Clinical Nutrition For Dummies by Michael J. Rovito

Author:Michael J. Rovito
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781118665817
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2014-02-14T19:38:52+00:00

Understanding your stomach's role

Your stomach is a muscular container that receives food from your esophagus. The stomach walls secrete enzymes and acid that mix with the food and continue digestion. After a period of “marinating” in this acid bath, your food then moves into your small intestines for further digesting and nutrient absorption.

The acidity level of a food is indicated by its pH. The pH of gastric acid (stomach acid) is around 1.5, give or take. (Figure 11-2 shows acidity levels for several common substances.) Therefore, keeping acid from leaving the stomach is essential to prevent heartburn, ulcers, and other health concerns caused when stomach acid leaves the stomach and comes into contact with more sensitive organs. (The inside of your stomach is protected from this acid by a thick mucous lining.) Head to the later section “Discussing Some Functional Disorders of the GI Tract” for details on the problems that can result when stomach acid goes where it's not supposed to.

Illustration by Wiley, Composition Services Graphics

Figure 11-2: pH levels of common substances, including stomach acid.

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