Let me share with you a difference between ingestion and digestion.
Aspect | Ingestion | Digestion |
Introduction | The process of taking food or other substances into the body, typically through the mouth | The process of breaking down complex food into simpler forms that can be absorbed and used by the body |
Occurrence | Primarily occurs in the mouth | Primarily occurs in the stomach and small intestine |
Mechanism | Involves the mechanical and initial chemical breakdown of food through biting, chewing, and swallowing | Involves enzymatic and chemical processes that break down large molecules into smaller ones |
Enzymes involvement | Limited involvement of digestive enzymes | Various digestive enzymes, such as amylases, proteases and lipases |
Duration | A relatively quick process | A more prolonged process |
Examples
| · Biting and chewing food · Swallowing of food
| · Enzymatic breakdown of starch into glucose · Proteins into amino acids · Fats into fatty acids and glycerol |