Digestive processes in human body have long been studied and there is no doubt that the time of digestion of food in the stomach is completely different for various types products. What kind practical benefit what can be learned from this information?
First, of course, this should be taken into account when
drawing up a daily menu so that in one meal there are no foods that have very different digestion times. The term “digestion” in medicine refers to the time food remains in the stomach. The process then continues in the intestines and is called “absorption.” In this article we're talking about specifically about the time of digestion, that is, the time the food spends in the stomach.

How long does it take to digest specific foods:

• Liquids are retained in the stomach for the least amount of time. Water passes from the stomach to the intestines almost immediately after drinking it. Juices (natural), fruit and vegetable (not starchy) are digested for 15-20 minutes. Juices squeezed from starchy vegetables and fruits (bananas, pumpkin, Jerusalem artichoke, potatoes) take much longer to digest (30-45 minutes).
• Vegetables and fruits. Raw non-starchy vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet pepper) and semi-sweet fruits (apples, pears, citrus fruits) are digested faster - from 20 to 30 minutes. Digesting bananas, pineapple, dates, figs, melon, as well as pumpkin, Jerusalem artichoke, and avocado requires more time - from 40 to 60 minutes. and more.
• Roots(turnips, radishes, carrots, beets) in raw form are digested for about half an hour, in boiled form for at least 50 minutes.

Important point! Heat-treated vegetables and fruits (boiled in water or steamed, fried, baked, etc.) take longer to digest than raw ones! The digestion time of vegetables and fruits increases significantly when oil (sour cream, mayonnaise) is added to salads.

• Quite a long time to digest products containing large number starch. In addition to the above-mentioned starchy vegetables and fruits, this list includes cereals (rice, millet, corn). A separate list includes legumes (beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas), as they contain both starches and proteins. These products take one and a half to two hours to digest.
• Foods that take even longer to digest include: nuts and seeds(from 2 to 3 hours). However, if they are soaked for 10-12 hours before use, the time for digestion is reduced.
• Now about dairy products. Not fatty varieties soft cheese, cottage cheese and feta cheese are digested in about an hour and a half. Fat cottage cheese is digested in 2 hours, and hard cheeses in 3-4 hours (as they contain a large amount of fats and proteins).
• Boiled fish low-fat varieties (cod, flounder, halibut, pollock) are digested in 30-40 minutes. Fattier varieties (mackerel, herring, trout, tuna, salmon) are processed in the stomach from 45 to 60 minutes.
• For digestion poultry meat(chicken, duck, turkey) takes from one and a half to two hours. Lean boiled meat (beef, lamb) takes 3-4 hours to digest, and pork - from 4 to 5 hours.

Let us repeat that in this article we are talking about the time of digestion of food in the stomach, then the process continues in the intestines, read about this in the next article on the topic

Many people, even those who monitor their diet, do not take into account such a factor as the time it takes for food to be digested in the stomach and what it affects, so in this article we will look in detail at how long it takes for food to be digested in the human stomach and what affects the speed of digestion.

What determines the rate of food digestion over time?

• Drinking water and other liquids during meals. It is not recommended to drink water and drinks during meals, as they dilute gastric juice and the time it takes to digest food increases (or the food is not completely digested).
• Many products after heat treatment(cooking, frying, stewing) are absorbed in the human body longer (the time for assimilation of products increases).
• Cold food is digested faster over time.
• Food eaten at lunch is digested faster than food eaten in the morning and evening.
• The speed of digestion in the stomach and absorption in the body is greatly influenced by the type and amount of food consumed, since various products foods are absorbed at different speeds (from several minutes to several hours), and when they are mixed, the digestion time may increase.

Of the listed factors that significantly influence how quickly the foods eaten and drinks drunk will be digested, let us dwell in more detail on the speed of digestion of all foods separately and consider how many hours various foods are digested (meat, fish, cereals, vegetables, fruits, etc. .) in the human stomach.

Table: how much food is digested in the human stomach

At detailed review From the table presented, we can conclude that the digestion time in the stomach for various categories of products is:

• Water and drinks are absorbed within 20 minutes.
• Vegetables are digested within 30-60 minutes (with the exception of vegetables containing large quantities of starch).
• Fruits and berries are digested within 20-40 minutes.
• Legumes are digested within 2 hours (120 minutes).
• Cereals and porridges are digested within 2 hours (120 minutes).
• Nuts and seeds are digested within 3 hours (180 minutes).
• Milk and dairy products are digested within 2 hours (120 minutes).
• Fish and seafood are digested within 1 hour (60 minutes).
• Poultry meat is digested within 2.5-3 hours.
• Large meat cattle absorbed within 4-6 hours.
• Eggs are digested within 40-45 minutes.

