How Long Does It Take to Digest Food? - GoodRx (2024)

When your gut is working well, digestion probably isn’t something you think about too much. But when things are out of whack, you might start to wonder what’s causing your digestive symptoms and what you can do to make things better.

Digestion can seem like a mysterious process. Once you eat something, it disappears into your body and comes out completely different on the other end. So let’s take a closer look at how this process works — and the things you can do differently to keep it running smoothly.

How long does digestion take, and how does it work?

It can take anywhere from 10 hours to 3 days for food to be fully digested. This time range is so wide because digestion involves many different systems to move food from your mouth all the way through your digestive system. Your unique metabolism plays a role and so do the specific foods you eat.

The process of digestion starts before you even take a bite. When you see and smell food, your body responds by secreting more saliva. Once you start chewing food, your saliva helps to break down starches and fats. This helps the food get ready to pass through the esophagus into your stomach. That’s where the digestion process really gets going.

Food stays in your stomach from 2 to 5 hours. During this time, your stomach squeezes food and mixes it with acid and enzymes to break it down. Then the food mixture moves through the small intestine, where most of the nutrients from food get absorbed. The next stop is the slowest one.

The large intestine takes a relatively long time (anywhere from 10 to 60 hours) to absorb water and a few more nutrients and turn the remaining food products into stool. That stool is stored in the rectum until your body is ready to pass it.

How is food digested?

There are several types of digestion that happen throughout your gastrointestinal (GI) tract:

• Mechanical digestion is when the food is physically “mashed up.” It starts in the mouth with chewing and continues with muscle contractions in the stomach and small intestines.

• Chemical digestion is when your body releases enzymes from the salivary glands, stomach, pancreas, and along the lining of the small intestines. These enzymes chemically break down foods.

The goal of digestion is to break down food into small enough particles so that nutrients and particles can be absorbed from the GI tract into the body. About 90% of absorption takes place in the small intestine.

Factors that influence how long food stays in your stomach

The amount of time that food stays in your stomach before moving on to the small intestine is called the “gastric emptying time.” The time it takes to empty your stomach of food depends on:

• How much you eat

• The type of food you eat

• Whether your food is in liquid form (like smoothies) or solid form

• If you are a man or a woman

• Your metabolism

• Hormones released from the intestines and pancreas

• How active you are after you eat

What foods are best for digestion?

The foods you eat can affect how quickly your body can digest them. Some foods are easier to break down than others. But speedy digestion isn’t always a good thing. Foods that are digested quickly can lead to unwanted side effects, like gas and bloating or spikes in blood sugar. Let’s take a look at how different foods can affect your digestion.

Foods that slow digestion

Some foods are hard to break down into nutrients that your body can absorb. These types of foods will generally take longer to get through the digestive tract.

• Greasy or fatty foods: High-fat foods take longer to digest. Much of the absorption of nutrients happens in the small intestine. So this step takes more time after a fatty meal.

• Meat: Meat and high-protein foods take less time to digest than fatty foods but more time to digest than carbohydrates.

• Fiber: A high-fiber diet is an important part of gut health. Fiber can have a tricky effect on digestion. While it can speed up digestion in the colon, it can slow digestion in the stomach, making you feel more full after meals.

Foods that speed up digestion

Some foods move quickly through the digestive tract and speed up digestion.

• Spicy foods: Capsaicin is the chemical that gives spicy foods their “heat.” This chemical activates receptors in the digestive tract that speed up digestion. But it can come with unpleasant side effects, like acid reflux.

• Fruit: Eating more fruits can help you speed up digestion and prevent or treat constipation.

• Caffeine: The caffeine in drinks like coffee and tea can also decrease the total gut transit time. It works mostly on the large intestine to move things along a little quicker.

• Water: Healthcare professionals often recommend drinking plenty of water, but there aren’t many studies that actually prove it speeds up digestion in otherwise healthy people. But for those who are truly dehydrated, drinking more water can help prevent constipation.

Can supplements improve digestion?

Many people are curious whether supplements can help with digestion. Before we talk about the science of digestive health, it’s worth noting that some supplements help by speeding up digestion and others help by making it more comfortable to digest food. If you’re constipated, speeding up digestion can be helpful. If you have gas or bloating, supplements that help with absorption might help you more.

Let’s take a look at some of the more popular options and what the science shows:

• B vitamins: Your intestine and the healthy bacteria in your gut need these vitamins for normal function. Research shows that people with lower levels of B vitamins may have more trouble with digestion.

• Probiotics: Probiotics are bacteria that normally live in your intestinal tract. These healthy bacteria help with digestion and can decrease digestion time. Probiotics can have very different amounts and types of bacteria. They’re generally safe for people with healthy immune systems.

• Magnesium: Both high and low magnesium levels can have a big effect on digestive health. And one of the most common side effects of magnesium supplements is diarrhea, which is why people actually use this to treat constipation. Although this may not be safe for people with kidney disease or those who take certain medications.

• Digestive enzymes: Some supplements have a combination of pancreatic and liver enzymes that help with the chemical breakdown of foods. Research shows they help with diarrhea, bloating, and gas.

• Ginger: Generations of people have been using ginger to help with nausea and vomiting. It can be helpful in moderate amounts. But too much of it can cause heartburn and diarrhea.

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• Peppermint: This herb is popular to help with abdominal discomfort. The data is limited, but peppermint is generally safe. In a small number of people, high amounts of peppermint may worsen heartburn symptoms.

• Chamomile: While long believed to help with baby colic and stomach upset, there’s no solid evidence that chamomile works for this.

• Licorice: Many people use licorice as a laxative. Although there’s no solid evidence to say whether it’s effective. In small amounts, licorice appears to be safe. In very large amounts, people can experience serious side effects, including high blood pressure, low potassium, or even premature births.

Lifestyle tips to improve digestion

Beyond the food and supplements you take, many things can affect your digestion. Some of these simple changes may seem insignificant, but they can make a big difference in your gut health:

• Chew well. When you take the time to thoroughly chew your food, you can make it easier for your stomach and small intestine to do their jobs.

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals. It’s easier for your stomach to empty when there’s less food to break down. Smaller meals can make it easier to move the food more quickly through the rest of your digestive tract as well.

• Stay in an upright position. Stay upright during and after meals to keep things moving in the right direction. This can be particularly important for people who can’t leave bed. Avoid eating within 3 to 4 hours of bedtime to allow proper time for your stomach to digest.

• Get plenty of sleep. Studies have shown that people with healthy sleep patterns tend to have fewer problems with gas or abdominal pain.

• Reduce your stress level. Stress can speed up or slow down digestion. It can also cause more issues with reflux and abdominal pain. Making a daily effort to reduce your stress level can help you feel your best.

• Get some exercise. Exercise in moderation is good for your gut. Movement helps your digestive tract keep moving, too. But too much exercise can work the opposite way and slow things down.