Food digestibility: determining and influencing factors

2024 Author: Angel Austin | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:14

One of the most important needs of the human body is good nutrition. Due to the constant influx of nutrients, cells are regularly updated, energy reserves are replenished, digestive juices, hormones and other participants in metabolic processes are formed. Their structure and other properties depend on the quality of the food.

Nutrition is the process of processing, intake, digestion, subsequent absorption and assimilation within the body of all the substances that make up this type of food.

Food digestibility - what is it?

This process begins with the digestion of food in the gastrointestinal tract, continues with the absorption of nutrients into the blood and ends at the stage of assimilation of vitamins and minerals inside the cells and tissues of the human body.

In the stomach, food is processed by digestive juices, and the breakdown of its enzymes begins:

proteins to the amino acid stage;
fats - into glycerol and fatty acids;
carbohydrates - for galactose, glucose and fructose.

The splitting continues to the area of the small intestine, and from there thesethe simplest substances are absorbed into the blood, which carries them to all organs. Part of the food that is not digested by the body enters the large intestine, from where it is excreted in the form of feces.

Food digestibility is the body's ability to use the nutrients that are inside the consumed product. The main process begins inside the gastrointestinal tract.

The percentage of digestibility of food in the body depends on the diet, the type of culinary processing of products and the state of the digestive system. For example, a mixed type of diet is common. In this case, 84.5% of proteins, 94% of fats and 95.6% of carbohydrates are digested. These are only estimates.

How to increase the digestibility of food

Average food digestibility:

Food of animal origin - 95%.
Plant food - 80%.
Mixed ration - from 82 to 90% (depending on which type of food prevails at the moment).

The parameters of digestion of plant foods lag behind the digestibility of food of animal origin due to the presence of fiber, which makes the process of digestion heavier, but which also cleanses the body from toxins and toxins from the inside. These figures can be changed through the usual physiological actions that are performed by a person on a daily basis, but few people think about them. This is a thorough and thoughtful chewing of the product, due to which it is better moistened with saliva and soaked with the necessary enzymes. In addition, it is during the chewing of food that the necessary juices are released for its digestion. If a personwill hastily swallow food and chew it badly, which means that he will simply satisfy his appetite, but this definitely does not positively affect the digestibility of food by the body.

Influence of cooking

Its usefulness is simply invaluable. It is culinary processing that is one of the main factors in increasing the digestibility of food, which contributes to easier digestion and assimilation of products.

Thanks to this processing, any food has its own unique appearance and aroma, and the taste remains beyond any competition. They, in turn, promote the appearance of appetite and the release of stomach acid, ensuring good digestion and assimilation of the food taken.

If there is a need to speed up digestion, then it is advisable to prepare liquid and grated food, which is processed by the body much faster than denser food.

The chemical composition of cooked food plays an important role. Meat and vegetable broths, as well as ear, due to those substances that have passed into them from the products during the cooking process, contribute to a more abundant release of digestive juices and gastric acid. Vegetable dishes have the same functions. Foods that contain a high percentage of fat slow down the digestion process and further assimilation of food.

Temperature has a huge impact on the taste of cooked food. Hot food always tastes better than cold food, and, accordingly, is digested much better. A hot dish should not be warmer than 50%, but not colder than 40%. improve itproperties will help the variety of products used. That is, it is better not to cook the same food more than once in three to four days.

Porridge should be periodically alternated with pastry and vegetable side dishes, hot meat broths with fish soup, fried meat with fried fish, fruit compotes with delicious jelly.

To replenish the supply of vitamins and minerals in summer and autumn, the daily diet can be varied with fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs, in winter and spring - juices from vegetables and fruits.

Sports nutrition

If a person regularly goes in for sports, his nutrition should correspond to a sports lifestyle. That is, high-calorie and well-digestible food must be consumed before and after physical exertion in order to stimulate the full functioning of the muscles. This list includes wheat bread, boiled meat, ordinary minced meat and dishes from it, fried and boiled lean poultry, vegetable side dishes, oatmeal porridge, rich yushki, soft-boiled eggs, hot tea, coffee and cocoa, juices or compotes from fruits and vegetables, protein cookies and cakes, butter.

Fatty foods that contain a lot of fiber: fat from animals and poultry, as well as legumes (beans, peas, chickpeas, and so on), unnecessarily burden the body before starting a workout, this can cause not the most pleasant sensations in the region of the stomach. Although this is something that does not affect the digestibility of food, it is still better not to eat such food at these moments.