Note: the most quickly digestible foods are berries, fruits (excluding banana and avocado) and vegetables (except potatoes and Jerusalem artichoke), as well as fruit and vegetable juices. And products such as coffee, tea with milk, hard cheese, canned fish and meat, stewed meat, pate are overcooked for a long time or leave the human body without being digested (partially or completely).

• More thoroughly chewed food is digested better and faster.
• It is healthier for the body to eat foods that have the same digestion and absorption time to reduce the load on the stomach.
• Products with high content It is better to consume protein only warm (it takes longer to digest in the stomach, due to which all proteins useful for the body are broken down). Cold protein products do not have time to be digested in the stomach and are sent to the intestines, which can lead to unpleasant consequences(gastrointestinal upset, constipation, bloating).
• It is better not to drink water and drinks during meals, so as not to dilute the gastric juice. By the way, ordinary drunk water is absorbed quickly (drinking on an empty stomach), while it does not linger in the stomach and is immediately sent to the intestines.
• Nuts and seeds are better absorbed if they are first soaked overnight in water and then crushed.
• Vegetables are better absorbed and bring more benefits to the body when they are not seasoned with oils (vegetable, olive), which prevent them from being broken down in the stomach (by covering them with a “protective” film).

We hope the table indicated in the article helped you find answers to questions such as how much is digested in the stomach oatmeal on the water, sauerkraut, canned corn, low-fat cottage cheese, dumplings, chewing gum, lard, fish, meat, bread, apple, tangerines, bananas, grapes, persimmons and mushrooms.

In conclusion to the article, it can be noted that knowing how much food is digested in the human stomach, you can build your diet so that there is no heavy load on the stomach, and many healthy products were absorbed better and would have more benefits for the body. Their useful tips and reviews,

Today, balanced separate nutrition is the most scientifically based and medically indicated type of nutrition. The theoretical basis of this dietary regime is widely presented in the press, on television and on the Internet. But when a person decides to try this system, he proceeds to practical application, then an important technical problem- a question of the speed of absorption of certain products.

Unfortunately, too little attention is paid to this issue, although it is fundamental in this food system. After all, separate intake does not mean sequential consumption of food separated in time, but the intake of one group of foods after complete digestion (assimilation) of another. At the same time, the speed and time of assimilation different products may vary significantly.

Digestion and absorption of food

Food is vital for our body, from it it receives the nutrients necessary for life, nutritional and biological valuable substances. But in order to get them, you first need to digest the food, breaking it down into chemical components, and then assimilate it. This is a long process starting with enzymatic and machining food in the oral cavity and ending in the distant parts of the intestine. In terms of time, the “journey of food” in our body, schematically, looks like this: from half an hour to 6 hours, food is digested in the stomach, then continues to travel to the stomach for up to 7-8 hours. small intestine, simultaneously continuing to be broken down and absorbed, and only then, everything that is not digested ends up in the large intestine, where it can remain for up to 20 hours.

Digestion and absorption time of foods

Of course, although it is customary to call this the time or speed of digestion (absorption) of food, in fact it is the time of processing of food directly in the stomach. What is actually important for separate power supply, which, unlike some other systems, does not strictly refer to the separation of complete cycles of digestion and assimilation. However, enough words, let's move on to the technical side:

Liquids

1. Water is absorbed almost instantly if there is no other food in the stomach. (To be more precise, it goes to the intestines)

3. Broths, depending on richness, 20-40 minutes

4. Milk up to 2 hours

Vegetables

1. Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, greens - 30-40 minutes (the same vegetables seasoned with oil for up to an hour and a half)

2. Green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, corn - cooked ones are digested in 40 minutes, and seasoned with oil 50.

3. Carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips - will be digested in 50-60 minutes

4. Sweet potatoes, potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke, pumpkin, chestnuts, yams - in 1 hour

Fruits and berries

1. Watermelon and berries are digested in 20 minutes

2. Citrus fruits, melon, grapes and other juicy fruits in 30 minutes

3. Pears - apples, apricots - peaches, cherries - cherries and other fruits will be digested in 40 minutes

4. Fruit and fruit and vegetable salads up to 30 - 50 minutes

Cereals, cereals and legumes

1. Buckwheat, polished rice, millet will be digested in 1 hour to 80 minutes.

2. Oatmeal, pearl barley, corn flour - 1 - 1.5 hours

3. Regular peas and chickpeas, lentils, beans (white, red, black) - are digested in an hour and a half.

4. Soy - 2 hours

Nuts and seeds

1. Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and melon pear seeds are digested in up to 120 minutes.

2. Peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, walnut- digested in 150 - 180 minutes.

Eggs

1. The yolk is digested in 30 minutes

2. Protein over 45

Dairy products

1. Fermented milk drinks - 1 hour

2. Brynza, low-fat cottage cheese and homemade cheese - 1.5 hours

3. Milk and full-fat cottage cheese - 2 hours

4. Fatty hard cheeses, such as Dutch and Swiss, will require 4 to 5 hours to digest.

Fish and seafood

1. Small and lean fish digested in 30 minutes

2. Oily - from 50 to 80 minutes

3. Protein from seafood will be absorbed in 2-3 hours

Bird

1. Chicken and skinless chicken - 90 to 120 minutes

2. Turkey with skin removed a little over 2 hours

Meat

1. Lamb is digested in 3 hours

2. Beef in 3-4 hours

3. Pork takes up to 5 hours to digest

When choosing food products in the supermarket and preparing food from them, we first of all think about the calorie content of the food, its chemical composition and expiration date, but we don’t ask ourselves: how long does it take for food to be digested? Meanwhile, the process of assimilating different nutrients happens in different ways. And our well-being and health depend on how food is digested. The digestion time of food differs for different foods, and therefore mixed food can create heaviness in the stomach, intensify the processes of fermentation and putrefaction, and clog the body with toxins. But first things first...

The food we eat, once ingested, is a source of nutrients needed for growth, energy, metabolic processes. The body is a real chemical laboratory where food must be broken down into chemical components and then used for its intended purpose. Digestion time in different departments is significantly different.

Food passes through digestive system, performing a series of transformations, mechanical and enzymatic, in each department:

1. In the mouth, food is crushed and moistened with saliva. In saliva, the enzyme amylase begins the breakdown of carbohydrates.
2. Several enzymes are already “working” in the stomach, aimed at digesting proteins and fats and curdling dairy products. Hydrochloric acid helps splitting, simultaneously destroying microbes and neutralizing some poisons. Absorption of nutrients does not occur in the stomach. The products are there for a maximum of 3-4 hours.
3. Enzymes continue to work in the duodenum, breaking down food into even smaller components, turning it into mush. This is where the absorption of substances into the intestines partially begins.
4. It's already underway active process absorption of chemical components of food, which enter the blood, are purified in the liver and flow to their destination (cells). All these processes take 7-8 hours.
5. Remains of batteries are absorbed. Here, the remains of undigested food (slags) can remain for up to 20 hours.
6. Through from the large intestine unnecessary products are excreted from the body.

The gastrointestinal tract pushes food through digestive tract with the help of periodic contractions of smooth muscles, this process is called peristalsis. It is not difficult to calculate how much time the body spends on digesting food. The entire digestion process takes approximately 24 hours. From several kilograms of food eaten per day and 2-3 liters of liquid drunk, 200-300 g of undigested residues are removed.

Important! “Wakes up” even before eating conditioned reflex: saliva is secreted in response to hunger, and gastric juice is released in response to tasty smells. Enzymes also begin to be released into certain time, if you eat food strictly according to the clock.

Digestion in the stomach

A person prone to overeating throws various foods into his body as if it were a furnace. But firewood burns for approximately the same time, and to digest different foods you need different period. Knowing how much a particular product is processed, you can intelligently approach the creation of a menu, selecting food that decomposes in approximately the same time.

Important! Proteins, fats and carbohydrates need different times to break down. Try not to eat too often, knowing that the previous portion is still in the stomach. If you add hard-to-digest foods to your diet, you are guaranteed. Also, stop eating at least 4 hours before bed.

Product groups by digestibility time

All products can be divided into four groups according to the duration of their processing by the stomach. How long does it take to digest what we eat?

