We wash our skin to get rid of greasiness and oils, but we can’t wash out gastrointestinal tract in the same way. How do our bodies remove that “greasy” coating from eating greasy foods from our GI tract?

Question

When you eat something greasy, you can feel it on your lips and around your mouth. That can get washed away if it’s external to your body with soap and water. What I’m dumbfounded by is how our bodies can seemingly “wash away” that greasiness from our mouths, throat, stomach, intestines, etc… How is it done?

In: Biology

Answer 1

In the GI tract you don’t need to wash it away: the acids and enzymes are capable of breaking down most of the fat and grease. And the bits that can’t be completely broken down just get flushed out without any extra effort, since the ever-regenerating slimy texture of the GI tract makes it impossible for any excess lipid residue to around for long.