GLOSSARY

Swallowing coordinates bolus transfer toward esophagus and stomach, including airway-protective coordination.

Chewing mixes food with saliva and prepares a bolus for swallowing. Salivary amylase begins starch digestion, but the mouth does not complete digestion of all nutrients. The esophagus mainly transports the bolus through coordinated movement. Bite size and time to eat matter in sport; rushing dry food during activity can undermine practical execution even when its nutrient composition appears suitable on paper.

Chewing, mixing and gut movements alter food's exposed surface, while enzymes hydrolyze suitable bonds using water. Physical particle reduction differs from molecular hydrolysis, and nutrients do not all need the same enzymes. Chewing prepares a bolus, but no magical chew count or finer texture guarantees complete symptom-free absorption. Food structure, preparation and the rest of the digestive process still matter.

When recording discomfort after a session, consider food, portion, timing and intensity together; review recurrence and other factors before broad exclusions while preserving adequate nutrition.

Gut movements mix and propel contents; peristalsis and segmentation are not identical patterns. Transit depends on the meal, individual, medicines and activity. Faster is not always better, and slower does not by itself establish malabsorption. In sports planning, evaluate meal timing and size through actual experience and symptoms instead of assigning every food a fixed passage time applicable to every athlete.