What is meant by digestion?

• A. Breaking down food
• B. Absorbing nutrients
• C. Mixing food
• D. Eliminating waste

Answer: (A)

Digestion is the process of breaking down food into smaller, soluble molecules that the body can use. This happens through both mechanical actions (like chewing and the stomach’s churning) and chemical actions (enzymes and acids) that turn large molecules into smaller units such as sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids. Absorbing nutrients is a separate step that happens after digestion, mainly in the small intestine. Mixing food and eliminating waste describe other processes, not the definition of digestion. So breaking down food describes digestion best.