How We Digest
Digestive System 101
Digestion begins long before the first bite. It starts with a thought, an enticing scent, and anticipation. The body, wise and responsive, begins preparing. Saliva pools, enzymes awaken, and the stomach opens. The act of eating is a conversation between the mind and body, an intimate exchange where nourishment transforms into energy, into movement, into life force.
By looking at this photo of a perfectly ripe pummelo grapefruit, this process may have just begun.
When food touches the tongue, the concert begins! Salivary amylase in our mouths starts breaking down the starches with mastication. The esophagus, a muscular corridor, invites food down in waves. The stomach receives and churns, bathing the meal in acidic enzymes that unravel proteins, softening fibres, extracting essence.
Beyond the stomach, the small intestine takes the lead. Here, bile from the liver emulsifies fats, while the pancreas offers digestive enzymes that deconstruct complex molecules. Nutrients, once within plants and proteins, are now released, absorbed through the intestinal walls, and ushered into the bloodstream. They travel to cells that have been waiting, calling, needing.
Fibre, often overlooked, is a quiet hero in this journey. Soluble fibre dissolves in water, forming a gel-like substance that slows digestion, stabilizes blood sugar, and feeds the microbiome. Insoluble fiber, the rough and rugged kind found in leafy greens and whole vegetables, sweeps through the intestines like a broom, ensuring movement, preventing stagnation. Both forms of fiber nurture gut bacteria, fostering a diverse ecosystem that influences not only digestion but mood, immunity, and overall vitality.
The large intestine, patient and steady, absorbs water, compacts waste, and extracts the last remnants of nutrients before sending the rest on its way. Every cell in our body is built from this process—from the food we choose, the way we eat, and the care we take in nourishing ourselves.
To eat is not just to fuel. It is to absorb the elements of the earth, to break them down, and to make them part of us. It is transformation in its purest form—an unspoken ritual, ancient and intimate, that connects us to life itself.