Group 1. This includes mainly carbohydrates, processing time: 30-35 minutes. These are broths, light salads, natural juices, as well as fresh (raw) vegetables and fruits.

Group 3. These are products containing starch and complex carbohydrates, processing time: 2-3 hours. This includes nuts, legumes, cottage cheese, hard cheese, potatoes and cereals.

Group 4. This list includes foods that take longer to digest than others or are not digested at all. This includes coffee, canned food, stewed meat, mushrooms, bread and pasta.

Table of digestion times for individual foods in the stomach

The table shows that the body digests carbohydrates the fastest. Next in ascending order are proteins and fats.

Important! Water without impurities does not need to be digested. It passes almost immediately into the intestines, which takes 10-15 minutes. In addition, it is an important component of our body, because every cell in the body consists of 80% water.

In addition to the types of foods, other factors also play an important role in the speed of digestion.

What affects the duration of food digestion?

1. Temperature. Hot foods take longer to digest than cold ones. For example, okroshka requires less time to be digested by the stomach than borscht or oven-baked casserole.
2. Meal time. Food is most actively processed during the day, during lunch. Food taken at breakfast and dinner takes longer to reach the intestines.
3. Processing. In boiled and fried foods, the enzymes characteristic of raw food are destroyed during the cooking process, and the stomach takes one and a half times longer to digest them.
4. Combination. Their processing depends on how and with what a person mixes products. For example, an apple takes half an hour to digest, and hard cheese takes about five hours.
5. And the body processes a soft-boiled egg faster than a hard-boiled one.

Important! There is no need to eat until the stomach is empty of the previous portion of food. Then the problem will solve itself excess weight and without heavy and strict diets it is easy to lose those hated kilograms.

Separate Power Basics

Often tasty and healthy food– mutually exclusive concepts. Even so-called haute cuisine often consists of products with at different times absorption by the body. Because restaurant menu, suitable for special occasions, should not be made your daily food.

It is useful to eat foods with the same digestion time at one time. And only after complete absorption of the nutrients received by the body, begin to next appointment absorption of food. A diet that contains mixed foods with different digestion times leads to “cluttering” of the gastrointestinal tract, since some foods have already been digested, while others have not yet been digested.

With such inconsistent nutrition, the processes of fermentation and putrefaction begin, which are accompanied by bloating, belching and flatulence. Next, waste accumulates in the intestines. Over time, they will interfere with the absorption of food, as the intestinal walls become clogged. Digestive disorders are also possible.

The principles of separate nutrition are based on the following rules:

• a single serving should contain compatible products, which are mastered simultaneously;
• the interval between meals should be at least 2 hours (the only exception is fruit);
• Do not mix solid food with drinks;
• liquid foods should be consumed before meals, not after them;
• Chew food slowly and thoroughly, and do not swallow in chunks.
• You should definitely add dry herbs and a variety of spices to your food, as they promote the production of enzymes.

All this will help the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, good health, lightness. This way you will avoid overeating and...

We often try to pamper ourselves by including foods that have little or no compatibility in our diet. But eating tasty food does not mean eating right. Here you need to think through the menu in order to combine business with pleasure. Unfortunately, we do not always have enough time, energy and desire for this. However, in order not to make your body sick, you should take the time to develop a balanced daily menu.

Anton palaznikov

Gastroenterologist, therapist

Work experience more than 7 years.

Professional skills: diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and biliary system.

Digestion is very complex process. And an important one! In its process, everything that a person has absorbed is processed, a useful substances are absorbed by cells. Every product that gets inside us has one effect or another on the body. That's why it's so important to control what we eat. But now I would like to talk about how it differs depending on the type of food eaten in the human stomach. The table will help you navigate this.

Vegetables

Everyone knows they are useful. Most vegetables are low in calories and contain the whole complex vitamins and minerals. And the time of their digestion depends on the type of product consumed.

Sauerkraut takes the longest to digest - approximately 4.1 hours. Slightly smaller - turnips and pickles. They are absorbed in 240 minutes. And Brussels sprouts are digested in the same amount of time. It takes 3.4 hours to digest horseradish, radish and red cabbage. Rutabaga, squash, parsnip root, parsley, celery, wild garlic, radishes, sweet peppers (both red and green), sweet potatoes, will be digested even faster. onions. These vegetables are digested in three to three and a half hours.

