2006-08-24 05:17:26 · 13 answers · asked by Chris K 2 in Health ➔ Diet & Fitness
After eating your food it then has to travel through the entire gastrointestinal tract before coming out the other end. The gastrointestinal tract for the purposes of this exercise includes the oral cavity, the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon.
Food travels down the oesophagus at a rate of approximately 3 to 4 centimetres per second (1 to 2 inches), and the entire process takes about 5 to 6 seconds. In the stomach, food tends to hang around for a little longer and this depends on a variety of factors including the amount of food you have consumed, how much fat it contains, and also the acidity of the stomach. However, all food should have left the stomach within 2 to 4 hours.
In the small intestine, digestion continues and absorption occurs. From here on, the time to defecation will vary depending on the time it takes to adequately digest and absorb in the small intestine. This will usually take 5 to 6 hours. The "food then enters the colon for further digestion and water reabsorption before defecation. The time from it’s entering the colon to defecation is about 12 to 24 hours.
Thus, the time for food to travel from one end to the other probably ranges from about 20 to 30 hours. Although I haven’t had the time to look further into the rest of your question, I hazard a guess that it is unlikely that meat will hang around for a week given that the gastrointestinal tract is very effective in breaking it down with various enzymes and acidity of the stomach. Foods high in protein and fats probably would probably take a little longer to pass through than if it were carbohydrate.
2006-08-24 05:40:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends on the person, the food being consumed, water intake, etc. To many variable to really average beyond a range of time. Generally 1-2 days. A good way to test this out. Take you and your buddies, eat some really spicy food at the same time. See how long it takes to poop out the hot stuff (You know when you get that burning, itching sensation after a BM....) Keep track of how long it took everyone to get a case of the flaming sphincter and average your results.
2006-08-24 12:27:29 · answer #2 · answered by Charles B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on what you eat. It can take up to 20 hours or more but you know you have eaten some hot spicy food and had the runs a few hours later.. so like i said it depends on what you eat..
look at this site if you really are interested
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/digestive.html
2006-08-24 12:33:08 · answer #3 · answered by lost_soul 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its about 8 hours. becuase the stuff that is coming out of you now you ate 8 hours ago- and yes sometimes you eat something then have to go about 30 mins later but that isnt the same food, your body needs to digest enzymes and nutrients then the food hangs around in your intestines then a thing called peristalsis happens which is the lumps of digested food move along the intestines like contractions then you do a poo!
2006-08-24 12:21:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
This depends on the food as much as your metabolism for instance a steak can be rotting in your gut for nearly three days while it is digested
2006-08-24 12:24:49 · answer #5 · answered by joepublic101 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
3 hours
2006-08-24 12:20:05 · answer #6 · answered by Christina 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i've always thought 4 hours from entry to exit
2006-08-24 12:25:26 · answer #7 · answered by srracvuee 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
About 8 hours or so, depnding on your body and what you ate.
=)
2006-08-24 12:23:49 · answer #8 · answered by lightnin21maui 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it all depends on ur matabulizim!!! some ppl digest food fast some slow that why we have fat average and skinny ppl!!!!!!!
2006-08-24 12:18:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
around 30mins . . . unless you got a big crap cutter . . then 35
2006-08-24 12:18:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