Facts About the Stomach

There are many common myths about the stomach and digestion.  Why does our stomach churn when we eat things we like?  Or, why do we experience bloating and gas?  Can we really shrink our stomachs to lose weight?  When it comes to stomach-related issues, many myths abound and the general public knows surprisingly little about the digestion process and the stomach.  Because of this, experts say that people don’t always deal with their stomach problems effectively.

Here are a few common myths:

• Myth #1. Skinny people have smaller stomachs.  While this may be a valid assumption, it is not correct.  Surprisingly, stomach size has little to do with a person’s weight.  In general, thin people have the same size or even larger stomachs than people that are overweight.

 

• Myth #2. Most of the digestive process takes place in the stomach.  This is another assumption that seems to make sense.  For the most part, people believe that food is swallowed and digested primarily in the stomach.  In reality, however, the digestive process begins in the mouth where the saliva begins to break down food.  As it enters the stomach it is broken down further by acids in the stomach into what is known as “chyme”.  From the stomach, chyme is released in batches into the small intestine where the biggest part of the digestive process takes place.

 

• Myth #3. All people get gas when they eat beans.  Believe it or not, some people don’t get gas when they eat beans.  The reason is because beans require a certain type of enzyme to digest properly and, since people produce varying amounts of that specific enzyme, they get gas in varying degrees.  The more bean-digesting enzyme a person produces, the less gas they will have.

 

• Myth #4. Spicy foods cause stomach ulcers.  Spicy foods may aggravate ulcers in some people, but they generally do not cause ulcers.  The majority of stomach ulcers are caused by the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs like aspirin.

 

• Myth #5. Gum takes years to digest.  While chewing gum cannot be broken down or digested like other foods, it will not stick to your intestinal walls and it will be eliminated in the normal way within a few days of swallowing.

 

• Myth #6. Your stomach will shrink if you eat small meals.  As much as we would like this to be true, the only way to reduce the size of an adult stomach is surgically.  But eating smaller amounts of food can help reduce your appetite.

There are many misunderstandings that exist concerning our stomachs.  Knowing the facts can help you deal with your stomach ailments more effectively.