Nutrition is defined as:  the sum of the following processes – ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation and egestion.

         Some definitions that you need to know:

• o Ingestion is the process where food is taken in

• o Digestion is the process where large molecules are broken down into smaller molecules either mechanically or chemically.

• o Absorption is the process where the molecules move through the intestinal walls (small intestine) into the blood vessels.

• o Assimilation is the process where nutrients are moved into and used by the cell.

• o Egestion is the process whereby unused nutrients are eliminated from the digestive system.