Understanding not only the basics but also the intricacies of the digestive process is instrumental for ensuring patient safety and promoting healthy dieting. Therefore, an examination of the functioning of the digestive system using the example of a common food type will reveal a range of intricate details regarding the chemical and physical processes taking place within the digestive system. Since pizza with pepperoni and onions contains a substantial amount of saturated fats, the fermentation process leads to an increased risk of complications for the liver and the pancreas.
Examining the constituents of the specified meal, one must mention the prevalence of saturated fats in the specified dining option. Namely, a 14” slice of pizza with pepperoni and onions contains a substantial percentage of carbs (46%) and a significant amount of fats (37%), of which saturated fats constitute 26% (“14″ pepperoni pizza,” n.d.). In turn, the amount of proteins is admittedly low in a slice of pizza with onions and pepperoni. Specifically, the overall percentage of proteins in the specified portion of pizza amounts to a total of 18% (“14″ pepperoni pizza,” n.d.). The specified indicators point to the high likelihood of further issues with the digestion of the food in question.
In turn, the process of chemical breakdown of the specified meal in the digestive system involves a series of sequential processes. First, the food is split physically as it is ground with teeth, as well as separated into smaller components chemically as it is affected by the saliva (Perez-Castineira, 2020). Afterward, as pizza with pepperoni and onions is swallowed, it travels to the stomach, where it is further broken into smaller particles chemically as it is exposed to acid in the stomach (Perez-Castineira, 2020). Afterwar, nutrients are obtained from the food in the smaller intestine and transferred to the blood system, whereas the rest of the food mass is transported into the larger intestine, where it is dehydrated and compressed into waste (Perez-Castineira, 2020). While the specified process is sufficiently complex, it takes a reasonably small amount of time.
Finally, the hormonal mechanisms of the specified process need to be addressed in greater detail. Specifically, as the specified food is transported into the stomach, hormones required for the enhancement of the digestive process are released. These include the CCK, gastrin, and secretin, which contribute to the process of splitting pizza into particles and obtaining crucial nutrients from it. Namely, as the pizza is transported into the stomach, gastrin is secreted so that the food could be further broken down into smaller particles (Krieger, 2020). Afterward, secretin is generated by duodenum cells so that the acidic chyme could be neutralized and so that the liver could release bile (Krieger, 2020). Finally, CCK stimulates the gallbladder to produce bile and contribute to the further digestion of the food (Krieger, 2020). The specified processes lead to the eventual disintegration of the food into nutrients that are further transported within the bloodstream (Krieger, 2020). Thus, one obtains the little nutritional value that pizza with pepperoni and onions can offer, while also gaining a substantial amount of saturate fats.
Since pizza as an accurate example of fast food contains a substantial amount of saturated fats and the related nutritional components that enhance the production of bile, the increase in the workload of the liver and the pancreas is likely to lead to a rise in complication risks. Therefore, the specified example of a meal demonstrates the importance of a proper choice of dieting options. Specifically, the health risks that the specified process entails combined with a substantially low nutritional value suggest that pizza with pepperoni and onions should not be seen as a regular element of the daily menu.
References
14″ pepperoni pizza. (n.d.). Fatsecret. Web.
Krieger, P. A. (2020). A Visual Analogy Guide to Human Physiology. Morton Publishing Company.
Perez-Castineira, J. (2020). Chemistry and biochemistry of food. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.