The list is long and could go on for a long time. But it’s worth mentioning the most short time digestion of food in the human stomach. The table shows that the “record holders” among vegetables are tomatoes and potatoes! And both ordinary and young. These vegetables are digested in 120 minutes. Sorrel, garlic, cauliflower, cucumbers and zucchini need less than 2.5 hours.

Melons and citrus fruits

These are the smallest food groups. But the table also includes them.

Digestion of food in the human stomach, or more precisely, its speed, depends on various factors. In particular, from calories. There are few of them in citrus fruits. Therefore, orange, tangerine and grapefruit are digested in two hours. A lemon - in 1.3 hours. It has the least sugar and calories. It is for this reason that those who want to get rid of extra pounds, it is recommended to use maximum quantity citrus fruits.

Of the melons, pumpkin requires the most time - 3.1 hours. Watermelon is digested in 2.3 hours, and melon in 2.4 hours.

Fruits and berries

It is impossible not to pay attention to them when talking about the time it takes for food to be digested in the human stomach. The table allows us to verify that fruits, like berries, are absorbed by our body in a time period of 1.5-2.5 hours (on average).

Grapes and raspberries need the least amount of time. Only 1.4 hours. Rose hips take the longest to digest - about 3.3 hours. All other berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, cloudberries, etc.) are digested in less than two and a half hours. Among fruits, banana became the record holder. Only 3.3 hours to digest. And the wonderful tropical pineapple needs the least amount of time - only two hours. No wonder it is recommended to everyone who is losing weight.

By the way, juices made from fruits are absorbed by the body many times faster. Minimum 10 minutes (from citrus fruits). Maximum - less than an hour. The same goes for vegetable juices. But they just have to be natural. And even better - freshly squeezed.

Standard set

Talking about how much food is digested in the human stomach, one cannot help but touch upon what we eat every day. Take, for example, the diet of the average person.

So, in 1-2 hours, boiled river fish and also rice are digested, light broth and drinks such as tea and coffee. It's pretty fast. From two to three hours will be spent on digesting hard-boiled eggs, omelette, boiled sea ​​fish and bread. And now the most interesting part. How long does it take for food, which almost everyone eats, to be digested in the human stomach? For a long time. Roasted meat needs five hours. It will take the same amount of time for legumes, herring and game (rabbit, duck, etc.) to be digested. In 4 hours, boiled beef and chicken, rye wheat bread, ham and fried potatoes will be digested.

But the ones that will take the longest to digest (1/4 day) are... mushrooms. And bacon. Therefore, overeating them is not recommended. And while bacon is not for everyone, there are many more mushroom connoisseurs.

Other food

It’s worth talking about seafood, talking about the time it takes for food to be digested in the human stomach. The table looks quite impressive - the names number in the dozens.

Cold smoked fish take the longest to digest - horse mackerel, perch, bream, roach. And also salty. It takes the least amount of time to digest squid meat, seaweed and caviar (2.3 hours).

Also, speaking about the time of digestion of food in the human stomach (table with brief examples above), it is worth mentioning sweets. After all confectionery loved by the vast majority of the human population. So, puff pastries and pastries, as well as tubes of cream, take the longest to digest. This takes the body 4 hours. But toffee, caramel, sweets, chocolate and much more are digested in just 120 minutes.

Drinks and fat

So, it was said about how long food is digested in a person’s stomach. Finally, you can pay attention to drinks and fats (oils).

3a 60 minutes the lemonade will be absorbed. And it doesn’t matter what it is - citrus or fruit. Beer, bread kvass, wine (both table and dessert), punch, cognac, vodka and champagne need from 1.2 to 1.4 hours to digest.

If we talk about how long it takes for food to be digested in a person’s stomach, then fats and oils will be at the top of the ranking in terms of the number of hours. Although this is not a separately consumed product, but an accompanying one. The minimum amount of time is 3.2 hours. The maximum is more than four. The most difficult thing for the body to cope with is confectionery, pork and lamb fat. Therefore, many experts and nutritionists advise lovers of oily foods to lay out particularly harmful foods (for example, fried potatoes or kebab) on a dry disposable napkin first. It will quickly absorb excess fat. And this will at least make the work of the stomach a little easier.

And in general, we need to watch what we eat. Because indigestion can be very dangerous dire consequences. Up to stomach cancer.