None of the above. The correct answer is walking. Moving around helps kickstart the GI tract.
AKA “a fart walk”
I love the little extra power toot.
So would sprinting full-speed after every meal ensure maximum digestive efficiency?
I think you’re joking, but in case you aren’t, the answer is: no. Digestion takes a surprising amount of energy from your body. You can either use that energy for running OR digestion, not both at the same time. If you are trying to full speed sprint after eating a meal, your parasympathetic nervous system would assume you’ve decided that running at top speed is more important and shut down digestion freeing up energy to use your muscles for running. It might also decide that having the undigested food in you may be a risk, and cause you to throw up.
No, the opposite actually! Any amount of exercise will help with GI motility, but intense exercise causes the digestive system to slow down (source).
If you only look at how long it takes until the food is out again, and don’t care where it comes out of, then yes.
walking > standing > sitting > lying down
Walking digests food fastest (obviously because you are moving your body/burning calories), and lying down digests foods most slowly. Gravity is also working against you to an extent
obviously because you are moving your body/burning calories
I wouldn’t say this is obvious or completely true. Burning calories is separate from digestion - for example, if you’re burning them too fast (e.g., sprinting), your body will divert resources towards the running, which will slow digestion.
dang gravity, always putting us down
Gravity isn’t bringing us down.
It’s bringing us together.
bro…
Gravity is also working against you
And gravity also wants to bring you down
Not sure about immediately after eating, but walking plays a role in moving your food through your digestive system, particularly your intestines.
humans don’t rely on gravity to digest food, but try not to choke in bed on these nuts.
Hopping.
