The passage of digestion products from the intestine to the blood is called which process?

• A. Digestion
• B. Absorption
• C. Ingestion
• D. Egestion

Answer: (B)

Absorption is the process by which digestion products pass from the gut into the bloodstream. After food is digested, nutrients such as amino acids and simple sugars cross the intestinal lining through the cells that form the wall of the small intestine and enter the capillaries, traveling to the liver via the hepatic portal vein. Fats are absorbed in a slightly different route, entering the lymphatic system as chylomicrons before joining the bloodstream, but the overall idea is the same: moving digested nutrients from the intestine into the body. This step is separate from digestion (breaking down food), ingestion (taking food in), and egestion (eliminating waste).