cover of episode How does food turn into poop?

How does food turn into poop?

2024/11/15
logo of podcast But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

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Mary Roach
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Mary Roach:食物变成粪便是一个复杂的过程,从咀嚼开始,经过胃部的初步分解,然后在小肠中吸收营养物质,最后在大肠中形成粪便并排出体外。这个过程中,肠道细菌扮演着至关重要的角色,它们帮助分解食物,并产生人体所需的营养物质。纤维素等物质则难以被完全分解,直接排出体外,有助于促进排便。 此外,排便也是为了防止肠道胀破,避免肠道细菌扩散到身体其他部位引起感染。 至于屁,它的气味取决于食物的分解产物,有些食物分解会产生硫化氢等气味难闻的气体,而另一些食物则不会产生气味。屁的产生也是为了防止肠道内气体压力过大而胀破。 太空中的排便则更加复杂,早期宇航员使用塑料袋,而国际空间站则使用气流系统来处理粪便,以应对失重环境。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why do we have to poop?

Pooping is a necessary function to expel waste materials and bacteria from the digestive system. Without it, toxins could build up and be harmful.

Why does fiber make you poop?

Fiber adds bulk to stool, helping it move more efficiently through the digestive tract and promoting regular bowel movements.

Why is poop brown?

Poop's brown color comes from bile, a fluid produced by the liver that helps digest fats. As bile pigments pass through the intestines, they change color and contribute to the brown hue of stool.

Why does poop smell so bad?

The unpleasant smell of poop is due to bacteria breaking down waste in the intestines, producing gases like hydrogen sulfide, which have a strong odor.

Why do farts smell bad?

Farts smell because of the gases produced by bacteria in the digestive system, particularly hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur compounds that have a strong odor.

Why do people fart?

Farting is a natural way to release gas buildup in the digestive system. It prevents the gut from stretching too much, which could be harmful.

Chapters
This chapter explains the process of how food is broken down and transformed into poop, from chewing to the formation of waste in the intestine.
  • Food is chewed into a bolus and travels through the stomach and small intestine.
  • Nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine, and the remaining waste moves to the large intestine.
  • Water is absorbed in the large intestine, forming solid waste.

Shownotes Transcript

Why do we have to poop? Why does fiber make you poop? Why is poop brown? Why does it smell so bad? Why do farts smell bad, too? Yup, we’re going there! In this episode, Mary Roach, author of Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal), answers your questions about those things that we’re told not to talk about in polite company: poop and farts. We learn how astronauts use the bathroom in space and how many germs are in one ounce of poop.