Athlete's dinner should make up forlost levels of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals during exercise. Dairy products (milk, kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese), fish, cereals, vegetables and fruits will help to cope with this. Food that takes a long time to digest or excites a tired nervous system (coffee, cocoa, ham, lamb, seasonings, spices, etc.) is not recommended.

Digestion time of specific foods

Dietitians, when compiling the daily diet of their patients, are guided by how long each particular product is digested in the stomach:

From one to two hours - plain water, hot tea and coffee, warm cocoa with milk or just milk alone, hot broth, boiled rice, sea and river fish, soft-boiled egg.
From two to three hours - wheat bread, boiled potatoes, young veal, scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, boiled sea and river fish, coffee and cocoa diluted with cream.
Three to four hours - boiled chicken, fresh ham, boiled beef, fried potatoes, rye bread, apples, cucumbers, carrots, spinach, radishes.
Four to five hours - fried steaks, wildfowl, herring, mashed peas, boiled beans, stewed beans.
Five to seven hours - lard and many types of mushrooms.

Eliminating constipation

Constipation is a very serious problem of the digestive system. Sometimes it fails, and stool begins to accumulate in the large intestine, which lingers inbody due to difficulties with the process of defecation. Feces stretches the colon, injures neighboring organs, negatively affecting the work of the whole organism. In addition, substances from this mass enter the bloodstream, poisoning it.

Therefore, we must fight this problem to protect our own he alth. In this case, two options can help: changing your entire lifestyle to a more active one and including foods high in fiber in your daily diet, which speeds up digestion, promotes digestibility of food and helps to remove all waste products from the body.

Foods high in fiber include:

Raw fruits and vegetables. It is recommended to give preference to spinach, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots. If there are diseases in which raw vegetables cannot be consumed, then they can be replaced with sauerkraut cooked with carrots, boiled or baked cauliflower, beets and spinach. From fruits, you can eat pears, apples, bananas, avocados, lingonberries, grapes, peaches and tangerines.
Dried fruits. Those that have a good laxative effect are suitable. These are dried apricots, prunes, raisins.
Juices from fruits and vegetables have a similar laxative effect, so will not be superfluous in the presence of constipation. This is prune juice; apple, grape and plum compotes; a drink made from potato, asparagus or cabbage juice.
Products made from flaxseed flour, bran or wholemeal flour. But their presence in the diet requires increased attention to the water balance. Needed per daydrink at least 2.5 liters of fluid.
Meat and vegetable rich broths, soups and borscht made on their basis with a small amount of vegetables.
Live kvass made from rye bread.
Kefir and yoghurts.
Salads and marinades seasoned with apple cider vinegar.
Kombucha drink.
Porridge made from sprouted wheat.
Nuts, soy, sesame.
M alt.
Horseradish and garlic.
Cotton oil.
Soy sauce.
Beef.

Invaluable Helper Products

How do high-fiber foods affect the entire digestive process, aside from food digestibility and factors that affect it?

Linen flour, bran and wholemeal. In addition to fiber, they contain many vitamins and minerals. Therefore, products made from such varieties of flour not only cleanse the body, but also raise the entire immunity, enriching the human body with all the necessary nutrients.
Porridge. Nutritionists recommend whole grains, among which germinated wheat, oat flakes or flakes from a mixture of cereals have great energy and nutritional value. They cleanse the digestive system, supply it with the necessary elements, renewing the body and becoming a source of second youth.
Family of legumes. You can give preference to beans, peas and lentils. The daily intake is 100 grams. In addition to fiber, they contain a lot of dietary fiber and minerals (calcium, zinc, iron, and so on). But peoplewho adhere to a strict diet in order to lose weight, you need to be careful with such a product, as it is very high in calories.
Pear helps not only regulate the entire digestion process, but also heals the intestines, helping to get rid of problems such as diarrhea and diarrhea. This fruit does not contain sugar, but fructose, which does not require insulin for further absorption. Therefore, it automatically facilitates the work of the pancreas.
Avocados contain not only a lot of fiber, but also equally important dietary fiber. Puree or jam from this fruit normalizes digestion, maintains a good condition of the intestinal microflora and regulates its work.
Flax seeds. Perhaps one of the most popular means of treating the digestive system. This is an excellent laxative, besides reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood. Mucus, which abounds in flaxseeds, envelops the esophagus and stomach, protecting their walls and preventing the absorption of toxins and toxins. It removes all fecal plugs, cleansing the intestines and promoting weight loss.
Raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries and strawberries are very high in fiber (2 grams per fruit). Therefore, they have a beneficial effect on digestion.
Cabbage, beets, radishes, celery, cucumbers, carrots, asparagus and zucchini are as rich as the most expensive foods. They contain not only fiber, but also many vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
Between main meals it is recommended to have a snack with dried apricots, driedapricots, prunes, dates, raisins, figs. They support good bowel function, helping to get rid of all the waste products of the body. Although they are on the list of those foods that do not affect the digestibility of food, they are still invaluable aids to the digestive system.

