The process of taking nutrients into the intestinal wall is called what?

The process of taking nutrients into the intestinal wall is called what?

• A. Absorption
• B. Digestion
• C. Fermentation
• D. Excretion

Answer: (A)

Uptake of nutrients into the lining of the small intestine is absorption. After digestion breaks foods down into smaller molecules, these nutrients cross the intestinal mucosa—enterocytes lining the villi—and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. The small intestine is built for this job, with its large surface area from villi and microvilli. Digestion is the step that breaks things apart; fermentation is microbial breakdown in the gut, mainly in the colon; excretion is the elimination of waste. So the term that fits this process is absorption, with nutrients moving into the body through the intestinal wall.

Uptake of nutrients into the lining of the small intestine is absorption. After digestion breaks foods down into smaller molecules, these nutrients cross the intestinal mucosa—enterocytes lining the villi—and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. The small intestine is built for this job, with its large surface area from villi and microvilli. Digestion is the step that breaks things apart; fermentation is microbial breakdown in the gut, mainly in the colon; excretion is the elimination of waste. So the term that fits this process is absorption, with nutrients moving into the body through the intestinal wall.