Ingesta (Noun)
Meaning
Solid and liquid nourishment taken into the body through the mouth.
Classification
Nouns denoting foods and drinks.
Examples
- The nutritional value of ingesta is typically determined by the rate at which nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream.
- Proper digestion of ingesta begins in the mouth with the mechanical breakdown of food by chewing.
- Following intake of ingesta several digestive enzymes are quickly released from the glands into the oral cavity to break down nutrients into smaller molecules.
- Specialized cells in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract have specific roles in the digestion and absorption of ingesta.
- Scientists have sought to understand the role of gut bacteria in decomposing certain types of ingesta that resist digestion by enzymes.