Fighting overweight

One of the main problems of our time is being overweight. A society of not very active people leading a sedentary lifestyle is faced with the fact that their body began to gain extra pounds of fat, consisting of unused energy from processed food. These kilograms unnecessarily burden the entire body, becoming a negative factor in the digestibility of food and, consequently, the cause of many diseases. To avoid this, nutritionists recommend using one of three methods:

Physical activity.
Restricted Diet.
Simply push your body to burn excess weight by adding appropriate foods to your daily diet.

Everyone knows the first two ways, so let's take a closer look at the last one. It is based on the fact that a person begins to consume foods on a regular basis that further speed up digestion and stimulate the absorption of nutrients. They do not burden the body and, as a rule, are very tasty and he althy. Pleasant side effects of such a diet include improved metabolism and overall rejuvenation of the body.

To the list of necessary productsincluded:

Bran, oatmeal.
Soy milk.
Nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, curry, bay leaf, cinnamon, black pepper.
Broccoli.
Spinach.
Beans.
Lemon, grapefruit, kiwi, apple.
Turkey.
Almonds.
Coffee.
Green tea.
Soured milk, yogurt, kefir.

General recommendations for good digestion

The quality of the digestive process directly affects how well the food is absorbed inside the body. It can even be argued that digestion and digestibility of food cannot occur without each other. Therefore, in order to establish this process, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

Chew food slowly and thoroughly. The problem with modern society is that one of the favorite habits is eating on the go. But gastric acid penetrates deep into the solid by no more than 1 mm. Consequently, the remaining food saturates the human body, but no longer has much benefit and remains unprocessed.
It is strictly forbidden to overeat. Many people like to eat as long as something enters the stomach. But the benefits of all the substances in food are simply nullified before the stress that the body experiences from such an impressive load. Therefore, the best way out of the situation is to divide the usual dense meals into smaller snacks throughout the day. Doctors have proven that you can eat small meals up to 12 times a day.
Liquid brings great benefits to the human body, andexperts recommend drinking at least 9 glasses during the day (this includes water, tea, coffee, juices, soups, and so on). This will help to avoid constipation and regulate the entire water balance. But if you drink liquid during or immediately after a meal, it will dilute the digestive enzymes, which will process the ingested food worse and may cause unpleasant sensations in the stomach area. Therefore, it is better not to drink anything 30 minutes before a meal and 30 minutes after it.
Morning exercises are not only a good way to keep your figure in great shape, but also a wonderful massage of the internal organs, preparing them for the first meal of the day. In addition, exercise will shake up the "asleep" metabolism, which will favorably affect the entire digestion and further assimilation of nutrients.
The use of seasonings and sauces that stimulate the absorption of food. Their list includes: spices, garlic, horseradish, mustard.
Include in the daily diet drugs that stimulate the process of digestion and digestibility of food. These are Festal, Pancreatin, Panzinorm-forte and so on. They can be purchased at any pharmacy without a doctor's prescription.
Eat more fruits and vegetables, if possible, replacing fast food with them. Fruits and vegetables contain more nutrients that improve the overall he alth of the digestive system. In addition, they contain a lot of fiber, which perfectly cleanses the intestines and promotes the rapid absorption of food. Nutritionists advise giving preference to watermelon, apples, blueberries, pears, strawberries, bananas,apricots and plums.
Dairy products, along with fruits and vegetables, cleanse the intestines and tone the entire body. In addition, it is precisely such food that contributes to the formation of a he althy mucous membrane of the digestive system.
Personal hygiene is also an important factor contributing to good digestibility of food. The whole secret is that the habit of washing your hands before eating helps to avoid the entry of dangerous viruses and bacteria into the digestive system.

Enemies of the digestion process

There are cases when it is not clear where a person has problems with the gastrointestinal tract, which directly contributes to poor digestibility of food. Therefore, the best treatment is prevention. Knowing in the face of the enemies of the digestibility of food and the factors affecting it, you can keep the he alth of the entire system under control: