Nanfeishen
Executive Member
The stomach operates at a temp of about 37c , now like any liquid solution, it dissolves and absorbs substances better when it is heated than when it is chilled.
Take a pot of water and heat it to 37c, drop some butter in and see how long it takes to melt , heat the water further, and it melts quicker, plus the fatty residue is in smaller portions on top of the water, chill the water, and see how it simply doesnt absorb the butter until it has warmed up.
Same principle for the stomach with hot or cold water, cold water cools the gastric juices, thereby slowing down the digestive system.
So the body has to now use energy on first reheating the gastric juice, before the digestive process can begin properly.
The acid alone is responsible for minor breakdown of certain foods, but most of the work is done by the pepsin, which also helps liberate the fat of the food by dissolving the fibrous framework round its globules, preparing it for digestion in the duodenum.
Therefore fatty foods, arent processed completely by the time they pass into the duodenum, and the bile has a harder job of emulsifying the fat globules.
Just as cold effects the sweat glands, closing them off, so cold also also effects the gastric glands, slowing their secretion, and thereby inhibiting the digestive process rather than promoting it.
So warmer water, is better than cold wrt the digestive process.
As to the lowly lemon:
Our stomach has a ph level that averages between 1 and 3 depending on the individuals metabolism, the average being 2
Lemon and lime juice both have ph values of around 2 , Apple juice at 2.9 – 3.3 and Grapefruit juice at 3 – 3.3 with Orange juice around 3 – 4.
The Citric acid in the lemon juice acts as buffering agent , driving the stomach ph level to its optimum of 2 and ensures it remains at that level for as long as possible thereby ensuring maximum food digestion.
The optimum ph level for pepsin activity in the stomach is 2.0.
The body is very sensitive to ph balance, and increments outside the normal ranges for the body create many health problems.
If the body fluids are acidic they will seek alkaline minerals to react with - such as sodium, potassium, zinc, iron and calcium. If the body is lacking in these minerals then it takes them from the liver, muscles, ligaments and bones.
A lemon will break down into carbohydrates that will further break down into carbon dioxide and water leaving a residual alkaline ash consisting of minerals salts such as sodium, potassium and calcium etc. So while a lemon will taste acidic and presents an acid pH if tested raw, its ash will be alkaline and so will its effect on the body.
2 interesting links
http://mcb.berkeley.edu/courses/mcb32/Miller notes- digestive system
http://www.ionizers.org/ph-balance.html
Take a pot of water and heat it to 37c, drop some butter in and see how long it takes to melt , heat the water further, and it melts quicker, plus the fatty residue is in smaller portions on top of the water, chill the water, and see how it simply doesnt absorb the butter until it has warmed up.
Same principle for the stomach with hot or cold water, cold water cools the gastric juices, thereby slowing down the digestive system.
So the body has to now use energy on first reheating the gastric juice, before the digestive process can begin properly.
The acid alone is responsible for minor breakdown of certain foods, but most of the work is done by the pepsin, which also helps liberate the fat of the food by dissolving the fibrous framework round its globules, preparing it for digestion in the duodenum.
Therefore fatty foods, arent processed completely by the time they pass into the duodenum, and the bile has a harder job of emulsifying the fat globules.
Just as cold effects the sweat glands, closing them off, so cold also also effects the gastric glands, slowing their secretion, and thereby inhibiting the digestive process rather than promoting it.
So warmer water, is better than cold wrt the digestive process.
As to the lowly lemon:
Our stomach has a ph level that averages between 1 and 3 depending on the individuals metabolism, the average being 2
Lemon and lime juice both have ph values of around 2 , Apple juice at 2.9 – 3.3 and Grapefruit juice at 3 – 3.3 with Orange juice around 3 – 4.
The Citric acid in the lemon juice acts as buffering agent , driving the stomach ph level to its optimum of 2 and ensures it remains at that level for as long as possible thereby ensuring maximum food digestion.
The optimum ph level for pepsin activity in the stomach is 2.0.
The body is very sensitive to ph balance, and increments outside the normal ranges for the body create many health problems.
If the body fluids are acidic they will seek alkaline minerals to react with - such as sodium, potassium, zinc, iron and calcium. If the body is lacking in these minerals then it takes them from the liver, muscles, ligaments and bones.
A lemon will break down into carbohydrates that will further break down into carbon dioxide and water leaving a residual alkaline ash consisting of minerals salts such as sodium, potassium and calcium etc. So while a lemon will taste acidic and presents an acid pH if tested raw, its ash will be alkaline and so will its effect on the body.
2 interesting links
http://mcb.berkeley.edu/courses/mcb32/Miller notes- digestive system
http://www.ionizers.org/ph-balance.html