How Long Food Takes to Digest and Leave the Body

Medically reviewed by Allison Herries, RDN

Digestion is the process of the body breaking down food into substances that the bloodstream can absorb. Digestion time refers to how much time passes between consuming food and eliminating it in a bowel movement.

The average digestion time is about 23 to 37.4 hours but can range from 10 to 73 hours, depending on the food you ate and other factors such as sex, age, lifestyle, and any medical conditions.

This article will look at average digestion times, factors that might influence digestion, ways to balance fast or slow digestion, foods that digest slowly or quickly, and when to contact a healthcare provider.

Takeaway

Food is digested by physically moving through your GI tract and broken down by enzymes. Food enters the GI tract through the mouth, then moves through the esophagus, to the stomach, and then the small intestine, ending up in the large intestine (colon). The final part of digestion is when stool exits through the anus during a bowel movement.

What's the Average Digestion Time?

The time it takes from when food enters your mouth until it's eliminated from your body in a bowel movement is your total digestion time, also referred to as "whole gut transit time." The average digestion time is about 23 to 37.4 hours but varies depending on what foods you consume, your age, sex, and other factors.

It's important to note that different foods do not move through the digestive system at the same rate and that foods eaten simultaneously will take different lengths of time to digest.

• Men: There are biological gender differences in how food is digested that aren't fully understood. Digestion time in healthy men is shorter than digestion time in healthy women. Total digestion time for most men ranges between about 0.8 and 1.9 days, with an average of 1.3 days.

• Women: Digestion time for women ranges between about 1 and 3.7 days, with an average of 1.5 days. Food travels notably slower through the large intestine in women than in men, but the difference typically goes away when women reach older age.

• Children and infants: Milk takes about 24 hours to pass through an infant's digestive system. When children eat solid food, their total digestion time averages about one to two days.

Takeaway

On average, food takes two to five hours to empty from the stomach, two to six hours to pass through the small intestine, and 10 to 59 hours to transit through the large intestine before a bowel movement eliminates it from the body.

Influencing Factors

Female hormones can also affect digestion time. Digestion is longer during the second or third trimester of pregnancy and during the luteal phase of menstruation, when progesterone levels are high.

Other factors that can influence digestion time include:

• Age

• Stress

• Exercise

• Some medications

• Smoking

• Sleep

Possible Digestive Problems

Medical conditions that can affect digestion time include:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Conditions that cause inflammation in the digestive system

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): GI tract condition with bloating, cramping, and abdominal pain

• Diarrhea: Loose, watery stool

• Constipation: Infrequent bowel movements and hard stool that is difficult to pass

• Gastroparesis: When the stomach takes too long to empty and food movement is slow or delayed

• Gallstones: Hard, pebble-like material that forms in the gallbladder

• Lactose intolerance: The body's inability to digest dairy (lactose), causing abdominal discomfort

• Dumping syndrome: When food moves too quickly from the stomach into the small intestine
  

How to Balance Slow or Fast Digestion Time

One of the best ways to balance digestion is by drinking plenty of fluids, especially water,
which is important for proper digestion. Chewing food thoroughly and getting enough
exercise can also speed up digestion.

Foods high in fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates, and fats take longer for the body to break down, and consuming these foods can help slow digestion time. Processed foods, especially if they’re fried or fatty, are hard for the body to digest. Cutting back on these foods can also help promote healthy digestion.

Foods That Take Longer to Digest

Foods that are high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein, and fats take longer to digest but are also typically rich in nutrients. They include:

• Whole grains

• Nuts and seeds

• Legumes

• Fruit

• Vegetables
  

How Long Does Digesting Red Meat Take?

Digesting red meat usually takes 24 to 72 hours to digest. Leaner meat with less fat is usually digested faster than fattier meat.

Foods That Digest Quickly

Foods high in simple carbohydrates are digested quickly but also often lack vitamins, minerals,
fiber, and other nutrients. They include:

• Candy

• Honey

• Syrups

• White rice

• White pasta

• Refined breakfast cereal
  

Seeing a Provider to Manage Digestive Problems

Though having occasional digestive problems isn't unusual, you should contact a healthcare
provider if you experience:

• Ongoing diarrhea or constipation

• Unintended weight loss

• Frequent or severe heartburn

• Unusual bloating

• Unexplained fatigue

• Pain in the abdomen that improves or worsens when you eat

• Sudden or severe abdominal pain

• Pain when having a bowel movement

• Difficulty swallowing or feeling something in your throat

Summary

Average total digestion time can vary greatly among individuals, and foods vary in how long they digest. Women typically take longer to digest food than men. Other factors like age, physical activity, medications, and stress affect digestion.

Certain medical conditions can also make digestion slower or faster. Eating a nutritious diet, exercising, and getting enough fluids promotes healthy digestion. You should consult a healthcare provider if you’re having continued trouble with digestion, ongoing abdominal pain, or other digestive symptoms that interfere with daily life.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.