It’s Important To Know How Long Different Foods Take To Digest

Oct 05, 2018 by apost team

When you eat a large meal, you may assume that every morsel will be fully digested within the same time frame. Well, even if you had an inkling, you'd still be quite surprised at how long it actually takes for certain foods to digest. You will also get to chance to learn the importance of digestion and how it can significantly impact your weight loss.

Before we dive in, be aware that the exact duration of your digestion time depends on your overall physical health, metabolism, age and gender. For example, if you were lactose intolerant, then dairy products will pass through your system faster than its normal digestion time. Some foods will even stay stuck in your system longer than they should if you were experiencing constipation, and so forth. By sticking to a well-balanced diet, you can prevent any possible feelings of discomfort while digesting.

Digestion time is a term that's used to explain the entire process of your food breaking down into little particles. These food particles then pass through your intestinal system and into your bloodstream. When you want to lose weight, keep a check on what you've already eaten and take note of its digestion time. This will help you reach your goals.

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If you've consumed a ton of fast-digesting foods, then you will soon find out that you've eaten more than you should. These types of foods pass quickly and will leave you hungry again. They also give you an added boost of energy as your glucose level spikes. If your body has an overabundance of glucose, it'll only take in what it needs and the rest of the glucose turns into more unnecessary fat.

This type of food will raise your blood sugar levels at a much slower pace than the previous. Your energy will be well-balanced and steady. But, you can put your digestive system in overload if you only consume slow-digesting food. This is because your digestive system is working full force to break down the food. It will take its toll on your body in the long run.

Nutritionists have stated that mixing fast and slow digestive foods in one meal is not very good for your body. Your digestive system hasn't finished yet and you will just be overloading your stomach with extra food. During lunchtime, your digestive system will be the most active, and it's best to mix fast and slow foods during this time if you must. Here are the digestion times for common foods and drinks:

• Water: Immediately enters into the intestines

• Fruit or Vegetable Juice: 15-20 minutes​​​​​​

• Raw Vegetables: 30-40 minutes

• Cooked Vegetables: 40 minutes

• Fish: 45-60 minutes

• Salad With Oil: 1 hour

• Starchy Vegetables: 1.5-2 hours

• Grains: 2 hours

• Dairy: 2 hours

• Nuts: 3 hours

• Chicken: 1.5-2 hours

• Beef: 3 hours

• Lamb: 4 hours

• Pork: 5 hours

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Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!