How long does it take to digest a meal?

The human body needs to take in a variety of nutrients every day to provide the energy it needs. Nutrients come from various foods, such as vegetables, meat, seafood, beans and other foods. The human body must eat in time after digesting food every day to ensure the supply of nutrients. Some people cannot eat on time due to work or study. Irregular diet is harmful to the human body. How long does it take to digest a meal? Let’s take a look at it next.

How long does it take to digest a meal?

1. How long does it take to digest a meal?

1. It takes about 4 hours for the stomach to empty, but food continues to be digested in the small intestine.

2. Digestion time of different types of food

1. Fruits: 30 minutes to 1 hour. Melon fruits (such as watermelon) take the shortest, while bananas take the longest.

2. Vegetables: 45 minutes to 2 hours. Melon vegetables (such as winter melon) take the shortest time, followed by nightshade vegetables (such as tomatoes and eggplants), then leafy vegetables (such as spinach and Chinese cabbage) and cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli). Root vegetables (such as sweet potatoes and taro) take the longest to digest.

3. Cereals: 1 hour and 30 minutes to 3 hours. Liquid or semi-liquid cereal foods (such as porridge) take less time to digest. Fermented foods without added fat (such as steamed bread, oil-free bread) are also easier to digest.

4. Protein: 1 hour and 30 minutes to 4 hours. Liquid protein foods such as milk and soy milk are easier to digest, while it takes 4 hours or more to completely digest protein-rich meats such as beef and chicken.

5. Fat: 2 to 4 hours, but we rarely consume fat alone. It is usually consumed with vegetables or grains. If fat is consumed together with grains or protein foods, its digestion time will be prolonged. Therefore, foods like cakes that contain a lot of fat, protein and carbohydrates will put a heavy burden on the stomach and intestines, and it will take about 3 to 4 hours to be completely digested.

3. What to eat to help digestion

1. Take a walk after dinner

After eating, do not sit or lie down immediately. If you feel lazy, it will be difficult to digest the food. Also, do not do strenuous exercise as it will harm your stomach. The best way is to stand for a while after a meal, or take a walk at a slower pace.

2. Drink tea appropriately

You can drink some tea half an hour after a meal. Tea generally helps digestion. It depends on what kind of tea you like to drink and choose the right tea according to your physical condition. If you are not used to drinking tea, it is recommended not to drink strong tea and choose a milder tea.

3. Lemonade

Lemon water is a great aid to digestion. You can drink it whenever you have nothing to do. However, if you have a bad stomach, you should drink in moderation and not drink too much.