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What is Ingestion?

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Ingestion is the process of consuming something and taking it into the body. Usually, the word is used to describe taking food in through the mouth, as humans and many animals do. It can also be used to describe the absorption of materials or nutrients by a cell or organism. For example, a cell may ingest nutrients by absorbing them.

In human beings, ingestion most commonly occurs through the mouth. A person may ingest food and drink by chewing and swallowing or by swallowing alone. Additionally, human beings often ingest medicines through the mouth. For example, a human being may swallow a capsule, pill, or liquid medication. Some pills are also designed to be chewed rather than swallowed. There are even some medications that are in powder form and designed to be combined with food, such as applesauce, before ingestion.

In some instances, items not intended for consumption, such as coins, are ingested by children.
In some instances, items not intended for consumption, such as coins, are ingested by children.

When an individual ingests something, the substance begins to make its way through the gastrointestinal tract in a process called digestion. The food travels to the stomach, where stomach acids and enzymes act on it while the stomach's muscular lining squeezes and mixes the food. Eventually, the food moves on to the intestine. Most of digestion, the breaking down of food for use by the body, happens in the small intestine. Special juices and enzymes finish breaking the food down into nutrients, which the body uses, leaving the waste to travel into the large intestine and out of the body.

Humans begin the ingestion process by consuming foods and drinks through their mouth.
Humans begin the ingestion process by consuming foods and drinks through their mouth.

Unfortunately, food and drink aren’t the only things a person may ingest. The mouth can also be an entry point for microscopic organisms, viruses, and bacteria that make a person sick. Often, these things enter the body because they are in improperly prepared or stored food. Sometimes they enter the body when someone goes to the bathroom and then neglects to wash his hands before preparing, serving, or eating food. Ingestion of pathogens may sicken a person temporarily, but sometimes a pathogen is harmful enough to be deadly.

Like humans, dogs and many other animals ingest food by eating it.
Like humans, dogs and many other animals ingest food by eating it.

Sometimes human beings ingest foreign bodies, like buttons, coins, and batteries, by accident. Often, such things pass out of the body in bowel movements and do not cause harm. Swallowing batteries can lead to difficulty breathing, vomiting, and rashes, however.

Interestingly, there are some organisms that do not ingest food through a mouth. For example, amoebas, single-celled organisms, ingest food but do not need a mouth to do so. Instead, they absorb food into their bodies after wrapping themselves around a consumable item. Cells ingest in the same manner, absorbing food or other substances through the cell membrane, which is a protective barrier around the cell.

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a TheHealthBoard writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a TheHealthBoard writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

calpat

Whenever I think of the word "ingestion" all that comes to mind are the warnings that you find on the label of cleaning products that tell you what to do in case of ingestion. Usually it says that you are supposed to call a Poison Control Center.

I guess this has kind of given the word a negative connotation for me. I never think of simply eating as ingesting food. But I suppose it is.

claire24

If ingestion doesn't only happen through the mouth, would fluid that enters the body through an I.V. in the arm be considered a form of ingestion?

My son was recently in the hospital after an illness, because they had to flush his body out with fluids that entered him through an I.V. This went on for about a day and a half. He thought that it was hilarious to think that he had been "drinking" through his arm for that amount of time.

To me, it seems like this would qualify as ingestion, even though I had never thought of it that way before.

anon132745

Thanks. It helped me a lot. I was confused about whether the plants ingest or not but I've got the answer that ingestion occurs not only through the mouth but also by absorption. --7adi

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    • In some instances, items not intended for consumption, such as coins, are ingested by children.
      By: Magalice
      In some instances, items not intended for consumption, such as coins, are ingested by children.
    • Humans begin the ingestion process by consuming foods and drinks through their mouth.
      By: Tatyana Gladskih
      Humans begin the ingestion process by consuming foods and drinks through their mouth.
    • Like humans, dogs and many other animals ingest food by eating it.
      By: AntonioDiaz
      Like humans, dogs and many other animals ingest food by eating it.
    • Microscopic organisms can enter the human body through the ingestion process by consuming undercooked or improperly prepared food.
      By: Ruslan Olinchuk
      Microscopic organisms can enter the human body through the ingestion process by consuming undercooked or improperly prepared food.
    • Amoebas are single-celled organisms.
      By: barlog2000
      Amoebas are single-celled organisms.
    • Some medications are easier to ingest in powder form.
      By: Orlando Bellini
      Some medications are easier to ingest in powder form.
    • Ingestion begins with taking in food through the mouth.
      By: schwede-photodesign
      Ingestion begins with taking in food through the mouth.