The body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food is an important factor in maintaining health and energy. However, not everyone knows how to optimize this process, leading to fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, or digestive problems. So, how to absorb food in the best way? Let’s learn to build healthier and more scientific eating habits.
Poor absorption of nutrients from food is a common problem, affecting both children and adults. This condition is not a specific disease but is often the result of many different factors or health conditions, such as digestive disorders, an unbalanced diet, or prolonged stress. Improving the ability to absorb nutrients requires a combination of adjusting the diet, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and sometimes support from medical professionals. So how can the body absorb food in the best way? Before learning, let’s review how the body digests food!
The process of the body absorbing food
During the digestive process, nutrients from food are absorbed in the small intestine, then enter the blood and distributed to organs, tissues and the body to provide energy, support life functions, and contribute to building and development. This process includes mechanical breakdown, such as chewing, grinding, mixing food, combined with chemical breakdown by enzymes from gastric juice, pancreas and bile. Nutrients after being digested will be absorbed through the epithelial cells of the small intestine and enter the circulatory system.
Nutrients after being digested will be absorbed through the epithelial cells of the small intestine and enter the circulatory system.
However, some people have malabsorption syndrome, which means that their bodies cannot absorb nutrients properly. This condition can affect one or more types of nutrients, such as proteins, lipids or vitamins, and sometimes all of them. This is not a single disease but often has many different causes. Factors that can cause malabsorption include a poor diet, an imbalance in the intestinal microflora, an abnormally thick mucous layer on the intestinal mucosa, or diseases related to the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal parasites.
How to absorb food best?
To be able to absorb nutrients best, you should:
Build a scientific diet
It is necessary to establish a nutritional regimen rich in fluids, vitamins and minerals to help improve symptoms and improve overall health. For at least 30 days, follow these principles: Take adequate vitamins and minerals, increase consumption of complex carbohydrates such as rice, oatmeal, pasta, eat plenty of fresh fruit, especially papaya and pineapple. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water or fruit juice every day. At the same time, limit foods high in fat such as butter, fatty meats, fried foods, cooking oils and chocolate. Avoid products high in caffeine, processed foods, processed meats and those with many food additives.
Building a scientific diet is the way to absorb food well.
Diversify your protein sources
No food can fully meet all the protein and nutrients your body needs. For example, chicken breast is very nutritious but does not provide all the essential amino acids. Therefore, build a rich menu with diverse protein sources such as meat, fish, shrimp, crab and other protein-rich foods. Changing food sources flexibly will help your body better absorb the necessary nutrients.
Eat slowly and chew thoroughly
Food needs to be crushed through the chewing process to be easily absorbed into the body. Therefore, eating slowly and chewing thoroughly plays an important role in supporting digestion. When you eat too quickly and do not chew thoroughly, your body will have difficulty digesting, leading to indigestion and bloating.
Limit eating late at night
The habit of eating late at night is not only harmful to your health but also increases the risk of fat accumulation in the body. Metabolism is most active in the morning and early afternoon, when the body can easily digest and absorb nutrients. In contrast, eating late at night not only overworks the digestive system but also reduces the quality of sleep, because the body needs to process up to 75% of calories before it can fully rest.
The habit of eating late at night is not only harmful to health but also increases the risk of fat accumulation.
Divide your meals into smaller meals throughout the day
Dividing your menu into several small meals helps your digestive system work more effectively, making it easier for your body to absorb nutrients. At the same time, this way of eating maintains a stable metabolism and reduces the risk of fat accumulation, supporting better weight management.
Drink enough water
Water accounts for about 70% of your body weight and plays an important role in metabolism, nutrient absorption, and many other essential functions. However, many people have the habit of drinking too little water, leading to serious health problems. However, drinking too much water during meals can also hinder the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Avoid drinking carbonated drinks during main meals because they can cause a feeling of fullness. Drinks such as coffee can also affect the ability to absorb certain nutrients.
Establish a regular eating routine
To optimize digestion and nutrient absorption, eat breakfast around 7-8am, make sure to have lunch about 4 hours after breakfast, and have dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed. The body needs a reasonable amount of time to process food and metabolize nutrients effectively. Therefore, maintaining a regular eating routine not only helps the digestive system function better, but also contributes to improving overall health.
Maintain regular eating habits to help the digestive system function better.
Above are some methods to help readers know how to absorb food in the best way. However, if you experience unusual symptoms related to the digestive system such as nausea, vomiting, bloating, indigestion, or stomach pain, you should go to a medical facility for examination, determine the cause and timely treatment.
