finger-like projections called villi and microvilli, which increase its surface area for efficient absorption of nutrients. Various nutrients, including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, are absorbed into the bloodstream through the villi.

3. Digestion of Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars like glucose, fructose, and galactose.

4. Digestion of Fats: Fats are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol.

5. Digestion of Proteins: Proteins are broken down into amino acids.

Large Intestine (Colon):

1. Water Absorption: The large intestine absorbs water from the remaining chyme, solidifying it into feces.

2. Fermentation: Bacteria residing in the colon ferment undigested carbohydrates, producing gases like methane, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide.

3. Electrolyte Absorption: The large intestine absorbs electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium.

4. Feces Formation: The waste material, now in solid form, moves slowly through the colon and is eventually eliminated as feces during defecation.

Throughout the process, the rhythmic muscle contractions known as peristalsis propel the food along the digestive tract, ensuring its proper movement and digestion.