Defining Digestion and Absorption
The definition of digestion is the conversion of food (in the mouth, stomach and intestines) into soluble and diffusible material, capable of being absorbed by the blood. So, digestion is the process of masticating (chewing) food, swallowing it, and breaking it down into smaller particles in the stomach and small intestines.
Absorption in living organisms can be defined as the process by which the building block materials of growth and nutrition are absorbed and conveyed to the tissues and organs. Once the digestive process has delivered the broken down smaller particles to the small intestines, absorption can take place through the intestinal wall into the blood stream. In other words, absorption in living organisms is the process of delivering the digested nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, to the bloodstream for delivery throughout the body.