From Chew to Poo—How a Food’s Structure Changes Digestion

Abstract

Have you ever wondered what happens to food inside your body? How does your body know what you have eaten? And why do you feel full after a meal? The digestive tract breaks down the foods we eat, absorbs their nutrients, and sends them to different parts of the body to keep us healthy and full of energy. The body knows how to handle each type of food so that only “leftovers” are turned into poo. A food’s structure determines how fast foods are broken down. The body monitors this and sends messages to the brain to tell us if we feel full or hungry. You might think you are in control, but a food’s structure manipulates how you eat and digest your food. In this article, we explain what is known so far about the effects of a food’s structure.