Why does blood sugar spike after a meal if food is digested in the stomach for several hours before it starts getting absorbed in the small intestine?
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First, carbohydrates begin digestion via saliva in your mouth.
Second, food doesn’t really sit in your stomach for “hours.” As it is broken down into a mix of stomach acid and food called chyme, it is gradually released into the small intestine.
In the first section of the small intestine, the duodenum, juices from your pancreas break down the carbohydrates further. The walls of this part of the small intestine are lined with little fingers, and those fingers have yet another enzyme that finally breaks down carbohydrates into single molecule sugars and they are absorbed into the bloodstream, and sent into systemic circulation after passing through the liver.
This can all occur rather quickly, especially for things like liquids and well chewed or soft foods.
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