Why does the stomach digest food?

The stomach digests food mainly because it can secrete gastric juice, mix and stir food, grind food, etc.

1. Secreting gastric juice The stomach

wall secretes specific gastric juice, including gastric acid, digestive enzymes and mucus, which can help digest most bacteria and microorganisms in food. Digestive enzymes help break down protein in food and convert it into small molecules of amino acids.

2. Mixing and stirring food The

muscle layer of the stomach wall has the ability to contract and squirm, commonly known as gastric motility, which can mix food with gastric juice to form semi-liquid substances called stomach contents.

3. Grinding food The

muscle layer in the stomach wall will crush and stir food together with gastric juice through contraction and relaxation to make it smaller particles for better digestion.

It is recommended that patients with stomach discomfort need active treatment so as not to affect normal food digestion and absorption.