American Dietetic Association Guide to Better Digestion
Chapter One
How Your Gut Works
It is important to have a basic understanding of digestion in
order to develop gut-friendly food choices and eating behaviors.
Many people think that the process of digestion doesn't
begin until food gets into the stomach. It may surprise you to know
that digestion begins as soon as the food enters your mouth, and
actually even before you start to eat.
Researchers have shown that the taste, texture, smell, and appearance
of food may affect the body's ability to absorb nutrients. At the
beginning of a meal, even before you start to eat, the brain sends signals
to the digestive tract. In the mouth, this results in the secretion
of saliva. In the stomach, gastric juices are secreted. In the small
intestine, digestive enzymes are released as is the flow of pancreatic
juices. If you don't like the way a food looks, smells, or tastes, the
body may secrete fewer digestive juices, and the body's ability to
move food through the digestive tract may be slower than it would
normally be.
To help your body get the maximum benefit from the foods you
eat, practice these good eating habits:
While eating, try to focus on th ... read full excerpt from American Dietetic Association Guide to Better Digestion ebook
